If Google had groupies, I’d probably be one…even though the mega world-dominating company scares me a bit.
Google is my search engine of choice. VFG’s on Google’s Blogger. I manage my blog photos on Picasa and I use Google Analytics as a backup (I only prefer Sitemeter because it’s real time).
So when I learned that Google’s former executive chef opened a new, farm-fresh friendly restaurant, I wished Palo Alto wasn’t so far away.
Calafia Cafe & Market A-Go-Go is part breezy, elegant modern sit-down, part carryout, and the brainchild of Charlie Ayers, author of Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef who Fed Google.
His restaurant’s motto?
“Slow food served fast.”
Brilliant.
In a San Jose Mercury News story about the opening and a “why I did this” testimonial on his site, Ayers said the restaurant “will appeal to a wide range of audiences, from students to busy professionals and parents looking for wholesome, affordable fare for their families.”
The Latin- and Asian-influenced menu will be prepared using local ingredients. The San Francisco Business Times reports that, in true locavore fashion, a majority of the food will come from within a 150-mile radius and will be devoid of growth hormones or antibiotics.
And, of course, there’s a strong tech component to the experience. Diners can pay by mobile device or at self-checkout kiosks. Online orders can be picked up at designated parking spaces.
Cool.
I’ll let you know if he decides to open an outpost in the bountiful Midwest.
Virtual Farmgirl 