Saratoga News

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Four-year-old Calvin Cotton was one of some 20 young food critics who helped the owners of Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza formulate their new kids' menu.

Willow Street Pizza cooks up its new menu for kids

By Suzanne Cristallo

Kids wield a lot of power. When the family goes out to dine, many times the kids get to say where. Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza in Los Gatos wants to be their restaurant of choice. Two weeks ago, about 20 young critics ranging in age from infancy to 9 years showed up with their parents as guests of owners Ed Rathmann and Glen Thompson. They were invited to take part in a taste test, and their preferences will be the basis for a new kids' menu.

"Owner Ed" and "Chef Tom," a.k.a. Tom Stevenin, hovered about, taking notes on comments made by the budding gourmands, who had been warmed up by Bubbles the Clown from Salinas.

Then came the food--small portions arrayed on platters placed at strategic points along the long banquet table. There were hamburgers with special sauce, cheese and pepperoni pizzas, french fries, spaghetti with tomato sauce, mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers, followed by chocolate sundaes and root beer floats. The duo got an earful.

"The mozzarella sticks are very interesting," 9-year-old Alex Muller of Campbell noted seriously. "I also like it 'cause there's nothing green in it."

Los Gatans Calvin and Sam Cotton, ages 4 and 2 1/2, nodded in appreciation of their choices, whatever they were, their mouths too busy to talk.

The restaurant's PR man, Michael Jacobi, identified as "creative director" on his card--"in lieu of 'supreme allied commander,' " he jokes--worked his way into the party with a platter of colorful broccoli, carrots and other veggies. He was booed by the throng. "Then how about truffles?" he asked. One small boy's hand raised tentatively. "Aw, just kidding," he added.

Along with the vegetables and truffles, the spaghetti was voted out. Jeff Huguenor, 8, of Almaden nixed the chocolate sundae. "I didn't like it because of the real chocolate taste," he said confidentially.

There was also a surprise. Because a Caesar salad had been placed on the table for parents, some of the children spotted it and voted for it, reminding the adults that their assumptions about children's tastes can be limiting. "Actually, my daughter asked to come here today hoping to get grilled salmon on the menu," said Los Gatan Araceli Balle.

While the salmon didn't make the grade, the Caesar salad did, along with cheese and pepperoni pizzas, burgers and french fries, chicken fingers and both the sundae and the float.

The new menu will be out in about two weeks, according to Chef Tom. It will consist of an entree, a drink and a dessert for a fixed price. "I hope the kids'll be saying, 'Let's go to Willow Street,' " Owner Ed said.

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza, 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. Open Sun.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. and Sun. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. 354-5566.

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