One night in San Jose

[Bill Greenberg]

We have one night in San Jose on our way north on July 4th, 2011. Interesting, bordering on quirky dining would be our choice. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[PointZero]

Alexander's Steakhouse in Cupertino is another great restaurant with a Michelin star (Manresa has two).

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Alexander's Steakhouse
10330 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino, CA 95014

[hazel1]

Mezcal, on San Fernando in downtown San Jose, is a good Oaxacan Mexican restaurant. Not your usual taco/burrito place. They have fabulous moles, and even a fried grasshopper appetizer (how's that for quirky?). The Mynt, in west San Jose/Campbell area, is my new favorite Indian place, with a contemporary twist to their menu and decor. And I'll second the recommendation for Vung Tau - their garlic crab is fabulous.

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Vung Tau Restaurant
535 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95112

The Mynt
5210 Prospect Road, San Jose, CA

Mezcal Restaurant
25 W San Fernando, San Jose, CA 95113

[Claudette]

Check out the older threads and you'll see that San Jose dining is not all that interesting. If you choose Manresa, be sure to make reservations early. Aqui and Red Crane are not fine dining, but the food is delicious, interesting, and slightly quirky - check out their menus on their websites.

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Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030

The Red Crane
7335 Bollinger Rd, Cupertino, CA

Aqui Cal-Mex Grill
1145 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125

Aqui Cal-Mex Grill
5679 Snell Ave, San Jose, CA 95123

[Robert Lauriston]

Manresa's great, but not open on Mondays, and not in San Jose.

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Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030

[Robert Lauriston]

The all-Vietnamese food court at the Grand Century shopping mall is the most interesting place I've been to in San Jose.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/742306
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/442684
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/45954
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/44331

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Grand Century Shopping Mall
1001 Story Rd, San Jose, CA

[budnball]

Ouch! That stings, even if it is true. LOL

[scarmoza]

What's your budget and do you have wheels?

[Bill Greenberg]

Budget is not particularly an issue; and we do have a car.

[bbulkow]

There is very little dining in San Jose proper. Your best bets are vietnamese for actual downtown. There has been a solid report from "Single Barrel", a bar. If you go outward - the korean and south indian places, most of which are not in San Jose proper but are either a bit north or west; Los Gatos for two excellent fine dining restaurants; or a couple of very well reviewed chinese places, also about 20 minutes to the west. You can also come up to Mountain View, where there's a great little downtown and a number of fun choices and one fine dining destination.

If any of that sounds reasonable, inquire about them specifically - if you want to stay in downtown SJ, say that. You might get sent to Original Joe's if you want something amusing in downtown. Vung Tau is a consistently well recommended place downtown.

It's been "chowdown-ed": http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/41870

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Vung Tau Restaurant
535 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95112

Original Joe's Restaurant
301 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113

[wally]

What is the likelyhood of any of that being open on July 4th?

[budnball]

Most places will be open for the 4th unless its a Monday. The usual Monday closing will be in effect I suppose. It is on a Monday, so that means less options.

[scarmoza]

Bun Bo Hue An Nam - go there for the two main offerings: Vietnamese noodle soup with ox penis or Vietnamese noodle soup without ox penis. I recommend the ox penis.

Falafel Drive-In: A drive-through with Mediterranean offerings

I second Alexander's Steak House, if they're open. Lunch is especially quirky and interesting in that they offer three different kinds of Ramen. Also, house cured pastrami sandwiches and more.

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Falafel Drive-in
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128

Alexander's Steakhouse
10330 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino, CA 95014

Bun Bo Hue An Nam
740 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122

[mdg]

Where are you coming from? What do you like? You seem to have been to the Bay Area before - what have you liked and disliked on previous visits?

Michael