Photograph by Paul Myers
Felix Medina (left) executive chef, and Louis Darosa, owner of Gervais wind up a long run with Gervais restaurant in the Rose Garden area of San Jóse. On Feb. 1, Gervais reopens in Saratoga in the former home of Le Mouton Noir.
Gervais brings its gourmet French fare to West Valley
Restaurant moves to former Le Mouton Noir
By Suzanne Cristallo
Louis Darosa takes chaos in stride. In the restaurant business, turmoil from power failure to delivery no-shows can happen, but he shrugs it off. He does admit, however, "You could lose a lot of hair."
Darosa found out last year that his Gervais Restaurant Français in San Jose's Rose Garden neighborhood, established in the late 1970s, would have to be torn down to make way for new construction. At the same time, Karen and Jeff Breslow had placed their venerable Le Mouton Noir in Saratoga on the market, but the business climate spurred by the events of Sept. 11 found them facing liquidation, and they closed their doors Oct. 14.
The closing became an opening for Darosa, and he decided to move Gervais Restaurant Français, staff and all, into the quaint eatery on Big Basin Way. He opened last week.
"Not much had to be done," Darosa notes, explaining that a kitchen fire a couple of years back resulted in new equipment and remodeling. He has added some Baroque-style French oil paintings "for warmth and dimension" and plans to do a little marketing with postcards to the neighbors.
Beyond that, he feels the secret of continued success is embodied in Chef Felix Medina, who trained under the restaurant's founder, Gervais Henric. It is Medina, Darosa says, who has creatively sustained the restaurant's classic and country French dishes for 19 years and provided continuity after Henric retired to Las Vegas in 1997 when Darosa took over.
Among Medina's favored appetizers is his escargot ($11). He creates a paste of butter, garlic and herbs, then stuffs the snails into shells with the paste, arranging them in rows of six on a special pan for placing in the oven. "They come really hot to the table and fragrance the whole room," Darosa says.
Another favorite, Darosa says, is the French onion soup served very hot, its cheese bubbling over the rim, or the salade maison ($5.50)--an organic mix of greens with goat cheese, shrimp and tomatoes and a house vinaigrette.
The premiere entree is the rack of lamb. Done in a cognac herb sauce, the New Zealand lamb is "what we're famous for," Darosa says. Fresh game from Texas ranches abounds, like venison, ostrich, elk and quail. The venison is done in a reduced demi-glace with Marsala wine. The quail is bathed in a cognac and grape sauce. Entrees run from $16 for roasted pork with a wine and herb sauce to $32 for the rack of lamb. Filet of sole and mignon, sweetbreads, liver, fresh seafood and bouilllabaisse satisfy a variety of tastes in between.
"Our food is very tasty. People crave it," Darosa says. "It's very rich and presented in the French continental style, meaning we don't fancy up small portions. You feel satisfied when you leave."
"Branko" tends the full-service bar. "You don't want to attempt his last name," Darosa chuckles, referring to the adept bartender who enjoys pouring champagne with a twist and gin and Gray Goose vodka martinis.
Darosa, a Los Gatan who grew up in San Jose and obtained a degree in business at San Jose State University, believes he is a "pretty good manager." He would have to be. In 2000, he also rescued the Trout Farm in Felton--a tradition in eating since 1946--from the wrecker's ball, giving it a new menu and new life. While the 38-year-old bachelor says his restaurant is "his wife," two of them may be distracting. He bought the Felton restaurant property and plans to lease it.
Gervais Restaurant Français, 14560 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. Open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., dinner Tuesday-Saturday 5:30-9 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Call 408.867.7017 for more information.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
