Photograph by George Sakkestad
Los Gatos friends Steve Zanardi (left) and Johnny Cerrito have opened Johnny Z's just outside Saratoga.
By Suzanne Cristallo
In 1969, old friends, the Zanardis and the Cerritos of Los Gatos, found themselves passing each other excitedly in the halls of a local hospital obstetrics ward as the births of their sons came within four days of each other.
The friendship of the parents became the friendship of their sons. Steve Zanardi and Johnny Cerrito grew up together, graduated from Los Gatos High, went their separate ways for a while and now have reunited in a restaurant partnership. They purchased what was known for 18 years as Dartanians on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road.
Renamed Johnny Z's, the restaurant remains at its same location near Prospect Avenue at the border of Saratoga and Cupertino, but the street name was changed recently to S. De Anza Boulevard.
Five years prior to the opening of Johnny Z's, both young men worked in the Cerrito family restaurant called the Iron Door in the Tahoe/Truckee area. There Zanardi polished some skills acquired at a local culinary school while Cerrito ran the front of the house, which included the bar.
Today, their partnership responsibilities run along the same lines: Zanardi runs the back of the house, or the kitchen, while serving as head chef, and Cerrito manages the front.
Johnny Z's serves continental cuisine and bills itself as having "casual elegance," which Zanardi interprets as a place with white tablecloths where people feel comfortable.
Original art adorns the walls, and a piano player will play requests from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The separate cocktail lounge with a full-service bar is "cigar friendly" for smokers who relish Macanudos with their brandy.
Prime rib with creamed horse-radish sauce is available every night, along with French rack of lamb, for $21.95. Some steaks, pork chops, pasta, chicken and shellfish hover in the range of $11.95 to $19.95, including both soup and salad.
Australian lobster tail is served every evening, and fresh fish is available on weekends.
Some of Zanardi's dishes are based on family recipes. Any patron with a question about one will likely get a personal explanation from the chef. Either Zanardi or Cerrito, or both, are on the premises at all times.
Johnny Z's, 1655 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino. Open Tues.-Sun. at 4 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m. 257-1120.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, April 24, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved