There’s a modern-day Mercury News and East Bay Times pressroom, one where printers toil late at night to produce ink-on-paper versions of the news for those who prefer to read about current events that way.
And now there’s The Pressroom, a sleek restaurant set at a historic spot in downtown San Jose where the newspaper presses ran a century ago.
Our colleague Sal Pizarro wrote the “Extra! Extra!” column — the “street edition” story, as it were — trumpeting the restaurant opening. Those were the papers back in the day that attracted readers with blaring headlines in huge, all-caps type.
Now, after thorough reporting (you know that means additional eating and drinking), we present the “home edition” story, your guide to this intriguing new chapter in the city’s culinary history.
DATELINE: San Pedro Square, the corner of Santa Clara Street and Almaden Avenue.
THE HISTORY: Credit goes to the Nuvo Hospitality Group, which owns O’Flaherty’s, Five Points and Dr. Funk nearby, for reviving the Lyndon Building, which was built in 1884 and housed the Times-Mercury, a precursor to this newspaper, in the early 1900s. .
The newsboy cocktail napkins have been a real conversation starter at The Pressroom. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)THE VIBE: Can “classic downtown” be a vibe? This place, with its all-comers-welcome bar and dining room windows that offer a view of the passing scene, feels like it should have been here for decades. And perhaps would have been had Macy’s not decided in the late 1950s to locate at Valley Fair.
THE LOOK: Sophisticated and contemporary, with booths separated by greenery, a communal high-top near the main bar — and, overseeing the scene, a creative mural installation by Basile Studios. Who is she? We’d like to think it’s Brenda Starr from the old funny pages.
Restaurateur David Mulvehill and GM Justin Coutts came up with decor ideas cool enough to impress even hard-boiled newsroom veterans. Their clever touches are tastefully and judiciously employed: The check will arrive on what was created from a newspaper printing plate; napkin rings evoke the era; and the modern dinnerware looks as if it might have been imprinted with ink.
The panko-crusted Crispy Pork Loin Katsu is served atop roasted mushrooms and a fermented black bean sauce. (Patricia Chang for The Pressroom)The dark, moody Bar Mercury, to the side, offers bar, table and booth seating. Catch a glimpse of the Underwood typewriter keys of the past on the hallway wallpaper, and then check out the vintage newsprint-lined restrooms.
THE FOOD: A mix of contemporary dishes and riffs on classics. Shareable plates such as Baked Brie en Croute with raspberry compote and fresh berries ($20) and spicy Ahi Tuna Poke Nachos ($24) share space on the appetizer menu with the unexpected (and no, I’m not sharing) Birria Beef Rib ($18), with chimichurri and consomme).
The menu of entrees supplements restaurant classics (Pan-Seared Ora King Salmon, Bourguignon Beef) with a bright Handmade Lemon Ricotta Agnolotti and a Ratatouille plate.
Dave Mulvehill, chief of operations for Nuvo Hospitality Group, stands in the main dining room of The Pressroom, the group's newest restaurant in downtown San Jose. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)Mulvehill and team wisely named the Tomahawk Steak after the person in the newsroom who wields the power to hack away at reporters’ copy. The Editor’s Cut is a 48-ounce bone-in steak served au poivre (the peppery personality is appropriate) and flambed tableside with whiskey (feeds four to six for $205).
The first diners to order that behemoth pronounced the taste as good as the presentation. They shared slices among the four of them — and still had leftovers. .
(BTW if The Pressroom adds an even-larger-and-pricier steak to the menu, that will need to be called the Publisher’s Cut.)
Typewriter wallpaper in a hallway at The Pressroom in downtown San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)THE DRINKS: The news theme carries over to the cocktail menu. The Inkwell Manhattan combines rye, bourbon, amaro and Creole bitters. A pinot noir float tops the bourbon-and-bitters drink called the City Beat. And for the Correspondent there’s a fruity tequila and mezcal number with Thai basil. The wine and beer lists both offer a nicely curated array.
THE TONGUE-IN-CHEEK MENU: Come for weekend brunch and you can revisit outrageous news stories, from the yogurt parfait named “Monkey Business” (remember the photo from that yacht?) to the steak-and-eggs dish called “I Am Not a Crook” to the “Fyre Fest Chilaquiles” (a “hot mess” that sounds tasty). A few dishes reference more risque events, but … you know … family newspaper.
DON’T MISS: We recommend the tender, flavorful Crispy Pork Loin Katsu ($45), served atop a massive “medley” of roasted mushrooms — a great variety — and marble potatoes. A fermented black bean sauce pulls it all together. For dessert, the light, large and shareable Beignets ($14) come three to an order — with three sauces to spoon on top (chocolate, dulce de leche, berry).
The freshly baked Beignets at The Pressroom come with three dipping sauces; chocolate, dulce de leche and berry. (Patricia Chang for The Pressroom)GOOD TO KNOW: Cocktails and glasses of wine are half off during happy hour, 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays. Bites include Short Rib Sliders ($12) and Millionaire Bacon Bao Buns ($14).
THE LATEST: Shaded patio seating for 50 diners has been added along the Almaden side of this corner building. You can’t miss the umbrellas — they’re black and white (to keep you from getting red all over).
DETAILS: Open daily for lunch, brunch and dinner at 189 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose; pressroomsj.com
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Downtown San Jose’s hottest restaurant takes a page from history )
Also on site :