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Metro's Club of the Week Seven Restaurant 754 The Alameda, San Jose; 408.280.1644 www.7restaurant.us Opens June 20 By Todd Inoue Hours: 11:30am-midnight; lunch: 11:30am-2pm; dinner 5-10pm Signature Drink: Cocktails with bottled mixers; no soda guns here. French and California wines, even Cristal Ambience: Industrial chic LOCATED A BLOCK away from HP Pavilion at Stockton Street, Seven Restaurant and Lounge is another contender in the trend toward stylish yet casual environments that pair food with cocktails (think Straits Cafe at Santana Row, Zoë Nightclub or the upcoming Blue Tattoo at San Pedro Square). Guests enter through a revolving door into an oasis of cool touches like a hand-laid, elliptical brick wall, marble bar, saw-cut concrete floor, frosted glass and dramatic lighting. Its kitchen was laid out by Tim Harrison of Harrison & Koellner, who also created the kitchen at the French Laundry in Napa Valley. Twin brothers and chefs Curtis and Russel Valdez teamed up with brother-in-law Hugh Parker to create Seven Restaurant. They've combined culinary skills (the brothers have worked at A.P. Stump's, Roy's in Maui, One Market in San Francisco, among other places) with an appreciation for big-city nightlife to arrive at Seven Restaurant's chic environment. Seven Restaurant manager Debi Cohn says the vibe could rival clubs in Miami, Tokyo and San Francisco, yet remain completely Silicon Valley friendly. Cohn describes the atmosphere as industrial and loungelike. The menu will be contemporary American using French cooking techniques: slow-braised beef ribs, chorizo and sweet onion timbale, orzo-stuffed poussin, pan-roasted rib of steak. There will be a full bar along with French and California wines. "We'll have Cristal for the high rollers," she says. When dinner service is complete, a lavender curtain will close off the kitchen area, and Seven Restaurant will be turned into a nightspot. DJs will spin acid jazz and down-tempo music. A late-night menu will be served. Seven hopes to open the week of June 20, although issues with PG&E are still being resolved, so it could be the week after. Check the restaurant's website (www.7restaurant.us) for the latest information. Send a letter to the editor about this story to letters@metronews.com. [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]