The Table--San Jose (Contemporary American cuisine)

Committed to serving dishes created with well-sourced, seasonal, local ingredients, The Table's ever-changing menu entices many tastes and preferences. Located at 1110 Willow Street, this establishment includes an indoor/outdoor bar/lounge area as well as a comfortably-spaced indoor seating area. I felt right at home with the fresh ingredients, open kitchen and friendly staff.

Here were some of the things I enjoyed.

www.thetablesj.com


Drinks. On the left was their Pomegranate-Hibiscus soda that I asked to have spiked with a shot of Sazerac Rye. The soda by itself was very refreshing, zesty and well balanced. The addition of the rye whiskey gave it an extra smokiness that added an extra dimension of flavor.

On the right was a house made Lemon-Lime soda. Also well-balanced; not too sweet, not too tangy and also very refreshing

Butter and Olive Oil. I usually don't see this combination presented quite like this. This was a dollop of salted, whipped butter surrounded by a very good olive oil to dip our bread into. It was just one of those tiny little details that makes a place stand out.

Pork Rillette. This slow-cooked pork was super tender and was not too salty. It was very good with the house made chicharrones and pickles.

Olive Brined Pork Chop. With butter poached fava beans, mushrooms and a hazelnut tapenade, I think I swooned when I took my first bite. This meat was perfectly brined, ridiculously savory, super tender and moist. The fava beans and mushrooms were also fantastic and the crunchy hazelnut tapenade on top gave it an excellent texture.

Braised Beef Cheeks. Served with wild arugula, pickled beets and buttermilk horseradish sauce. I did not need a knife, or a fork for that matter. These expertly braised cheeks fell apart with the slightest touch. The gravy, horseradish sauce, pickled beets and fresh arugula matched very well with this dish.

Chocolate Pot de Creme aux Chocolate. The right choice for the chocolate lover. This was a very thick and dense pot de creme that was loaded with chocolate. The delicate dollop of whipped cream on top and the sprinkle of sea salt helped tone down the death-by-chocolate appeal of this dessert.

I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly and nice all the staff was. They really made me feel welcomed and appreciated for stopping by and having a meal. My entire experience was made very memorable by this as well as the amazingly prepared food and drink. These guys take a lot of pride in what they do and it shows. If in the San Jose area, make a visit!

Tiki Tea Time (Cocktail recipe)

When warm weather hits, sometimes I just want something light and refreshing to quench my thirst on a Sunday afternoon when I'm relaxing at home. This recipe, at first, started out innocent enough as just a fully-charged tea with ginger and lemon zest. Then some spiced rum got in the mix somehow and I ended up really enjoying what it became. I'm more than happy to share.

Here's what you'll need:
2 oz. knob of fresh ginger
Zest of 1 lemon (a potato peeler works just fine for this)
Zest of 1/2 orange (potato peeler works here as well)
Juice of 1 lemon (squeezing with your hands is fine)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 oz. mint simple syrup (recipe follows)
1 packet or 1 tsp. loose black tea of your choice
2 oz. Kraken Spiced Rum

Mint Simple Syrup Recipe:
Boil 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar until all the sugar is dissolved.
Turn heat off, add fresh mint and let steep for at least 2 hours.
Strain, let cool and pour into a reusable container.
This can keep in the freezer indefinitely. Due to the sugar content, it won't freeze solid; it will remain slushy. So you can spoon what you need for next time and keep it in the freezer.

Here's what you'll do:
- Boil 2 cups water in a medium pot. Then turn heat off.
- Peel the ginger with a spoon, roughly chop and add to hot water.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom.
- Let steep for at least 15 minutes.
- Add tea packet or leaves and let steep for 3 minutes (if water is too cool, turn the heat on for 2 minutes, then turn off)
- Strain tea and let cool. Add mint simple syrup, adjusting more or less to your taste.
- When ready to serve, pour 2 oz. rum into a highball glass filled with ice and pour tea to the top.
- For a color effect, pour the tea in first and then slowly pour the rum on top.
- Stir, add a straw and enjoy!