New San Jose Nightlife Destination Opens With Cocktails and Arcade Games

Street Fighter with noodles, anyone?

A new bar arcade has landed in the long-vacant Toons Piano Bar nightclub space in downtown San Jose. Miniboss (52 E. Santa Clara Street) features a cocktail lounge, restaurant, and more than 30 old-school arcade games like Street Fighter. The walk-up Asian fusion kitchen comes courtesy of SuperGood Kitchen, whose social media feeds are full of creative combos like al pastor bacon with rice cakes, cheesy Korean noodles, and oxtail ravioli. Miniboss’s owners of are no strangers to downtown San Jose’s nightlife — they’re also behind bars Paper Plane and Original Gravity Public House.

Eat Italian food in an old bank

The 100-year-old historic bank building at 301 Grand Avenue in South San Francisco has a new tenant: Andiamo in Banca, a high-end Italian restaurant serving pizzas, pastas, steaks, and seafood a la carte alongside a $60 tasting menu via chef Angelo Rhee. Owner John Akkaya is also behind Cafe Figaro in Burlingame and Don Giovanni in Mountain View.

Wine tasting in the East Bay

Wine So Cru is now open at 800 University Avenue in West Berkeley. The new wine shop and tasting room is focused on small-production wines, both local and from overseas. Folks can participate in full-on tastings, order a glass, or buy a bottle to take home. In the coming weeks, the owner expects to fill out her inventory more and also add some simple food options like charcuterie.

Mochi treats for all

Pop-up business Petit Bakery Co. is settling down with a brick-and-mortar at 209 First Street in downtown Los Altos. The new bakery will be 100 percent gluten-free, using almond flour and glutinous rice flour — the same stuff used in Third Culture Bakery’s extremely popular mochi muffins as well as traditional treats like manju and bibingka. Expect to also see paleo, vegan, and dairy-free desserts when it opens this summer.

Another Halal Guys arrives

The Halal Guys is opening its sixth Bay Area restaurant — and third in the East Bay — tomorrow, February 8, in Fremont. The New York City-based chain will touch down at 5338 Curie Street, bringing platters of gyro, falafel, chicken, and red and white sauce to the city.