Coffee Shop Lafayette morphs midday into Brew Garden
In the world of restaurant pivots, this Lafayette idea counts as a leap.
Coffee Shop Lafayette, a specialty cafe established in 2016, has decided to change its business model after the big rush for coffee is over — that’s normally around 1 p.m. — for beverages better suited to the afternoon and evening.
Its catchy new concept is called the Brew Garden and it’s billed as a place for “taps, tacos and tequila.”
From 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the outdoor patio will offer not just beer and tequila but also red and white sangria. Tacos come stuffed with your choice of ribeye, shredded chicken, Korean chicken, short rib, carnitas or grilled fish. There are also nachos and guacamole and chips for nibbling.
Will the other Coffee Shop locations — Alamo, Concord, Danville and Walnut Creek — follow suit? Stay tuned.
HLTAILS » 50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette; www.coffeeshop411. com
Spicy African-portuguese peri peri chicken in Palo Alto
From Africa came the bird’s eye chili. From Portugal came the chicken. Combine them and you’ve got peri peri chicken.
The Peninsula is now getting a taste, as The Port of Peri Peri Palo Alto has opened on California Avenue for outdoor dining, takeout and delivery.
At this new restaurant owned by a locally based group, BF Business Ventures Corp., the peri peri chiles are combined with lemon, garlic and other herbs and spices to create a secret-recipe sauce. After marinating for 24 hours, the chicken (all-natural, veggie-fed, no-antibiotic birds) is cooked, then flame-grilled and sauced.
Customers can have their peri chicken many ways: the whole bird, pieces, tenders, or in wraps, sandwiches, pitas and salads. And you can control the level of heat, from “mild and mellow” to “extra hot and spicy.”
Peri goes vegetarian with a falafel pita and paneer and veggie patty wraps. Sides include redskin potato salad, regular and cassava fries and grilled corn.
DETAILS >> 340 California Ave., Palo Alto; 650-382-2239
New Vitality Bowls ‘superfood’ cafe opens
Fremont finally has its first Vitality Bowls.
The “superfood” cafe whose menu is built on the antioxidantrich acai berry has opened its doors on Paseo Padre Parkway for takeout and delivery. It’s the 38th location in California for the company founded in 2011 in San Ramon by Tara and Roy Gilad, parents who were inspired to create a restaurant haven for those, like their daughter, who suffer from food allergies.
The menu features fruit-based bowls (the Warrior Bowl and the Dragon Bowl are among the most popular), smoothies, panini, salads and soup. All are made in non-cross-contamination kitchens, and no artificial preservatives or added sweeteners are used.
Vi Pham and Scott Bui, the owners of this Vitality Bowls in the Gateway Plaza near Raley’s, are both health care professionals. They say they plan to open additional locations in the region. DETAILS >> Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; 39258 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont; vitalitybowls. com
Mall restaurants in San Jose, Santa Clara open for takeout
The reopening of Valley Fair mall in Santa Clara and Oakridge in South San Jose after the long COVID-19 shutdown came with new food options for hungry shoppers.
Several of the Westfield-owned centers’ indoor restaurants started offering food and drink — for takeout only, as indoor dining is still not allowed in Santa Clara County. And the Santa Clara mall has not yet unveiled its open-air dining promenade.
Open at Valley Fair are Big Fish Little Fish, Coco Fresh Tea and Juice, Din Tai Fung, Haagen-dazs, Jamba Juice, Koja Kitchen, Lucky Tea, Mrs. Fields, Nespresso, Pinkberry, Rabbit Rabbit Tea, Ruby Thai Kitchen, Sharetea and Somi Somi. The reopening dates for other mall favorites, including Ramen
Nagi and newcomer Salt & Straw, have not been announced.
At Oakridge, reopenings include Amor Cafe and Tea, Charley’s Grilled Subs, Loving Hut Vegan Cuisine, Panda Express, Ruby Thai Kitchen, Shake Tea, Smashburger and Starbucks.
Two restaurants there with outdoor entrances — Jinya Ramen Bar and BJ’S Restaurant and Brewhouse — are now offering patio seating along with takeout and delivery orders.
At both centers, California Pizza Kitchen and The Cheesecake Factory feature outdoor entrances. They have been doing takeout and delivery all along and will continue to do so.
DETAILS >> 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara; www.westfield. com/valleyfair. 925 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose; westfield.com/ oakridge