Saratoga News

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Liz Major serves up a Hobb's smoked meat platter and several of the Los Gatos Brewing Company's namesake brews.

L.G. Brewing Co. offers an upscale beer concept

By Suzanne Cristallo

Call it a "destination restaurant" and a "place to be seen." That's how native Los Gatan Andy Pavicich III describes his Los Gatos Brewing Company, which attracts customers from all around the Bay Area. They come not just for the five kinds of lager beer fermented on the premises or the classic American fare. They come for the party.

"Things are turnin' and burnin' around here," says Pavicich, 26, of the up to 500 diners served on weekends and the standing-room-only crowd at the bar. He serves as manager of 110 employees, PR agent and marketing rep for the essentially family-owned business, sharing the major interest with his parents, Andy Jr., managing general partner, and Helen. He also becomes fundraiser once a year at the Brewing Company's golf tournament benefiting the Live Oak Adult Care Center and the Live Oak Kitchen.

The lofty establishment, which once was a Swanson Ford showroom, was gutted after the 1989 earthquake and built from the ground up by the Paviciches to house a mini-brewery with a different approach. "We're an upscale restaurant with a beer concept," says Pavicich, explaining that the edge his brewery has on others is the more formal dining it offers in addition to casual "pub food."

Typical of the Brewery's home-style food are roasted chicken, broiled steaks and its No. 1 sellers, pork chops and fish specials.

"I just like real food prepared properly," says chef Jim Stump. "I hate weird combos." Stump, 34, is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy whose cooking credits include stints at the Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and Birk's in Santa Clara, which he opened, and several years as executive chef of Le Mouton Noir in Saratoga. His 20-item menu includes an award- winning clam chowder along with pizzas topped with black beans, basil pesto and Westphalian ham. Entrées run from $12 to $19.

By early next year, Los Gatos bachelor Pavicich and his father will be teaming up with Stump in a new restaurant venture, a San Jose "new American bistro" to be called A.P. Stump's. "I love to see people enjoying themselves," Pavicich says.

Los Gatos Brewing Company, 130G N.Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. Food served daily 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. (Sat. to 11 p.m.). Pub menu 3-5 p.m. and after hours. Sun. brunch 11:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. 395-9929.

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