Cache Bouren was celebrating earlier this week with longtime customers and former employees who dropped by for the 15th anniversary of Haberdasher, the subterranean craft cocktail lounge he opened as Singlebarrel in 2010.
But you couldn’t blame him if his mind was elsewhere. He’s just a few weeks from opening another cocktail lounge, Bitterbuck, in downtown San Jose’s up-and-coming Fountain Alley.
Bitterbuck will be his third downtown watering hole — or fourth if you count Singlebarrel’s 2015 transformation into Haberdasher separately. And as much as he swung in an entirely different direction from Haberdasher when he launched the “West Coast honky tonk” Cash Only on Santa Clara Street in 2021, Bitterbuck is going to be something else altogether.
“Even starting with Singlebarrel, I look around at the market to see what’s missing,” he said. Amaros are having a moment, and Bouren thinks there is enough variety in downtown bars to support a more specialty place.
During the day, the focus will be on premium coffee — but there won’t be an espresso machine in the house. It’ll be all pour-overs using an automatic machine from Brooklyn-based Poursteady that Bouren — who has been coffee-obsessed for a few years now — loves because it can make up to five cups at a time, with a little robotic spout dancing between cups to properly time the pours. As the day winds on into evening, the emphasis shifts to sparkling wines, bitter liqueurs and cocktails made using them.
The signature drink will be the Garibaldi, a classic made with Campari and orange juice that Bitterbuck is tweaking to make the orange juice “fluffy,” so the drink tastes more like a boozy Orange Julius.
Notch Gonzalez, the designer who created the eye-popping interiors for the tiki bars Dr. Funk in San Jose and Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco, has been creating a new look for Bitterbuck, using dark wood and stained glass inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. And after an offhand remark to a reporter about the decor including “whimsical taxidermy,” Bouren decided to lean into that — dotting the place with stuffed mice in cute costumes.
TIKI TIME: If you’re a fan of tiki cocktails and culture, you’re probably aware of its “founding father,” Donn Beach, who founded a string of Don the Beachcomber restaurants in the mid-20th century. And you might be aware that most of his personal story was a well-crafted marketing ploy (not unlike what was done with Sarah Winchester to make her mansion a tourist attraction). His life and the fascinating subculture that grew from it are the subject of a new documentary, “The Donn of Tiki,” which will have a one-night screening 7 p.m. Sunday at 3Below Theatres in downtown San Jose. You can get more information and tickets at www.thedonnoftiki.com.
If you want to get in the proper mood, San Pedro Square tiki bar Dr. Funk is hosting a Tiki Bazaar from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, with vendors offering vintage Hawaiian clothing, tiki-inspired carvings and artwork, mugs, bags and jewelry.
BLOOMIN’ SARATOGA: The 12th annual Saratoga Blossom Festival will spring to life Saturday at the heritage orchard and Saratoga Civic Center. Annette Stransky of the Saratoga Historical Foundation says that in addition to the antique cars, live bands, petting zoo and food trucks, a pair of films shown in the Civic Center’s Maple Room will highlight the history of Hakone Gardens (10:30 a.m.) and the Messina family orchards (1:30 p.m.). Get more details at www.saratogahistory.com.
And the Saratoga Foothill Club will be delving into its history Sunday, as well, with a 4 p.m. event featuring stories on the restoration of its 110-year-old clubhouse, which was designed by Julia Morgan. Project manager Alexandra Nugent, historic architect John Frolli, and contractor Norman Koepernik will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the work. Tickets are $15 at the door and available online at www.saratogafoothillclub.org.
PIECE OF CAKE: You can criticize San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s policies all you want, but you can’t say he’s not a good sport. Mayor Matt showed up at the big block party Tuesday night featuring DJ Steve Aoki in downtown’s arty SoFA district and participated in one of Aoki’s traditions by letting the DJ throw a cake right at his face.
Mahan’s probably hoping he won’t have to duck any pastries on Saturday when he delivers his State of the City address outdoors at Arena Green East in the Guadalupe River Park. The 10 a.m. address will be followed by a volunteer cleanup of the park and the surrounding area around the river, wrapping up with a celebration featuring food trucks, music and games.