By Anne Gelhaus
Last week, Donna and Roger Coen were working furiously to get their Italian deli open in time for the Christmas parade. But Donna Coen says the official grand opening for the Pastaria and Market probably won't happen until January, when all the finishing decorative touches are in place.
For now, the Coens are happy to have their pasta maker and deli case up and running for customers in the market for an Italian sandwich or fettucini alfredo.
"The main feature is our pasta," Donna Coen says. "It's cut to order: Customers can choose the kind of noodle they want. I'll have different sauces and breads so that people can mix and match."
Coen comes in at 5 a.m. daily to make the pasta dough from scratch. Besides the traditional egg noodle, she makes pasta flavored with lemon pepper, spinach or beets. The Pastaria will feature a retail section with items for people who want to make their own noodles and sauces.
"I'm gearing it toward people who really like to cook," Coen says. "When I make lasagna, I like to use fresh pasta dough. People who don't like to cook can grab something from the deli to take home."
Coen got some of her recipes from her Italian grandmother and others through courses she took at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.
"My friends helped me develop different recipes," she says. "Before we opened, we had a taste-testing panel."
Coen expects most of her orders to be takeout, but she did have her mother create a mosaic table for the deli using pieces of plates and tile.
"I'm going to use her frames when we get to the decorating stage," Coen says.
One eye-catching piece of decor is already in place: A mural by Taylor Blackwell incorporates an awning over the kitchen counter into a scene depicting an Italian piazza. Coen hired Blackwell after she saw his murals at San Jose's Louisiana Territory.
"They're kind of magical and whimsical," she says. "I like that."
The Pastaria and Market, 49 E. Main St., Los Gatos. 399-3477. Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, Wednesday, December 6, 1995.
©1995 Metro Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.