Photograph by Paul Myers
Jesus Murgia (right) has been the chef at La Hacienda Inn Restaurant for 18 years. He is assisted by pantry chef Martin Gonzalez.
La Hacienda celebrates 100 years pleasing diners' palates
By Suzanne Cristallo
It was 100 years ago in Saratoga when Lucy and Theodore Morris decided to celebrate the 30 years they had spent in Yokohama, Japan, with the construction of a Japanese Village resort.
On a 30-acre site bordering the Blossom Trolley Line--the interurban railway between Los Gatos and Saratoga on what is now Highway 9--they incorporated their love and knowledge of Japanese culture in several buildings of a modified Japanese style. Cherry blossoms, wisteria, irises and chrysanthemums shaded and softened several guest houses and a tea house, which they called Nippon Mura.
Today, three owners later, the only remaining original structure of Nippon Mura is known as La Hacienda, the name given it by Amilio and Mary Velo in the mid-1940s when they turned the main building into an Italian restaurant. Present-day owners of the property, the Charles Morrison family, still run the hotel, which was added in 1962, while partners Holly and John Vossoughi and Sigrid and Tony Monsef run the restaurant.
"The restaurant has always been continental with an Italian touch," notes Holly Vossoughi, reflecting on the 22 years she has worked there. "We've changed some things with the times, but the Italian soul has remained consistent."
In the early 1980s, entrees were awash in heavy sauces. "I loved them," Holly recalls. "I used to order according to the sauce. I look back now and wonder how I kept a smaller waistline. I used to dream of the dishes at night." Meat was big then too, and lots of flaming dishes. "But the fire department put a stop to that," she chuckles.
Next came a period of Cajun cooking, a combination of French and Southern cuisines with a robust country style using dark roux and plenty of animal fat. On its heels came the reactionary California cuisine featuring "lite" and healthful dishes of fish, sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese.
"Now beef is back," observes Holly, and La Hacienda offers it with style. Entrees on the new a la carte menu include steaks and the popular thick slices of prime rib for $22.95, along with boneless duck breast a l'orange, veal, chicken and fish. A 16-ounce tail of Australian lobster with drawn butter runs $55.95, but entree prices run between $19 and $27.
The 250-guest restaurant caters to indoor and outdoor weddings and banquets and attracts a big dance crowd on weekends. It offers variety from Chef Jesus Murguia's popular French onion and lobster bisque soups to the salads of Bay shrimp and tomatoes and hearts of romaine. A big sampling can be experienced in the seasonal prix fixe dinner for $32.50, which offers antipasto, ravioli, an entree with potato or rice and vegetable, spring salad, dessert and coffee or tea.
The Italian "soul" of the restaurant is maintained in the hand-made raviolis, which can be ordered for take-home cooking, and the big antipasto wheels that come with each entree order.
While Holly does the bookkeeping in a back office now, for years she worked the front of the house. She misses the customers and the memories they create. Perhaps it's time, in this 100th year of celebration, for her to be there again.
La Hacienda, 18840 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, Saratoga. Open for lunch Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., dinner 5-10 p.m. Sunday champagne brunch 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., dinner 3-8 p.m. Dancing Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. 408.354.6669.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
