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The experts on eating

Local South Bay food influencers to follow

Esther Lee takes stunning photos of her foodie adventures. | Photo via @sanjosefoodmap

It doesn’t take a local to know that our city is widely known for being an culinary hot spot.

Our foodie culture is second to none, so we’re highlighting some of the most prominent influencers making waves through the South Bay food scene.

🍴 @sanjosefoodmap

You may have seen this SJ native — Esther Lee bartends for 55 South and began documenting her food journey in 2020. Get the digs on the best breakfast burrito in town, where to find Korean groceries, and the newest eateries opening up. Her recommendations focus on casual, tasty grub.

🍴 @siliconvalley.foodies

Sometimes, pictures don’t do it justice. Enter: Rachel Ahn. Her Reel-forward account — which boasts 66.5K followers, BTW — gives you a look into the vibe of local restaurants and her must-get dishes, which generally surround pastries, Asian cuisine, and dinner date spots. Her favorite part about SJ’s food culture? “Its working class roots and authentic cuisine made by immigrants.”

A GIF showing Alejandra Gonzales taking a bite of a large rib. — That’s one of the largest ribs we’ve seen.
|
GIF via @missfoodiebayarea

🍴 @missfoodiebayarea

Have you ever wondered if that one food stand you pass by on Capitol is any good? Well, Alejandra Gonzalez has probably tried it. She highlights small Latino businesses that don’t usually get the recognition of other SJ eateries. But, she’s still inclusive — discover new seafood boils, premium meat markets, and even some homemade post-workout meals.

A GIF showing Jonathan Sahoo looking at a gigantic birria taco. — Do you think he ate all of that?
|
GIF via @sjfoodies

🍴 @sjfoodies

Meet Jonathan Sahoo, the man behind the mouthwatering shots of this foodie account. Find great boba recommendations, cuisines you may not be familiar with, and ginormous birria tacos. His favorite part about SJ’s food culture? “Its diversity. You can find virtually any cuisine from anywhere in the world right here in San Jose!”

Recommend your favorite SJ influencer to us for a chance to feature them in a future newsletter.

Events

Wednesday, May 17

Andrea Jin | Wednesday, May 17 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose | $20 | This comedian recently made her first late night TV debut on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” and has been featured on Vice, CBC Comedy, and the Vancouver Sun.
Stevie Jeebies Comedy Show | Wednesday, May 17 | 8-10:30 p.m. | Stevie’s Bar and Grill, 2705 Union Ave., San Jose | Free | This month’s show features comedians Sebastian Wong, Marcus Peverill, and Ed Black.

Thursday, May 18

Gordon Biersch Night Market | Thursday, May 18 | 5-9 p.m. | Gordon Biersch Brewery, 357 E. Taylor St., San Jose | Free | Every Thursday night, enjoy food trucks, craft brews, local craft vendors, live entertainment, and luchador battles.
Downtown Block Party | Thursday, May 18 | 5:30 p.m. | Fountain Alley/Historic District, Downtown San Jose, San Jose | Free | Party in DTSJ with 40+ retailers featuring music, art, food + drinks.
The River Bride | Thursday, May 18-Friday, May 19 | 8-9:30 p.m. | City Lights Theater Company, 529 S. Second St., San Jose | $28-$51 | This Brazilian fable that blends a heartrending tale of true love, regret, and transformation will transport you to a world so close, but so far.
Pledge to Ride: Bike to Wherever Days 2023 | Thursday, May 18-Saturday, May 20 | All day | Locations vary | Free | When you pledge to ride, you can get a free “Bike to Wherever Days 2023" tote bag.
ART 101 | (art)ificial: Modify the World | Thursday, May 18 | San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St., San Jose | $10-$15 | In the last workshop of the series, studio arts educator Julian Zamora teaches participants how to use AI to modify existing images.

Friday, May 19

AAPI Heritage Month Celebration 2023 | Friday, May 19 | 5-9 p.m. | Garden at the Flea, 1590 Berryessa Rd., San Jose | Free | Support Asian-American & Pacific Islander makers, small businesses, artists, and the community at this night market.
Midtown Immersive Night Party | Friday, May 19 | 5-9 p.m. | 245 McEvoy St., San Jose | Free | Bring the family to enjoy food trucks, a beer garden, artisan merchants, live DJs, and musical performances.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Development

Santa Clara County recently approved $31.1 million to go towards building 200+ affordable housing units in San Jose, Santa Clara, and Mountain View. The SJ development — located on Fourth + Reed streets — will renovate a multifamily apartment to create units for households earning up to 50-80% of the area’s median income.
Google has moved into another large campus — dubbing it “Tasman Campus” — and now occupies three of four buildings it purchased from Cisco Systems. The 553,000-sqft campus can accommodate 2,200-2,800 workers, and the tech titan says it’s still fully committed to its Downtown West development. (The Mercury News)

Transit

Beginning Monday, May 22, through late September, VTA will be doing light rail construction which may impact schedules for the duration. See available bus bridges, station closures, and more information on VTA’s website.

Community

As of this Monday, the City of San Jose has begun clearing people out that are living along Coyote Creek to permit Valley Water to make flood improvements in the area. The Santa Clara Valley Water District is contributing $4.8 million to help relocate 120-200 unhoused residents. (KTVU Fox 2)

Sports

The San Jose Earthquakes will attempt to break a Guinness World Records title for the largest soccer lesson — currently held in Australia with 835 participants — on Saturday, June 3, 5-8 p.m., at the Morgan Hill Outdoor Soccer Complex. This free event invites everyone ages 5 and older to join.

Ranked

In U.S. News & World Report’s recent analysis, San Jose was ranked No. 13 of 150 best places to live in the US for 2023-2024. Our city scored high in desirability + quality of life — factors that considered our weather, net migration, well-being, quality of education, and crime rates. (U.S. News & World Report)

Open

The former Saint Patrick’s Cathedral that burned down in 2012 has now reopened under a new name, Our Lady of La Vang. The name derives from a Marian apparition that helped Catholic Vietnamese people who were persecuted in the 18th century. More than $30 million was raised to fund reconstruction. (ABC 7 News)
Jamba and Runway Deli, a grab-and-go featuring beverages from Jamba Juice, is now open at Mineta Airport. This addition is part of SJC’s ACDBE program, or Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, that helps give small, local businesses a chance to be a part of a major airport.

Health

This weekend, the Santa Clara County Dental Foundation will host “Silicon Valley Healthy Smiles,” a free, two-day clinic that will set up 100 dental chairs at the McEnery Convention Center + provide care for ~1,500 low-income residents. The organization is looking for dentists, hygienists, nurses, EMTs, and other volunteers willing to help.

Plan Ahead

Hotel Valencia in Santana Row will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, and reopen its rooftop wine bar, Cielo. Join the festivities on Tuesday, May 23, 4:30-7:30 p.m., by enjoying light bites and regional wines. Tickets start at $55 and are on sale now. (The Mercury News)

Today Is

Today Is World Baking Day. To celebrate, shop our online store (Six & Main), which features Sourhouse, a company that creates simple tools for sourdough bakers to care for their starters. You might just knead it. Start shopping now.

Community

🎉 What’s up, party people?

Urban Vibrancy Institute to host downtown San Jose block party

A view of Post Street with Splash Nightclub in the front.

Soon, these streets will be bustling with block party goers. | Photo via @itonymystory

The Urban Vibrancy Institute (UVI), a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting small businesses and community members, will host a downtown San Jose block party tomorrow, May 18, and you’re invited.

The effort will drive awareness to the many local businesses by featuring ~50 shops, bars, eateries, and other retailers in Fountain Alley and the Historic District. Each will offer various deals, activities, and specials starting at 5:30 p.m.

You can also look forward to live music from:

Eastside Funk (Fountain Alley) — an 8-piece ensemble that fuses jazz, funk, Latin, and R&B
Andre Thierry (Fountain Alley) — a Grammy-nominated Kreole American musician playing accordion soul music
Jackie Turner and Friends (Historic District) — a 5-piece gospel band led by SF native Jackie Turner
Sweet HayaH (Historic District) — a SJ-based band that blends rock, soul, and funk

See participating businesses on UVI’s website and come ready to eat, drink, and dance.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Alyson

From the editor

I’m obviously the resident foodie here, but the influencers that I got in touch with are on a whole ‘nother level. I’ve been thinking about starting my own account, but I think I’ll let the experts do the eating, and I’ll take their suggestions — I’m a little occupied with another account...

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