New Sandwiches Galore At Oakville Grocery

Oakville Grocery, the 130-year-old landmark Wine Country gourmet store has rolled out a delicious new sandwich menu created by Chef Jason Rose.

Look for the Oakville Muffaletta ($13), a ciabatta piled with Toscano salami, sopressata, ham, provolone, and pickled pepper relish; the Cuban ($13), a torpedo roll stuffed with slow-cooked pork shoulder, ham, yellow mustard, pickles, Swiss cheese, and aioli; and the Quinoa Falafel ($9.50), spinach lavash rolled up around spicy hummus, harissa Greek yogurt, grilled eggplant, cucumber and pickles.

Each day, a special tartine ($10) also is featured, along with a waffle sandwich ($7) of ham and Swiss cheese.

With two locations — the original in Oakville and the other in Healdsburg — it’s a perfect place to pick up a quick lunch after cycling or touring wineries.

Get Ready for a Taste of Brazil at Santana Row

Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steakhouse, will be opening in San Jose’s Santana Row in early 2014.

It will be the first Northern California outpost for the steakhouse chain, which started in Brazil, then spread across the United States. Fogo de Chao will take the place of the former Chili’s on Winchester Boulevard and Olin Avenue.

As at its other locale, guests at the Santana Row restaurant will get a card when seated. Turn it green side up and chefs will come by, bearing 15 different cuts of fire-roasted meats that they will carve at your table. Flip the card to red to signal you are done or need a break. The dining room also will feature an extensive salad bar that will feature not only vegetables, but imported cheeses, cured meats and Brazilian side dishes.

The expansive 8,978 square-foot restaurant will have seating for 250, as well as outdoor, and private and semi-private dining areas.

SF Chefs Time

Yes, it’s time again for the annual SF Chefs extravaganza, July 28-Aug. 4, on Union Square and at other locales in San Francisco.

It’s a celebration of food, wine and cocktails in the Bay Area that features classes, cooking demos, parties and of course, the grand tasting tent.

One of the highlights of this year includes the “Masters of their Craft: Celebrating the Great Female Chefs and Sommeliers of San Francisco,” 5:30 p.m. at Prospect restaurant. It will feature a seven-course dinner prepared by such acclaimed female chefs as Nancy Oakes of Prospect, April Bloomfield of the soon-to-open Tosca in San Francisco, Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, and Sarah Rich of Rich Table in San Francisco.

A dessert buffet will be created by noted female pastry chefs including Emily Luchetti  of Farallon and Waterbar, both in San Francisco; Melissa Chou of Aziza in San Francisco; Belinda Leong of B. Patisserie in San Francisco; and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions in San Francisco.

Tickets are $450 each, with 40 percent of proceeds going to the non-profit, The Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund.

The popular “Eater Chef Challenge” returns again at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 4. This year, David Bazirgan of the Fifth Floor in San Francisco and Mark Dommen of One Market in San Francisco will take on Omri Afalo of Bourbon Steak in San Francisco and Mark Sullivan of Spruce in San Francisco.

The two teams will race against the clock to see who can create the best dishes from a mystery basket of ingredients. Tickets are $50 for general admission and $40 for Visa Signature card holders.

For a complete list of events and prices, click here.

Winner of Last Week’s Food Gal Contest

In last week’s Food Gal contest, I asked you to tell me what you have a love-hate relationship with. The best answer will win samples of La Terra Fina Greek Yogurt Dips.

Congrats to:

Millie, who wrote, “I use a fitness app called GymPact, where I enter in my credit card and how many times I want to go to the gym every week, say 4. Every week I’m successful I get a few dollars, but if I miss even one workout it takes away $5! Ahhh, can you say love/hate!! It works beautifully in keeping me motivated to get myself to the gym but those Sunday evenings when I realize I still need to get one last workout in…whew!”