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=> Smashburger coming to San Jose; Redwood City's chef Donato adds Oakland

Smashburger coming to San Jose; Redwood City's chef Donato adds Oakland
Posted by Marcello (Guest) - Thursday, August 15 2013, 17:51:44 (UTC)
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Smashburger coming to San Jose; Redwood City's chef Donato adds Oakland
By Linda Zavoral

lzavoral@mercurynews.com

POSTED: 08/13/2013 12:00:00 PM PDT

Burgers on the way: The latest grill-to-order chain moving into the South Bay is Smashburger -- only its burgers aren't grilled, they are "smashed to order" and seared on a super-hot grill. Founded in 2007 in Denver, Smashburger already has 200 locations in the United States and a handful of foreign countries. (It seems that VC money took them all the way to San Jose, Costa Rica, before they discovered burger fanatics living right here in San Jose, California!) Their first local spot opens Friday, Aug. 16 at the San Jose Market Center; this fall, look for a second location at Westgate Shopping Center. What sets Smashburger apart from some of the other "better burger" eateries are its interesting sides (fries tossed with rosemary and garlic; sweet potato fries; fried pickles) and shakes made with high-end Haagen-Dazs. Plus, the local outlets will offer a signature Bay Burger of sauteed baby portobello mushrooms and aged Swiss with truffle mayo.

Details: 579 Coleman Ave., San Jose. www.smashburger.com.

Bowls of red: Good news for us chiliheads. Once again, the South Bay's finest will be sharing their best firehouse chili -- for a good cause -- now that the San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation has resurrected the Firefighter Chili Cook-Off. Look for about 25 crews, local entrepreneurs and others to compete Saturday, Aug. 17, in Campbell. Chili samples are $1, beer is $5, with tickets for both going on sale at noon. All proceeds support burn survivors.

Details: Noon-5:30 p.m. along Campbell Avenue. 408-667-1535.

All Assyrian: Coming up this weekend is your annual opportunity to savor a full Assyrian menu. The 21st annual Assyrian Food Festival runs Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 17 and 18, in San Jose and features foods inspired by the Middle Eastern and Russian homes of the cooks' ancestors. That means it's a long list -- kebabs and dolmas of all kinds, soups, appetizers (like borek, which are Assyrian egg rolls), Russian-influenced piroshki and a wide array of desserts (baklava, zoolbia, dates, rice pudding with saffron). Traditional Assyrian chai tea will be served in Samovar Alley. A returning feature is the Chef's Choice inside the church hall, where festivalgoers can dine on, well, whatever the chefs are inspired to make. Festival spokeswoman Elizabeth Estensen says that might be seasoned kepteh meatballs in a savory broth, or a Mediterranean-style ratatouille called tabaka, or any number of other dishes from the Assyrian canon of recipes.

Details: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 17 and 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 18. Assyrian Church of the East, 680 Minnesota Ave., Mar Yosip Parish, San Jose. Admission, parking are free, and there is a free shuttle from the Tamien Caltrain station parking lot, 1355 Lick Ave.

Cooking, the stage show: The Broadway San Jose group is bringing TV's mad scientist of cooking, Alton Brown, to the Center for Performing Arts for one night, Oct. 24. "Alton Brown Live! The Edible Inevitable Tour" is a touring stage show that promises "highly unorthodox culinary demonstrations," plenty of opportunities for onstage audience participation (yikes!) plus live music. Tickets go on sale Aug. 24 via Ticketmaster. Prices start at $25.50; the high-end tickets, $101.50, include a pre-show reception with Brown and VIP seating.

Double the Donato: The effervescent Italian behind the eponymous (and popular) Donato Enoteca in Redwood City is now working both sides of the bay. Chef Donato Scotti has just opened a sister restaurant, Desco, in the historic Old Oakland district downtown. The menu is more casual, but no less adventurous. Look for stretched buffalo mozzarella or crescenza cheese; baby octopus and arugula salad; baccala baked in the wood-burning oven; freshly made pasta filled with pork, mortadella and amaretti; plus a long list of Italian aperitifs and wines.

Details: 499 Ninth St., Oakland. 510-663-9000; www.descooakland.com.

Send dining tips to Linda Zavoral, lzavoral@mercurynews.com.



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