24 metroactive.com s sanjose.com s metrosiliconvalley.com s MAY 1-7, 2013
BITES
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Foam Call Burma T Crave
TURNING OVER A NEW TEA LEAF SALAD Sweet Mango’s
version adds lettuce to the traditional mix.
HE BETTER-BEER scene continues its ascent in the South Bay with Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant in downtown Mountain View set to open Marcha 28. There be wine cocktails, but INDING new typewill of cuisine is and equivalent to fi nding beers. Steins theaprimary focus will be on high-quality new adult playground. There is rapture involved in and a menu will feature 30 of taps of modern American the pursuit nondescript hole-in-the-wall places with by executive chef and Baypays Areaoff comfort food crated uncharted taste profiles. This exploratory spree Colby Reade. native when one discovers a dish whose flavors hit the tongue
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and South Baybeing native Ted Kim is a beer enthusiast; tells me likeOwner fireworks. That said, while Indian andhe Thai that Steins is asettled salute to into the traditional Germanmainstream, beer halls and gardens, dishes have the culinary diners which he experienced during his travels premierof are begging for a new cuisine tothroughout break theEurope’s thresholds beer cities. Designed by architect Marc Dimalanta, Steins features a 300the foodie landscape. Burmese food—which balances rich, seat, 8,000-square-foot domed interior room and a 4,000-square-foot tangy and spicy—is one of the top contenders.
outdoor patio. It was then, that Ienergy, steppedsays into Sweet Mango Ted,with withenthusiasm, his contagious positive that he can’t waitin Willow Glen antointroduction of “in-your-face, this sought-aftcustom-made er cuisine. Thewalk-in sign said “Chinese for for folks check out the cooler” and Burmese Food” which is typical, as Burma is wedged between China and next to the main bar. Guests can gaze at the unique direct-draw draft India and twiststap facets fromare both into its cuisine. system—the handles connected to the kegs, eliminating draft First up the Tea Leaf Salad ($9.95). “Thoke” “toe”), or lines andwas helping to keep the beer at the highest(pronounced quality and freshness salads, areHaving distinctive in Burma. ingredientsnumber are arranged in ,separate levels. 30 draft beers isThe a manageable for staff Ted says:piles on“Ithe plate andto abundantly seasoned—a smorgasbord of raw andable cooked want them know exactly what we’re serving. I want to be to vegetables, herbs, toasted nuts, seeds, andsoeven driedbeer porkeducation cracklingswill or shrimp. give genuine beer recommendations, ongoing be Sometimes these important. ” ingredients are mixed with lettuce or cabbage, which remains an area controversy food lovers. Sweet Mango’s Theoffood will haveamong a local,Burmese farm-to-table emphasis according torendition chef lostReade, someand points because,will although it seemed impassioned, I couldn’t everything be made in-house, including breads andget over thepretzels. fact that its main llergenerous was iceberg lettuce. Luckily, tea Because offithe kitchen space, therethe willsalty, alsofermented be inleaves added that littlebutchery combativeness that I programs. craved. The lettuce forgivable house charcuterie, and pickling “We wantwas to make because I was the Reade, intermingling of consistencies; each bite food as freshsoasenchanted the beer is,by ” says who embraces beer’s versatility in had exciting architecture. It was addicting and I’d order it again—and I’m not even food pairing. a salad lover. Some examples from the tidy menu of 25 items include pork belly Next came the Burmese fried rice ($8.95) and the cumin lamb ($12.50). The Burmese rice, radiantly yellow from the turmeric, was good but not especially titillating. For those who love intensity, the generous portion of lamb was nutty, peppery and an aromatic must for the table. I don’t know how you could not like this dish. The mango chicken at $9.95 was saucy and resplendent with thick slices of ripened mango—Burmese proverbs exalt mango. It was tasty, but if I didn’t know what it was, I don’t think I’d immediately think “that’s mango chicken.” I guess I was looking for something that crystallized the mango flavor in a new way. We left markedly full with plenty to take home, as Sweet Mango is big-hearted with its portions. The meal was a fun glimpse of a new cuisine, anchored with some foundational Burmese dishes, but a desire for more definition in the South Bay looms.—Kristine Bautista SWEET MANGO 1040 Willow St., San Jose; 408.293.2268