Tag Archives: Santana Row restaurant

Fried Chicken, Paella, and More At Citrus at the Valencia Hotel

Let the good times roll at Citrus in the Valencia Hotel.

Let the good times roll at Citrus in the Valencia Hotel.

 

Chef Ocean Orssten acknowledges his parents were hippies who happened to be living in Capitola at the time he was born. Hence his unusual first name.

But the chef with the water-themed moniker also knows the land equally well. He grew up in the Napa Valley, raising heritage breed pigs at age 12 and developed a love for agriculture.

Is it any wonder that by the time he was a young teen, he knew he wanted to be a chef?

After stints at Arcadia in San Jose, La Folie in San Francisco, and Campton Place restaurant in San Francisco, Orssten took over the helm at Citrus at the Valencia Hotel in San Jose’s Santana Row in 2011.

It’s a restaurant I’ve longed wish more people would find out about. You have to know it’s there, as it’s not at visible at street level as all the other eateries at Santana Row. Instead, you have to take an elevator up to the third floor to get to it. But that trek rewards you once you arrive with a tucked away, intimate dining room that feels cloistered from the hubbub of the rest of the retail-residential center around it.

An unexpected and delightful goat arepas.

An unexpected and delightful goat arepas.

Recently, I was invited in as a guest to try Orssten’s recently revamped menu. There’s the expected rib eye and flatiron steak. But also offerings you don’t expect. Like the Jamaican curry goat arepas ($14). The stewed goat was tender and full of flavor atop the soft corn arepas. The poblano creme fraiche added a smoky, creamy heat, though, there may have been too much of it on the plate.

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Thrice-Changing Spot Morphs Into New Lark Creek Kitchen

Salmon tartare at the new Lark Creek Kitchen.

Salmon tartare at the new Lark Creek Kitchen.

 

It was once Yankee Pier. Next, it transformed into Lark Creek Blue. Now, this spot on the main drag of San Jose’s Santana Row reopened just weeks ago as the new Lark Creek Kitchen.

It’s the first such new concept by the Moana Restaurant Group since it took over operations of Lark Creek Restaurant Group’s stable in January with the exception of One Market restaurant in San Francisco, which remains independently run.

Not that the other two concepts lacked for diners, but Lark Creek Kitchen is Moana’s first action to refresh the brand. Other plans are in the works to redo Lark Creek Steak in the San Francisco Centre and to reopen the now-shuttered Fish Story in Napa as something else.

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New Oakville Grocery Sammies, Santana Row To Welcome A New Restaurant, and More

The new Cuban sandwich at Oakville Grocery. (Photo courtesy of the store.)

The new Cuban sandwich at Oakville Grocery. (Photo courtesy of the store.)

New Sandwiches Galore At Oakville Grocery

Oakville Grocery, the 130-year-old landmark Wine Country gourmet store has rolled out a delicious new sandwich menu created by Chef Jason Rose.

Look for the Oakville Muffaletta ($13), a ciabatta piled with Toscano salami, sopressata, ham, provolone, and pickled pepper relish; the Cuban ($13), a torpedo roll stuffed with slow-cooked pork shoulder, ham, yellow mustard, pickles, Swiss cheese, and aioli; and the Quinoa Falafel ($9.50), spinach lavash rolled up around spicy hummus, harissa Greek yogurt, grilled eggplant, cucumber and pickles.

Each day, a special tartine ($10) also is featured, along with a waffle sandwich ($7) of ham and Swiss cheese.

The muffaletta. (Photo courtesy of Oakville Grocery.)

The muffaletta. (Photo courtesy of Oakville Grocery.)

With two locations — the original in Oakville and the other in Healdsburg — it’s a perfect place to pick up a quick lunch after cycling or touring wineries.

Get Ready for a Taste of Brazil at Santana Row

Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steakhouse, will be opening in San Jose’s Santana Row in early 2014.

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Take a Taste of Lark Creek Blue at Santana Row

Flatiron steak at Lark Creek Blue in Santana Row.

Gone is the nautical theme, along with the fishing nets, boat wheel and seafood-centric menu.

Yankee Pier at Santana Row in San Jose was put out to sea this summer, then underwent a renovation and was re-christened Lark Creek Blue.

The vibe is now less kitschy and more sophisticated with dark wood tables, leather chairs, blue-hued walls, and striking drum lights in the dining room.

You’ll still find plenty of seafood on the menu, all of it adhering to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Seafood Watch” guide. But so much more, too, including Angus beef carpaccio with nori flakes ($11.50) , a 12-ounce Marin Sun Farms grass-fed ribeye ($39) and Bellwether Farm ricotto ravioli with confit tomatoes and black olives ($16.50). Each evening, a special “classic” dish is offered, too, from Southern fried chicken ($19.50)  on Mondays to Prime rib with Yorkshire pudding ($36) on Saturdays to an old-school crawfish boil ($23.50) on Sundays.

The warm-hued dining room with an open kitchen.

Recently, I was invited as a guest of the restaurant to try Chef Paul Bruno’s food. Bruno was formerly sous chef or executive sous chef at Mon Ami Gabi, Seablue and Michael Mina, all in Las Vegas.

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