Photograph by George Sakkestad
Naira Kikvidze, manager of La Maison du Croissant, takes a break to enjoy a little gelato.
La Maison du Croissant has new owners, European flavor
By Suzanne Cristallo
La Maison Du Croissant in Los Gatos is a gathering spot for local European immigrants as well as world travelers. They reminisce about the world they left behind, discuss the issues of the day or read while enjoying the croissants that taste like those in Germany and Paris and the cappuccinos that remind them of home.
"That's very important for us immigrants, you know-to have the taste of home," smiles copper-haired, brown-eyed Naira Kikvidze, who manages the small shop with the big fireplace for her brother, Sarkis Karapetian. He bought the cottage-like place on N. Santa Cruz Avenue just a year ago to satisfy the yearning the two had for the kind of coffee house they had left behind in Georgia, Russia.
"He and I were missing a place to go and have a pastry and just sit and relax," explains Kikvidze. "Most of those kinds of cafes here are chains that are designed to make quick service-to get you in and out."
La Maison Du Croissant truly is a place to have a croissant. Baker Fermin Rodriguez, who for several years worked with previous owner Michele Tran, has perfected a new style of croissant that contains only sweet, unsalted butter. "It is crispier on the outside," says Kikvidze, who adds that Rodriguez spends twice as much time as he once did preparing the pastry because of a more "complex technology."
"People tell me this reminds them of great times in Europe, having croissants and cappuccino," she says. A full array of deli sandwiches ($4-$6), salads and soups are available as well. Russian potato salad-with chicken, pickles, potatoes, sweet peas, carrots and mayonnaise-is an ethnic twist on an old American standby.
Palmiers, puffs and pies, along with twists, tarts and bread pudding, beckon to the vulnerable from a big glass case along one wall of the shop. On freshly refinished walls hang oil paintings by an artist called Vladimir, depicting scenes from France and Italy. A new deck expands the outdoor sitting area.
Kikvidze says she wants her customers to think of the shop not only as a place for breakfast and lunch, but also for dessert after dinner. She's extending her evening hours on weekends to 8 p.m. to accommodate the idea.
So now there's gelato to accompany a long spring evening. To celebrate the first year of ownership, Kikvidze and Karapetian have added to their offerings the dense, creamy Italian ice cream, which may be savored in two kinds of cones (small, $2.50, or large, $3.25) or in varying cup sizes.
Created by The Latest Scoop, a family-owned ice cream maker from Berkeley, the gelato comes in eight flavors, including coffee Dutch almond and white pistachio. A new gelato feature started this week is the coffee glacé-a combination of espresso with vanilla gelato topped with whipped cream. A tall glass is $4.50.
Karapetian came to the United States nine years ago, leaving Russia during a "very difficult time."
Five years ago, Kikvidze, now 29, joined him in San Jose. Her first goal was to learn English, so she enrolled in a language school. She became conversant in English within six months, all the while managing the front desk for a hotel in Santa Clara. Her 19-month-old daughter, Anna, stays with Kikvidze's parents while she works.
"I like this place," she says. "The people are great. I like communicating with them every day." Then with a giggle, she adds, "They're very well-behaved."
La Maison Du Croissant, 303 N. Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos, is open weekdays, 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 6:30-8 p.m. 408.395.4441.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
