Mexico has tacos. England has fish and chips. In the Philippines, the equivalent is is tapsilog, a very simple, common dish of garlic rice, eggs and tapa (cured beef). Although considered a breakfast meal, it is also eaten for lunch and dinner, and as a popular late-night snack—pretty much any time of the day someone is hungry.
Restaurants News - page 55
Mochi ice cream is a fusion dessert that binds the traditional Japanese dessert—mochi (rice cake)—with the quintessential American dessert—ice cream. Its roots can be traced to Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, where feisty Japanese pastry chef Frances Hashimoto invented, distributed and later marketed the wrapped ice cream balls to big-name American supermarkets.
The better-beer scene continues its ascent in the South Bay with Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant in downtown Mountain View set to open March 28. There will be wine and cocktails, but the primary focus will be on high-quality beers. Steins will feature 30 taps and a menu of modern American comfort food crafted by executive chef and Bay Area native Colby Reade.
Kyusu co-owner Monaye Win only lived in Burma until the age of 10. After that, his family moved to Japan, where he grew up, and then relocated to the United States, where they’ve lived now for 12 years. He is, however, quite familiar with Burmese cuisine thanks to his mother’s cooking.
Entering Pauly’s Famous Franks N Fries at its Curtner Avenue location, which opened late last year, gave me the feeling that I was looking at a blueprint for a new hot dog fast-food chain.
Ever since Umami Burger’s beginnings in Los Angeles in 2009, it has spawned a burger empire. The restaurant just opened a Palo Alto location last Friday.
In 2011 Jeffrey Nguyen joined the fusion-friendly world of food trucks and opened Le Bon de Cuisine in San Jose, which took elements of Vietnamese and French food to make some delicious, unique street food.
At the new Cafe Stritch, the concept may have changed, but the last name on the ownership papers certainly hasn’t. Eulipia’s Steve Borkenhagen has passed on ownership to his children: Michael, Melissa and Maxwell.
As executive chef of Los Gatos Brewing Co. in San Jose and Los Gatos and The Table in Willow Glen, James “Jim” Stump has a long history of filling the bellies of Silicon Valley residents and visitors with tasty meals.
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company—not the brewpub but the brewing and bottling facility located on Taylor Street in San Jose—has started offering limited-release, big-bottle beers with special flip-tops as part of the Braumeister Selekt series. The first issue is the Imperial Pilsner Brau, which was released last summer and has garnered much acclaim, enchanting those who’ve been curious to taste a hoppy Gordon Biersch beer.
