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Photograph by Felipe Buitrago Club Life Babes Sports Bar & Grill 398 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose; 408.271.9000; www.babesbar-grill.com By Todd Inoue Ambience: Upscale sports bar Amenitites: Televisions, premium spirits and sports packages, gourmet menu WITH DRAMATIC recessed lighting, a 3-D ceiling and a menu with proscuitto prawns, satay skewers and Angus beef burgers, Babes Sports Bar & Grill is a Ray Guy punt ahead of the sports bar concept. "The whole environment is different," says owner and manager Ben Shamlou. "We are very contemporary and modern. I didn't want a traditional pizza-type place." Five televisions and one giant projection screen run a mix of premium sports packages (currently baseball). When football season starts, that's when Babes' business booms. They roll out a Sunday breakfast buffet and do food specials and raffles. To fill out the rest of the week, Babes hosts a Tuesday "Ladies Night" with fruity girlie drinks at discount prices, a "College Night" on Wednesdays (10 percent off bill with student ID), and karaoke on Fridays. It's a nice break from the mismatched furniture, gristle burgers and loudmouths plaguing other sports bars. Send a letter to the editor about this story to letters@metronews.com. [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]