Five Points serves a shot of history
Five Points, which opened in September on West Santa Clara Street, may be downtown San Jose’s newest bar, but it feels like it has decades of history in its walls.
That sense is on purpose, says Brendan O’Flaherty, who opened the bar with Dave Mulvehill and other investors. The storefront, wedged between Britannia Arms and AFK Gamer Lounge, has most recently been used for office space, but the building is more than a century old.
Five Points is something of a sister bar to O’Flaherty’s Pub, the Irish bar opened just around the corner on San Pedro Street by Ray O’Flaherty, Brendan’s late father. If O’Flaherty’s can be viewed as the protypical pub in Ireland, Five Points — named after the infamous neighborhood in Lower Manhattan — attempts to capture the experience of the Irish immigrants when they arrived in 19th century America. Just without the gangs, vermin and bloodshed, of course.
It’s a classic bar layout, long but not too narrow, with the dark wood tables, benches and wall panels leaving the impression of being in a church. A small piano organ against a brick wall sits below a painting of the Five Points neighborhood, circa 1827, adding to the effect. A curtained room in the front, facing Santa Clara Street, is filled with antique books and other bric-a-brac. You can reserve that space for a larger party, but it’s open to customers the rest of the time. (Another private room in the back is in the works.)
There are a couple of references on the walls to Five Points landmarks like the Mission and the Old Brewery, and while one wall is marked “Groceries,” you should know that there’s currently no food being served at Five Points. There are even more historical references on the cocktail menu. The specialty drinks — each is $12 — provide a history lesson all their own. Here are some of the stories behind the names:
PARADISE SQUARE: Probably the lightest drink of the bunch, this one takes
its name from a vacant lot in Five Points, which was actually triangle shaped and probably not as pretty as it sounds. The drink combines Zubrowka vodka with pineapple and citrus juice, and egg white is used to create a light froth. The drink is gorgeous in its presentation, served over crushed ice in a snifter with pineapple leaves and a lime wheel garnish. MULBERRY BEND COBBLER: While Mulberry Bend was one of the most violent streets in Five Points, this drink is similar only because it might sneak up on you. It’s got rye whiskey and port spiced up by apricot, citrus and cinnamon, and served over crushed ice in a metal cup.
BOSS TWEED: This combination of Canadian Club Rye and Tariquet Armagnac brandy — with passion fruit bitters and a hint of anise — is named after corrupt politician “Boss” William Tweed, who pushed his weight around in 19th century Manhattan. BAXTER STREET DUDE: Originally known as Orange Street, Baxter Street was one of the primary avenues that formed Five Points. The drink is named for the Baxter Street Dudes, a teenage gang of street toughs who also ran the Grand Duke’s Theater, a rowdy performing house that was a popular underworld hangout. This cocktail, served up, is a hard one to handle, with the artichoke flavors of Cynar 70 battling it out with Hamilton Demerara rum and the strong Caribbean flavors of falernum. DEATH AND TAX EVASION: There are some great flavors here, as the drink mixes Butter Washed-Cimarron Reposado Tequila with a cold brew from Bellano Coffee, the Italian liqueur Amaro Averna and coconut cream. It’s served up and finished with a dusting of Oaxacan chocolate. The name is a bit of a stretch, referring to the tax evasion charges that brought down legendary gangster Al Capone, who got his start in the Five Points Gang.
Two more drinks that must get a mention are the Swan Song and the Black Bird, though I can’t find a firm historical reference for either. They’re both traditional, spirit-forward cocktails that go in very different directions, flavorwise.
The Swan Song uses St. George’s aromatic Botanivore gin as its base, with bittersweet amaro and a grapefruit peel garnish. The Black Bird, meanwhile, has Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, combined with port and yellow chartreuse for a flavor that is not unlike a Manhattan.
Like the rest of Five Points, they’re well worth exploring.