Archive for the ‘restaurants’ Category

Bump in the Road

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

CIMG1256
I’m shocked and dismayed to report that Calvin’s Cheesesteaks on The Alameda had a fire last week and is now closed with “significant fire, smoke, and water damage.” The fire was caused by a problem in an ice machine on July 11. The restaurant was not open at the time and there were no injuries.

Distressingly the Mercury News reports that the traumatic stress of the fire caused the owner, Jonne Aleeson, to be briefly hospitalized. I have no updates but I trust he is recovering swiftly.

You’ll recall my wife and I were last at Calvin’s on the Fourth of July. We hadn’t heard about the fire but on July 17 we happened to drive by and noticed some of Calvin’s things out on the sidewalk but thought nothing of it. Oddly enough on July 19 my wife took some co-workers there for lunch and that’s when she learned of the fire. I say “oddly enough” because that’s the day the Mercury News published its story.

As it so happens Calvin’s had been working on opening a second location nearby at 1699 San Carlos. Work continues on that and it should be completed soon. The Alameda location will re-open pending insurance and repairs. It could take a month or longer. San Carlos is a fine road, but it’s no El Camino Real.

Readers of this blog will surely know that we love Calvin’s. The sandwiches are second-to-none, but what makes the place so very special to us is Mr. Aleeson. We’ve been privileged to spend some time with him in his restaurant and get to know him and watch him interact with the community. He’s a remarkable guy, warm and generous. He’s also tough—not with people, but with life. Even before this fire he has endured challenges and trials that should not be asked of anyone, but his faith in God and the love of his family and friends have brought him through. In heartfelt moments he openly shares how Blessed he considers himself to be, and listening to him teaches me what Blessed truly means.

This fire is really unfortunate, but we can be thankful it wasn’t worse than it was. Plaster and wood can be replaced and I look forward to that happening as soon as possible. My prayers are for “Mr. Calvin” (as I call him) to recover his health and once again find the strength to carry on. We miss him, The Alameda needs him, and I envision a spectacular Grand Re-Opening where we can can all show him how much we love and appreciate him.

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Rose, White, and Blue in the Face

Monday, July 5th, 2010

CIMG0054Every year I think I’ve written new Fourth of July traditions in stone. I let myself believe I’ve got the celebration dialed in, and that’s the way I’ll be observing it from then on. And every year I’m wrong. Something changes that causes a little tweak or a giant upheaval. Sometimes it’s an improvement, and sometimes it’s a back-to-the-drawing-board experience. For years though the cornerstone of our July 4 festivities was the America Festival at Downtown San Jose’s Discovery Meadow. Sadly in 2009 that mighty event fell victim to the deflated economy and had to be canceled. To console ourselves on the Fourth our family went to Calvin’s on The Alameda for cheese steaks and discovered quite by accident the Rose, White, and Blue Parade. We missed the morning parade but the accompanying festival was still on so we perused the booths and shops, and made plans to come back this year.

Fwd:We arrived early this year and found shady spots on the parade route, under the El Camino bell on the west side of The Alameda at Singletary. That was no accident; it’s a special spot for me. I’m generally not a parade person because they’re always too early in the morning (I like to sleep in on holidays; so sue me), but I was in the right mood and this one was delightful. It’s not a huge production with marching bands and animatronic floats. Rather it’s a heartfelt community showcase with neighborhood kids on bikes, girl scout and boy scout troops, vintage car enthusiasts, and elected officials. The geeky highlight was Grand Marshal Steve Wozniak riding an Egyptian barque, surrounded by his Segway polo friends, one of whom was coincidentally an old co-worker of mine from Apple, Bill Knott. The giggliest moment was a lone be-kilted bagpipe player droning out Rod Stewart’s “Da’ Ya’ Think I’m Sexy.” The most sublimely surreal moment was Chuck Reed, the mayor of San Jose, cruising down The Alameda in the back of a straight-up cherry low-rider, bewildering uninitiated onlookers every time it stopped and dropped so low it was scrapin’.

By the time the last of the parade passed by—two ladies on horseback (it was smart to put them last) with a police car chaser—it was lunchtime so we headed once again to Calvin’s. Tradition! I can think of no better tribute to the signing of the Declaration of Independence than Philadelphia’s best cheese steaks. We weren’t alone; the line was out the door. It was an extra long wait but so worth it, and we reveled in our “sandmiches” while an Elvis impersonator cheesed us from the “American Stage.” Then we worked our way down the double row of booths—nearly twice as many as last year—cleverly arranged on the shady western half of The Alameda between Lenzen and Race. Kudos to the prior and current presidents of The Alameda Business Association Larry Clark and Michael Barnaba for spearheading a successful and growing event. My wife was drawn to the vendors of handmade jewelry, but I had a different agenda.

Two agendas, actually. The first was chocolate. Schurra’s had a booth and I bought myself a Rocky Road treat: a giant homemade marshmallow brick topped with almonds and covered in chocolate. The lady asked if I wanted a bag. Ha! I told her that would only slow me down. It was gooey, melty wonderment.

CIMG1233That out of the way, I moved on to my primary objective. This was the third year for the Rose, White, and Blue Parade, but it traces it roots back to a legacy of Rose Festivals in San Jose dating back to 1896. At the 2009 parade I found Shannon Clark’s book, The Alameda: the Beautiful Way, which I acknowledge was the spark that convinced me finally to start this All Camino blog. This year I was delighted to see she had produced a new book in collaboration with her sister Allison called Roses on Parade: a Santa Clara Valley Tradition, an exposition of this very event. I bought the book at their booth, got it signed, and networked with my fellow El Camino history buffs. At least I thought I was a history buff, until I met Bill.

CIMG1232The booth next to the Clark sisters’ was a modest affair, simply a few rows of clotheslines with historic photos of The Alameda clothes-pinned to them, flapping like pennants in the warm breeze. A lone gentleman was narrating them, jovially taking questions and leading listeners from photo to photo to illustrate the timelines he was reciting from memory. His name is Bill Wulf and he’s a 71-year-old San Jose native, railroad enthusiast, Los Gatos expert, and Santa Clara Valley historian extraordinaire. It’s tempting to say he knows everything there is to know about local history and his ready facility with names, dates, and anecdotes would seem to back up that claim, but it would do him a disservice. He impressed upon me that though he has been meticulously and doggedly researching his subject for decades, he’s still learning something new every day and constantly having his understanding challenged and refined. That’s what amazed me. He’s not just a passive font of facts; he’s an active and probing student of stories, and a really nice guy no less. He’s the kind of historian I can only aspire to be.

I honestly have no idea how long I stood there talking to him, he was so generous with his time and information. I think it was a couple hours. I lost track of time and shamefully neglected my wife (she bought some jewelry in mock revenge), but I learned a ton of great things, like how Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes was inspired by her colorful father-in-low James Alexander Forbes to romanticize California’s Mission past and memorialize El Camino Real with posted bell markers. I learned about troves of primary sources to explore like forgotten county archives and collections of the Franciscan order. I appreciated his theories about practical land routes that were the basis of the real El Camino. And I only scratched the surface. I look forward to meeting him again.

Finally I tore myself away and my wife and I finished strolling the fair and went home. Our day wasn’t done though. You’d think we would have both had enough history for one day by then, but you underestimate our capacity. We grabbed a couple sandwiches from the Togo’s at Oakland Road and Brokaw and headed down to History Park in San Jose’s Kelley Park for the History San Jose Fourth of July Celebration. Can I possibly use the words “history” and “San Jose” any more in a single sentence?

If you had trouble parsing that sentence, it will help to know that “History San Jose” is the name of San Jose’s historical association. They host an annual members-only (yeah, I’m a member) Independence Day event at their showpiece village in Kelley Park, a collection of reconstructed or physically relocated buildings and landmarks from San Jose’s past. Kelley Park isn’t quite on El Camino Real (it’s three long blocks from Monterey Road) but its centerpiece is a half-scale replica of the famous electric light tower which once straddled the intersection of First and Santa Clara Streets downtown, so it represents. We rode the electric trolley and strolled the grounds and chatted with Judy—a long-time HSJ volunteer we met—and her family and friends until it was dark enough to enjoy the San Jose Giants’ fireworks display happening across the street at Municipal Stadium and the unsanctioned fireworks outbursts happening everywhere else.

That was our Fourth, dipped in San Jose and fried in history. It may seem odd to focus on a seemingly academic subject on this defining day of summer but when you think about it, it’s not so weird. The Independence Day celebration is plainly and simply a celebration of American history, a way to bring it percussively to life. San Jose was dubiously Spain during the Revolutionary War but we’re America now. If there’s one date an American schoolchild needs to remember from history lessons, it’s July 4, 1776. It just so happens that some people know a few more dates than that.

El Cinco de Mayo

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Years ago when we were young and foolish my wife and I thought it would be fun to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with dinner at a Mexican restaurant, so we drove all they way up to Palo Alto to one of our favorites, Compadres Bar and Grill on El Camino Real. This, as it turned out, was a horrible idea. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the restaurant decided to turn itself into a full-on Cancun-style party bar so they removed 80% of the dining tables to make room for wall-to-wall revelry complete with thumping music, plastic cups, sticky floors, and Corona girls. More bar, less grill. Not our scene. With most of the tables gone, we had to wait something like an hour and a half to be seated. Why didn’t we just leave? I have no idea; like I said, young and foolish. When we did get seated in one of the few tables cowering in the farthest corner of the place, the service was harried and the food was not their best. Who can blame them?

The following year we were a lot smarter. We went to Compadres again…but on St. Patrick’s Day! We had the place to ourselves. And where did we celebrate Cinco de Mayo? At an Irish Pub in Sunnyvale! No waiting. Two cultural celebrations fully satisfied. Only in America!

I’m sad to say Compadres is gone now, having abruptly shut their doors in 2008.  Many a Stanford alum will raise their margarita glasses in memory of their sizzling fajita plates. If you want to take a chance and mark Cinco de Mayo with a fine Mexican meal, there are many places to choose from. If you see a Corona girl though, sal si puedes! I could list for you all the Mexican restaurants on El Camino Real but that would be too obvious, so here’s a sampling of restaurants named El Camino Real, found all around the world. You can find a little piece of El Camino Real wherever you are. As long as you’re, you know, near one of these cities. ¡Viva!

Toledo
El Camino Real Fine Mexican Food

Toledo, OH
http://www.elcaminorealoh.com/
Voted #1 authentic Mexican restaurant in Toledo! I can guess who was the #1 inauthentic restaurant.


Ann ArborEl Camino Real Fine Mexican Food

Ann Arbor, MI
http://www.elcaminorealrestaurant.com/

Wow, there’s something really familiar about that logo, but I can’t quite put my finger on it…


El Camino Real Mexican Food

Fullerton, CA
http://www.urbanspoon.com/

I’m surprised there aren’t hundreds of these in California.


PhillyEl Camino Real

Philadelphia, PA
http://www.bbqburritobar.com/
Unusual menu serves Mex and Tex. BBQ and burritos!


El Camino Real Authentic Mexican Food

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://www.realcamino.com/
It’s shut down, but we won’t hold that against them. It was a great URL, though. Why didn’t I think of that?


El Camino Real Mexican Restaurant

Connersville, IN
http://local.yahoo.com/


El Camino Real Mexican Restaurant

Bardstown, KY
http://www.menupix.com/


El Camino Real

Kansas City, KS
http://www.kansascity.com/
Cheap street eats! You had me at “cheap.”


LondonEl Camino Fresh Mexican Grill

London, England
http://www.elcamino.co.uk/
Okay so it’s not a “Real” Camino—Her Majesty might object—but it gets honorable mention because hey! It’s in England!


Calvin’s Second Anniversary Celebration

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

This is a big weekend for Calvin’s Philly Cheesesteaks on The Alameda in San Jose. They’re celebrating their second anniversary at that location. There will be raffles, entertainment, and new menu items. There’s so much going on, the most difficult thing is deciding which day to go. But wait a minute, who says I have to choose only one…?

Newsflash…Calvin’s is opening a second location at 1699 W San Carlos in San Jose soon! I like to think of San Carlos/Stevens Creek as the Second El Camino of the South Bay.

As it so happens our family was in Philadelphia for one day last week and we stopped at Geno’s Steaks, the South Philly Cheesesteak institution, to give them a try. The sandwich was very good and served up really fast…but Calvin’s is better. Plus Calvin makes a mean hoagie. We’re fortunate to have him in San Jose.

Calvin’s South Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies will celebrate our 2nd year anniversary at this location 1411 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126.  We would like to invite you to participate with us starting Friday April 16, thru Sunday April 18, 2010.  We will have a weekend filled with Great Food, Entertainment, Free Giveaways, and much more.

Calvin’s South Philly Cheesesteaks & Hoagies
1411 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
408-286-5626

Friday April 16, 2010

11:00 – 4:00

Join us for a special tasting of Dietz & Watson awarding winning Hot Dogs and Deli Meats.
They are a Philadelphia staple and have been around since 1939.  Special Raffle drawing every hour.

8:00 pm
Calvin’s is pleased to host a special Fundraising Event for  “A Cup of Cold Water.”  This is a non-profit organization providing health education to the community.  They teach you what doctors are too busy to explain.  The evening will feature hors d’oeuvres, a raffle with wonderful gifts, entertainment, free ice cream provided by Treatbot, free samples from Calvin’s new menu. Make sure to take a picture with Calvin to remember this special event, photography provided by Definitive Images, and there will be many more surprises throughout the evening.  You don’t want to miss the kick-off to the 2nd year anniversary celebration!  Join us as we give back to the community!

Saturday April 17, 2010

Free Hot Dogs while supplies last!
Free Raffle!
Join us as we introduce new specialty meats by Philadelphia’s own Dietz & Watson.

Chili Cheese Fries $0.99

Sunday April 18, 2010

Introducing BBQ Sundays
Free Raffle!
Entertainment!

Happy Birthday, Calvin!

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

Calvin’s World Famous South Philly Cheesesteaks on the Alameda is celebrating its namesake’s birthday on Monday, August 31. From 9:00AM to 8:00PM they’re offering a special price of $6.69 for their regular cheesesteak sandmich to recipients of their email list. (That’s right, sandmich—if you want a sandwich stay home and eat PB&J.) I think the intent is for you to print the email and bring it in as a coupon. Click the photo link below for a copy of the email. If you’re not on the list, let this be an incentive to you to go in and sign up.

From 6:00PM until 8:00PM they’re serving birthday cake. That got your attention.

The owner of Calvin’s is the playfully gruff but warmly gregarious Jonne Aleeson. He named the restaurant for his son Calvin. I assume it’s Calvin’s birthday and not Jonne’s nor the restaurant’s. I’ll try to confirm this because I’d hate for you to blunder in and wish a happy birthday to the wrong person or entity. I think you forfeit your cake rights if you do that.

My family all love Calvin’s cheesesteaks and other items. The uncompromising attention to detail make every bite deliciously authentic. We’re bummed we can’t be there Monday to enjoy some cake and steak but we promise to make it up to Calvin (and ourselves) soon. So please do go for us. And tell them All Camino sent you.

Update:

Sparing no journalistic expense, I made a call to Calvin’s to corroborate some details of the birthday. First, it is not the son’s birthday, it is indeed the owner’s birthday. Though his name is not Calvin, he’s happy to answer to “Mr. Calvin.” So, happy birthday, Mr. Calvin! Second, I tried to ascertain what kind of cake they’re serving, specifically if it’s cheesecake (get it?). The woman I spoke to wasn’t sure, but whatever it is I’m sure it will be tasty.

Calvins Birthday Special

Calvin’s World Famous South Philly Cheesesteaks & Hoagies

http://www.calvinscheesesteaks.com/
1411 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
408-286-5626

Sunnyvale Rocks!

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

I had lunch yesterday with an old friend, Dan Hugo. Dan and I worked together one summer at UMAX Computer Corporation. That was almost twelve years ago and I’m not sure I’d seen him since then. Still we intermittently kept in touch through the magic of the internet and finally connected for lunch.

It’s not like I needed a reason, but it was particularly timely for me to talk to him now because of a Really Cool™ project he’s launching: Sunnyvale Rocks! Dan has lived and worked in Sunnyvale off and on for a number of years. Being a civic-minded guy his growing interest in the affairs of the city culminated in his taking and completing the Leadership Sunnyvale  training course. Armed with a deeper understanding of the city and appreciation for its citizens he decided to bring his software and web development expertise to bear and launch SunnyvaleRocks.com. Not a geology site, it’s a local community media outlet by, for, and about the people of Sunnyvale with genuine booster spirit. It’s still early but they have exciting plans for it.

A significant part of the project is a series of podcasts at RadioSunnyvale.com. Check out the inaugural episodes of the flagship program, “The Dan and Kevin Show.” You will be amazed at how much there is to learn about the city. In fact in the next episode Dan promised to give AllCamino.com a shout-out. I sure hope he does it since I’ve put him on the hook here…

I’ve been following Sunnyvale Rocks! with interest and wanted to learn more about it as there’s a lot of synergy with what I’m trying to do with AllCamino.com, thematically and geographically. After all, El Camino Real passes right through Sunnyvale and each imparts a lot of character on the other. So naturally we picked a place for lunch on El Camino…in Sunnyvale. At the intersection of our respective interests, if you will.

Dusita Thai CuisineDan recommended the restaurant: Dusita Thai Cuisine. He knew I liked Thai food from my very first post and he’s a longtime connoisseur. I went a different direction from my usual benchmark and ordered Pad Thai with prawns, an equally valid test of a new restaurant. Pad Thai is a nice, safe, conservative choice because I’m a nice, safe, conservative guy. Dan however, not so much. He ordered Mussaman curry…hot. The exact phrase he used was, “Thai hot.” Evidently that’s a code word that lets the kitchen know to bring the heat. Still the waitress cautioned, “It’s veerry spicy,” to be sure she wasn’t dealing with a novice. My man Dan coolly told her, “I like it spicy.” In Thai. I told you he was a connoisseur. The deal was sealed.

My meal came with vegetable soup, the same one as Tee Nee Thai. This time though the yucky stuff was in plain sight. I’m good with that because it’s easy to avoid; it’s concealed carrots that make me nervous. Now you might point out that noodles and spring rolls are prime hiding spots for yucky stuff and you’d be absolutely right but for some reason that doesn’t bother me. What can I say? It’s food. Logic does not apply.

Pad ThaiThe Pad Thai was delicious. I haven’t learned yet how to write convincingly about food so I’ll fake it. The sauce was piquant and the prawns were succulent and yet approachable. The noodles, inextricably intertwined with the bean sprouts, yielded to the bite like a willing paramour. Not buying it? Then I’ll go with the simplest and sincerest compliment: I’d totally go back again.

As for Dan, between searing mouthfuls and the occasional brow blot he was a treasure trove of fascinating information. Not just about Sunnyvale, but about his approach to the whole undertaking. He gave me a lot to think about and AllCamino.com will be better for it. I approach El Camino as a consumer but he’s making a difference in the city of Sunnyvale through human connection. On our way out of the restaurant I wondered aloud what “Dusita” means and he made me go back inside and ask. (It means “heaven.”) It’s that personal approach that makes the difference.

It turns out that Dusita has two locations on El Camino: one in Santa Clara and this newer one in Sunnyvale. My wife has been to the one in Santa Clara and she reports it’s also very good. But I can’t say it any better: Sunnyvale Rocks!

Dusita Thai Cuisine

http://dusitathaicuisine.com/
1028 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
2325 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050

Tee Nee Thai. With a Name Like That…

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

I found myself near the Rose Garden in San Jose last week, looking for a place for lunch. I turned to Yelp and vetoed a couple good alternatives. Bill’s Cafe was nearby. I’ve been there and the food is good, but I passed because I would have felt a little narcissistic eating there. Calvin’s South Philly Cheesesteaks on the Alameda is always a solid choice, but I knew if I went there without my wife and boy I would never hear the end of it. It’s one of our favorite eateries on the planet. But Yelp came through for me, steering me to a restaurant a few doors up from Calvin’s called Tee Nee Thai Cuisine.

Tee Nee ThaiI can’t lie. I went because the name is infectiously cute. Tee Nee Thai. That’s probably the worst reason to pick a place to eat, but sometimes if it just feels right you go with your instincts. For sure sometimes names can be deceiving. There used to be a joint in Mountain View called Thai-Riffic. I went there once. It was Thai-Ribble. Firesign Theatre have a routine on their Boom Dot Bust album where they talk about a fictional establishment called Thai Food Mary’s. You won’t be able to resist their resistant strained noodles! (Yeah, it’s in Billville. There’s that darned narcissism again.) So let’s just say I was cautious.

Plus there’s a seamier side to the name. In front of the restaurant there’s a lovely and welcoming wooden statueTee Nee Thai Statue of a female figure, maybe a Thai dancer, wearing an ornately blinged-out off-the-shoulder midriff-exposing top. And she’s kinda hot, at least as wooden statues go. So one can’t help wondering what pleasures from the Orient await inside. Tee Nee Thai waitresses? Wearing Tee Nee Thai outfits? Oh come on, it’s not just me. You were thinking it too.

What I love about the name is its subtlety and humor. The online reviewers suggest the restaurant is called that because it’s small. I’m not so sure. It’s hardly a cavernous banquet hall but I’ve been in smaller places, and generally itty-bittiness is not regarded as an attribute to be lauded in the business name. And many small restaurants, if they’re good, expand as soon as they can. Tee Nee Thai had seating for about…oh…er…um…okay, I have to come clean. I don’t know how big it is because I didn’t actually go inside the restaurant. I ate there, but I sat outside at one of the sidewalk tables. I only got as far as the hostess podium which is separate from the dining area. The hostess met me at the door and I asked for a table outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. I caught a glimpse of the tables inside but I couldn’t tell you how big it is. So was it Tee Nee? Yeah, maybe.

I don’t know who owns Tee Nee Thai but I suspect it’s family-owned as so many of our favorite Thai restaurants tend to be. I have this vision of the proud family preparing to open their brand new restaurant and trying to find a good name. I’m sure they tried a bunch. Perhaps they weighed the brutally obvious: Bangkok Kitchen, Sweet Basil, Thai Noodle Shop. Perhaps they flirted with the obnoxiously puntastic: Thai One On, Thai Me A River, Thai Thai Again. But I prefer to believe that out of nowhere someone—ideally a doe-eyed child—spontaneously blurted “Tee Nee Thai” and sent everyone in the room into a fit of giggles. They looked at each other, wiped their eyes, and unanimously agreed that yes, their shared hilarity was a sign and that was the chosen name.

So how was the food? It was really good. The waitresses were friendly and yes, pretty, and happily not seamy at all. When I go to a new Thai restaurant I generally opt for one of my benchmark dishes like ground chicken or beef with basil and cashews so I can compare it to other restaurants. However they had a lunch special called Aloha Chicken which was similar to my benchmark but included pineapple. Now “Aloha” to my knowledge is not an authentic Thai word but again I was sucked in by its happy invitation and I confess I cannot resist pineapple so that’s what I ordered. It came with soup and salad. I’m generally not a soup guy but this one looked okay with its celery and zucchini and veggie broth. I didn’t see any yucky stuff so I dug in and was enjoying it until to my horror I discovered that the yucky stuff (tofu and carrots) was hanging out at the bottom of the cup and surfaced once I cleared the upper layers. What’s that you say? You love tofu and carrots and don’t find them yucky at all? I’m so happy for you. I’ll save them for you next time. This experience made me wonder if sinking or floating is a reliable test for yuckiness.

The Aloha Chicken was really tasty. Sweet and spicy and right in the pocket. The lunch portion was just right for a hungry boy like me and I cleaned my plate.

I had a good time at Tee Nee Thai. It was the right spot at the right time and I look forward to going back again. Maybe I’ll even work up the nerve to step into the actual dining room. What’s most gratifying though is that the name didn’t steer me wrong. By itself it promises nothing more than spicy basil-infused dishes with a dash of whimsy, but that’s enough to put me in the right frame of mind. It’s hard to think of a restaurant name more inviting. Except maybe “Bill’s.”