Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Mary Masouris serves a spinach salad with giant prawns, which is on the
restaurant's new dinner menu.

Mary's Patio Cafe is now serving dinner

By Suzanne Cristallo

Just returned from a fishing trip or a long session at the office, and you're too tired to cook or dress up for dinner? Mary Masouris says, 'Come on over.' She is serving dinner now at her Patio Cafe in Los Gatos. The atmosphere is casual, cozy and family-friendly.

"I've even flowered it up," Masouris says of the enhanced decor, which includes lots of plants and the trickling sound of a water fountain on the patio. Candles flicker on each table in the evening.

The new dinner menu features steaks, pasta, seafood, veal and stir-fried dishes with a Greek/Mediterranean emphasis. Known for her moussaka and avgolemono--an egg, lemon and rice soup--Masouris is adding Greek lamb shanks "tender enough to cut with a fork," and baklava, the Greek pastry made of multiple layers of filo dough and mixed nuts, baked, then drenched in honey syrup.

New chef Alberto Flores, 35, who came from Guadalajara 19 years ago to embark on a cooking career, has created several pasta dishes for the dinner menu. One is the "Los Gatos trio," jumbo scallops and prawns with chicken breast over angel hair pasta. Another is linguini with chicken breast in a spicy peanut sauce. Ten salads, a variety of appetizers and desserts and a special children's menu round out the new fare. Dinners include soup or salad, vegetable and potato, rice or pasta and biscuits or French bread for $7.95 to $12.95. Children's dinners are $4.94 to $5.95.

"We've been wanting to do this for two years," Masouris says of the dinner meals she and husband Dino added a month ago. Known as "the Breakfast King" among steady customers, Dino Masouris has operated four breakfast houses in Los Gatos with Mary over the past 18 years. During that time, their children were born and grew up understanding firsthand what it means to be part of a family-operated restaurant.

"The children are so excited about serving dinner," Mary says. "The girls have insisted they want to come back after serving breakfast on weekends to help with dinner."

Alexandra,18, a student at Foothill College, and Haroula,17, a student at Los Gatos High School, wait tables. Fisher Middle School student Demetri, 13, chops, peels and sweeps up in the kitchen.

"I want them to see how hard it is to earn money," Mary muses, "and why school is so important. Working helps them realize the value of a dollar. I also know where they are."

Mary's Patio Cafe, 337 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat. 6 a.m.-3 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner daily 4-10 p.m. 395-0711.

[ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ]