Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

The new owners of Gallo's are Carolyn and Gary Martin Sr. (left) and Cheryl and Gary Martin Jr.

This Italian fare is for those who 'like to eat'

By Suzanne Cristallo

"This Little Piggy Went to Gallo's." All those gourmands who regale in weekend breakfasts should remember that title. It's the name of a four-egg omelette stuffed with bacon, tomatoes, onions and Jack cheese served at Gallo's Restaurant on Blossom Hill Road in Los Gatos.

Gallo's, which serves breakfast on weekends and dinner six days a week, opened just two weeks ago in the Harwood Shopping Center, close to the eastern border of town. Formerly Gaetano's, the new Italian restaurant is owned by Carolyn and Gary Martin Sr. and Cheryl and Gary Martin Jr., all of San Jose. Asked what region their food represents, Carolyn Martin passes it off with "Oh, we just like to eat."

While her Genoese grandfather provided the Gallo name for the restaurant, it was Carolyn's grandmother who inspired "Nonna's ravioli," a meat and spinach ravioli made by Carolyn, true to her grandmother's secret recipe. The Martins also specialize in calzone, a dish with a pizzalike crust enclosing the likes of vegetables, cheeses, mesquite-barbequed chicken, cordon bleu or Black Forest ham.

Dinners run from $7.95 for pastas and calzones up to $15.95 for cioppino and steaks. Breakfast omelettes like the Giovanni, with bacon, chile, mushrooms, onions and cheese, run $6.95.

"We like to keep things affordable," Carolyn says, referring to the family atmosphere, which she describes as down to earth, and the children's menu specializing in hamburgers. Before buying Gallo's, their first restaurant venture, the senior Martins owned a series of delis throughout San Jose's industrial areas. They started in 1977 right after marrying, using Gary's experience as a cook in the Army, where he baked "up to 400 pies a shift."

Over the next 20 years, they opened 12 different delis. "Gary didn't want to get into franchises because it would mean travel away from the family," Carolyn explains. So they remained small, selling their delis once they were established, so Gary could take the summer off to coach Almaden Little League. In the fall, they would start up another new deli.

Baseball has played a big part in the Martins' lives. Gary Jr. played all through school and became such a hot player that scouts from numerous pro teams were after him. But a knee injury ended his baseball prospects and turned him to the study of business at Fresno City College. There, while giving a talk in his speech class on "How to Make a Lasagna," he attracted the attention of classmate Cheryl, who was impressed by the prospect of a man who cooked. "Indeed, he's cooked since I caught him on the stove at 2 years of age making an omelette," Carolyn says.

Now all of the Martins have come together to serve a little wine, some microbrews on tap and lots of Italian food. "Luckily, we've been able to keep Chef Manuel, who was with the previous owners for nine years," Carolyn says.

Gallo's Italian Restaurant, 14180 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos. Open for dinner Tue.-Sun.,4-10 p.m. Open for breakfast Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-noon. 358-3661.

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