Poor House Bistro: A Taste of New Orleans in Silicon Valley 🌶️🎷
"When San Jose's heatwave meets NOLA's spice, magic happens!" Stumbled upon this hidden gem after exhausting the kids (and ourselves) - and wow, what a delicious surprise! 📍 The Lowdown Name: Poor House Bistro Address: 317 W St John St, San Jose, CA 95110 Vibe: Cozy NOLA-meets-SJ energy with live jazz on weekends! 🎺 Parking: Easy street spots (rare for DT SJ!) 🚗 🍽️ What Hit the Spot 1️⃣ Crawfish Pasta 🦞🍝 Creamy, spicy, crawfish-loaded - instant energy boost! 💥 Portion size = "leftovers for days" level 2️⃣ New Orleans Combo 🍤🥘 Sampler platter for indecisive foodies (aka all parents post-playdate!) Gumbo + jambalaya + red beans = flavor explosion 3️⃣ Chicken Fried Steak 🥩✨ Crispy exterior, juicy interior (kid-approved "giant chicken nugget"!) Comes with Southern-style greens 4️⃣ Kids Meal 👶🍟 $12 for adult-sized cheesy bread + fries + drink Actual parent hack: Split between 2 kids! 💡 Why It Shines ✅ Authentic-ish: NOLA flavors without the flight ✈️ ✅ Family-Friendly: High chairs + coloring sheets 🖍️ ✅ Heatwave Savior: Iced sweet tea bigger than your face 🧊 ⚠️ Heads Up Spice levels mild by NOLA standards (ask for hot sauce!) 🔥 Jazz nights get packed - book ahead! Final Verdict 4.3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Post-playdate salvation with a side of gumbo." We'll be back every summer Saturday! #NorCalNOLA #SJFoodFinds #ParentWin #ComfortFood #BayAreaEats