ADEGA, is the first and only Michelin-starred restaurant in San José, California. They are also the only Portuguese restaurant in the US to receive a Michelin star.
At ADEGA, the focus is on seafood along with local, seasonal and imported ingredients.
ADEGA which means “wine cellar” in Portuguese is known for a stellar wine list featuring Portuguese wines.
Having little experience with Portuguese cuisine, I thought it would be interesting to visit ADEGA and try their $229 tasting menu.
Tasting Menu
Casal Da Azehnha
A medium body, smooth tasting red wine from Portugal. It was lovely!
Starter
Olives marinated in olive oil, oregano and garlic; lupini bean hummus and housemade butter.
White bread, rye bread, and Portuguese breads
Sardine foam with lemon zest; paprika tile topped with spiced sardine pâté and white sturgeon caviar; roasted sardine, tomato jelly, green bell pepper jelly.
Carabineiro & Abalone
Roasted Scarlet Shrimp with abalone salad, shrimp sauce and dotted with abalone liver sauce
Sopa Da Pedra
Meat terrine stew (made with beef, pork, pigs ear, blood sausage and chorizo); beef purée topped with stewed beans and stewed potato and cilantro; and meat stock poured at tableside.
Cogumelos E Codorniz
Smoked quail stuffed with mushroom; roasted mushroom rice topped with black truffle in a demi-glaze olive oil
Bacalhau
3-colored cannelloni with codfish; foam; bell pepper purée, topped with roasted onion and fried parsley leaves
Pregado
Seared seabass with a pumpkin seed crust; clear foam; sweet potato purée topped with butternut squash
Wagyu
Seared A5 Wagyu with taro 3 ways (roasted, purée and fried). Over the fried taro was fried quail.
Small palate cleanser
Cera cheese from Portugal wrapped in dried fruit bread from their bakery and topped with marmalade
Cenoura
24 k gold carrot cake that has carrot mousse with 24 k gold along with spiced crumble and a butterscotch caramel.
Castanha
Chestnut cake with Iberico ham pudding with Iberico ham crunch; port wine ice cream and Iberico ham topping.
Petite Fours
Chocolate Salami; Donut with Egg Cream; Portuguese Egg Tart; and an Orange Torte.
Parting Gift
ADEGA & MICHELIN branded macaron
The menu definitely presented some new tastes and flavour combinations. I pretty much never have sardine so the sardine platter at the beginning of the meal was interesting. The meat terrine stew was a hearty, comforting dish. I enjoyed the visually appealing tri-colored cannelloni with codfish with the tender pasta skin on the outside and moist, soft fish on the inside. The pumpkin seed crust on seared seabass presented a unique flavour combination and texture on the fish. I also thought the seared A5 wagyu with taro presented three ways was memorable and a good pairing. The cera cheese was a surprising palate cleanser but it worked! The 24 k gold carrot cake with butterscotch caramel was a shiny dessert that was delicious. The most memorable part of the meal for me was the the chestnut cake with Iberico ham which made for a delicious umami ending to the dining experience.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is smart casual but the service is excellent and at the MICHELIN star level. The exterior of the restaurant is quite unremarkable, largely non-descript and has tinted windows so you can’t see what is inside. You might even say that the area seems a bit sketchy at night.
In contrast, the interior is dimly lit, minimalist but comfortable. I was dining solo and had a dinner table at the corner.
The focus is on the food and wine!
I appreciated how the tables were spaced nicely apart so that I do not have to listen to the conversation from the neighboring table.
I had a enjoyable evening overall at ADEGA and would recommend dining with them.
ADEGA is located at 1614 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, United States.