The beauty of Downtown San Jose is the “more” to be discovered.  There is nothing like being surprised time and time again by the offerings in Downtown.

It was a lazy Sunday as we begin our Downtown Dishcrawl.  Excited, we met at Cafe Too, a little cafe located in the San Jose Museum of Art.

Cafe Too is part of Catered Too, a company known for their food and catering expertise in the corporate and arts world.

Craig of Cafe Too presented us with an array of tapas, beginning with a fresh mix of tuna tartare on top of a crispy wonton chip and accented with a spicy wasabi aioli, chive, and sesame seeds.

Moving on, hot tender chicken skewers were easily eaten like little lollipops by curious Dishcrawlers.

A simple charcuterie and fromage platter littered with things like artichoke hearts, olives, and marinated beans were fun to pick at as the anticipation of our lazy evening began.

We took a little detour through the San Jose Museum of Art, giving us just enough time to ponder on some thoughful pieces littered throughout the galleries.  My favorite was the circus animal sculpture!  Super cute.

We then headed off to the brand new Mexican restaurant on the block- Chacho’s!  Unlike many restaurants on Sunday afternoons in Downtown, Chacho’s was busy busy busy!  It could have been the bottomless mimosas, their tasty brunch, or their endless drink menu!

I took the opportunity try this delicious “Borachas” which I learned translates to “Drunk girls” in Spanish!  This drink has frozen margarita (with both tequila and vodka) and sangria!  Mix it up, and you’ll never know what hit you.

Then, a little bit of mole excitement- Chef Jorge prepared us with tender strips of chicken covered in his house mole negro.

Dishcrawlers were wowed by the selection and variety at Chachos, and enjoyed a sample of Jorge’s soy enchilada (below).

The winner of this Dishcrawl in terms of “best dish” was the El Rey Taco at Chachos.  Was it the bacon?  The chorizo?  The pork?  The mix of delicious meats wrapped in a simple tortilla is still on the minds of many, I’m sure.

Down the street, we stopped in to Mezcal, another mexican restaurant, but specifically focused on Oaxacan cuisine.

Adolfo of Mezcal is a true purist when it comes to making sure people understand the flavors of Oaxaca.  Much of his ingredients are imported from Oaxaca so food lovers can get the true experience of the cuisine.

Fresh cut tortilla chips were served with sauteed grasshoppers and gaucamole.

Below is one of my favorite dishes that Adolfo does- the quesadilla!  The first time I ordered this, I was surprised to get an empanada-like item!  Drizzled with bean sauce, avocado, and Oaxacan cheese, the melted insides of this fried appetizer were delicious.  We also enjoyed taquitos, a nice salad, and mezcalritas.  If you’ve never had a Mezcalrita, happy hour is waiting for you.

Our last stop was Kebab Shack, another “new kid on the block” near SJSU.  The family has been opening middle eastern/mediterranean restaurants for a long time, so you know the flavors of Kebab Shack will be consistent and a dependable staple for folks working in Downtown SJ or living nearby!

A quick grab and go place that is also great for hanging out with friends (hookah, large patio outside, and pool table), we got to sample chicken pita, some afghan bolani, hummus and falafel, and some house chai!

More importantly, during this Dishcrawl so many new friends were made, and so many eyes opened about the possibilities in Downtown San Jose’s food culture scene.

We hope you join us for the first Silicon Valley Foodwalk on May 12th to explore more of Downtown San Jose!

Or, if you’re into foie gras, check out the Foie Battle happening throughout the Bay Area!

Or, checkout our other dishcrawls in San Jose here.

Hope to see you soon on Facebook, Twitter, and offline!

Tracy @ladyleet