Photograph by Paul Myers

The former Bike Cafe has reopened as Cafe De Flore, under the ownership of Khalil and Mahin Tahaei.

Cafe De Flore specializes in coffee, international foods

By Suzanne Cristallo

After being closed for nearly a year, the former Bike Cafe in Los Gatos has reopened as Cafe De Flore. Gone are the stacked chairs and vacant windows next to Summit Bicycles on E. Main Street. They were replaced three weeks ago by the fresh energy of new owners Mahin and Khalil Tahaei. "Now it's so bright and very comfortable to sit in," Khalil says. "It's like a European cafe. People see the difference."

Patio tables out front still catch the midday sun shining through lingering fall leaves. It's a place to enjoy an espresso or one of the dishes reminiscent of the 27 countries where the Tahaeis lived during Khalil's previous career as a corn breeder. "Yes, that's a corn breeder," 62-year-old Khalil affirms, elaborating on the research opportunities that a Ph.D. in science opened to him. "For 22 years, I developed hybrid varieties of corn." His last assignment was in Ames, Iowa, seven years ago.

But the 8-to-5 company routine he repeated for so long left him yearning for something different. A stroll by the store once run by Summit Bicycles co-owners Leslie and Suzanne Austere gave him the inspiration he wanted. He traded his five 9-hour days for seven 13-hour days, understanding that until his business catches on, he and his wife will be the only employees. He covers the front of the house, while Mahin runs the kitchen. "Everything is made fresh by my wife," he says proudly. "We are very fresh in the business."

Besides corn for companies, Khalil developed for himself a taste for certain ethnic dishes during his world travels--such as bratwurst in Germany. "I love bratwurst. If I see it, I want it," he says. A return to Germany for a millennium celebration with friends found him heading straight to an airport food stand immediately after landing for one of the big smoked-liver sausages. Because he likes having them around, bratwurst with potato salad and sauerkraut is on his menu for $5.50.

He also offers kochwurst. It's a smaller-sized sausage, like a hot dog, served with potato salad and sauerkraut for $5.

From Greece and the Middle East, there's a Greek salad and tabbouleh--a bowl of Bulghur wheat mixed with chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, cucumbers, olive oil and lemon juice--served cold, with a crisp bread. A small order is $2.50, and large is $4.50.

Reminiscent of Italy and France is the focaccia bread with melted Brie cheese stuffed with sliced chicken breast and a slab of apple, served hot from the oven for $6.50. The specialty of the house is the Cafe De Flore chicken breast with lettuce, parsley, red onion, mayonnaise and mustard for $5.90.

Each day, Mahin makes a soup from vegetables, yogurt, chicken and noodles or split peas. Coffee is either French or Italian, with every kind of espresso. There are French pastries and cheesecake to go with it.

"People are surprised to see us open," Khalil says. But he is confident that word-of-mouth will spread the news. "Through a customer is the way to show who we are. It's important."

A natural question comes up. Do 22 years in the corn-breeding business relate in any way to a coffee shop enterprise? Khalil says it does. As an example, he tells the story of a recent customer who watched intently while he made a latte. The man asked what Khalil did before he owned the coffee shop.

"When I told him I was a scientist, he said he guessed that because of the way I heat the milk and make the espresso," Khalil says. "He told me, 'You are not like other coffee shops. You are very careful and concentrate.' Just like a researcher," Khalil says, laughing.

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Cafe De Flore, 111 E. Main St., Los Gatos. Open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 408.354.1249 for more information.

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