The Biz Beat: Jun Bistro in Milpitas offers natural fusion of Chinese cuisine

The recently opened Jun Bistro in Milpitas has its improbable origins in co-owner Amy Duan’s “Chihuo” — slang for “foodie” in Mandarin — a Chinese-language food blog that currently boasts more than 1.8 million followers and a full-time staff.

“I didn’t realize it at the time,” she told San José Spotlight, “but I was using food as a bridge to seek a stronger sense of belonging as a new immigrant. And soon, a lot of first-time immigrants like me started reading my blog to get to know the local culture.”

The blog grew from casual postings Duan made after coming to the United States from Shanghai in 2010 as she blogged about every place she went to eat — a Costco hot dog here, a Disneyland turkey leg there — while studying communications at the University of Southern California.

Duan and Chihuo co-founder Cosmo Hu attracted the attention of Michelle Zhang, founder of The Society of Heart’s Delight, a service organization catering to the Chinese immigrant community. Finding a common interest in opening a restaurant, they first considered opening a food truck before finding their Milpitas location.

The restaurant’s name comes from “Jun,” the Chinese character for “mushroom.” It is a nod to the Yunnan Province cuisine that is the basis of the menu and the more than 900 varieties of mushrooms grown there.

Mushrooms appear in many dishes on the menu, but do not overwhelm it. There are plenty of dishes that don’t include mushrooms at all, such as the Cheung Fun — thick rolls of rice noodles and sliced Smithfield ham stir-fried in a molasses-thick sweet and spicy soy-based sauce.

But when mushrooms are featured in dishes like the Slow-Cooked Superior Angus Short Rib, they tend to be the stars. Here, a variety of imported and domestic mushrooms are lightly sauteed and plated next to the rib, along with a swath of brick-red Yunnan-style chili powders for dipping.

Jun Bistro uses matsutake, shiitake, velvet antler and termite mushrooms for its Wild Mushrooms Conserva, which is already a customer favorite, Duan said.

“We use five or six varieties and stock them depending on the season and the availability from China,” she said. “They are prepared very simply because we want you to taste the original flavor of the mushrooms.”

Yunnan is located in southern China and has a similar climate and fertile growing season, Duan said.

It’s reflected in vegetarian choices such as the appealing Jun Signature Salad with roasted bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, pineapple and mint mingling in a base of chrysanthemum leaves that provides bright and peppery notes.

The influence of Yunnan’s neighbor, Vietnam, can be found in several dishes, most noticeably in Jun’s Braised Angus Beef Rice Noodle, soft noodles floating in a slow-simmered bone broth and caressing cubes of braised Angus beef. It bears more than a passing resemblance to pho. A mild Zhaotong sauce, made with soy, dried chili, paprika and star anise, gives the dish a bit of heat, while mint leaves broaden the flavor profile.

First-time customer Manuel Rocha praised the dish.

“The soup was rich and savory, the noodles had a nice texture, and the meat was very tender,” he told San José Spotlight. “It was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of heat.”

Jun has a selection of regional desserts including Falooda, a delightfully sweet and multi-textured dish made with sago — tapioca-like spheres of palm stem starch — purple rice, taro paste and red beans floating in a mixture of condensed and coconut milk. The restaurant also serves beer, wine and craft cocktails.

Focusing on all-natural and healthy ingredients, Duan hopes customers will taste the care and sense of adventure that go into Jun Bistro’s offerings.

“When you are happy, you can come here for a drink,” she said. “And if you are down, you can come here to find your energy again. We believe that nothing is more healing and nurturing than food shared with love.”

Contact Robert Eliason at [email protected].

Editor’s Note: The Biz Beat is a series highlighting local small businesses and restaurants in Silicon Valley. Know a business you’d like to see featured? Let us know at [email protected].