We had dinner with our friends Nelson and Susie Bye at Orchestria Palm Court in downtown San Jose that specializes in Continental Cuisine is housed in a rustic refurbished auto showroom from 1910. With its original roof, framing and skylights, it is reminiscent of the restaurant and bars of the early part of the 20th century. This period was largely defined by mechanical musical equipment. These machines, like the Coinola electric piano which plays the hits of the early 20th century represented the “high tech” of its time.
The mania to out-engineer and out-market its competitors was as fierce as today’s Silicon Valley’s high-tech industries. Engineer Mark Williams, the owner of Orchestria Palm Court, whom Nelson and I met behind the bar, collected a wide array of such machines over the years and are on display for patrons to enjoy. The restaurant also features two orchestrions, a machine that can mimic the sounds of an entire orchestra; electric pianos; two jukeboxes from the 1926 and 1928 era, and a Violano-Virtuoso Player Violin. The music ranges from bluesy jazz, catchy show tunes, operettas, clever novelty songs, and more.
Nelson brought a bottle of Hightower Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 from his wine collection to share. He and I had French Onion Soup with Gruyere cheese to start. For our entrees, Nelson, Susie and I had the Boeuf Bourguignon—the classic French braised natural beef with red wine sauce, with pearl onions, mushrooms, bacon, and carrots, served over roasted potatoes. Cecile and the Sustainable Sea Bass with Crayfish topping served on a bed of zucchini string salad with roasted potatoes. We all shared the Pesto Gnocchi with pesto sauce with fresh Parmesan cheese, and vegetable plate, and Cecile, Susie and Nelson shared the Shrimp Scampi on pasta—wild-caught Gulf shrimp, in garlic butter scampi sauce, with Farfalle (butterfly shaped) pasta, sun-dried tomato, and kale.
For dessert, Nelson and Susie shared a Traditional Banana Split and I had lemon and raspberry sorbet with strawberries.
Postscript: Orchestria Palm Court is located at 490 S 1st near the San Josie Stage Company, the South Bay’s leading professional theatre is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5:45 to 8:30 PM, and reservations are highly recommended.
Thank you Susie for this great find.
