"There are so many things left in those walls," sighs Bill Cooper. "We spend a lot of time on maintenance." Cooper and his wife, Ellen, have been the hosts and owners of the Saratoga restaurant for nearly eight years. "We might run as many as 275 dinners through the place in one night, and the house wasn't built for that," he says.

The Coopers bought what formerly was Bella Mia—a restaurant now in downtown San Jose. Prior to that, the old building accommodated a teahouse, an antiques dealer and, for 40 years before that, the clacking typewriters of hometown journalists chronicling events for the Saratoga News.

It started life as the home of Samuel Cloud, who ran the general store next door (now Harmonie Day Spa). The Cloud family is central to several stories that local folks speculate could be the reason for the ghost some people claim to have seen there: namely, the untimely death of Samuel, who was hit by a streetcar out front; the suspected imprisonment in a closet of one of his children who was mentally disabled; or the death of a grandchild in the home while her mother was away. At any rate, the stories can enhance table conversation over a little eggplant parmesan.

Back in the kitchen, chef Roger Sanchez is a very real presence. For 17 years, he has been creating traditional Italian fare with the help of a dozen staff members. He does lots of pastas, steaks and pork chops, as well as rack of lamb and grilled petrale sole—all priced in the range of $11.95 to $23. The sole—a Pacific ocean flounder and not a true sole—is suffering from overfishing. Cooper worries that one of his most popular dishes may become endangered. "Our fish dealer [Race Street Fish and Poultry in San Jose] saves it for us," he says. "We're trying to avoid dropping it."

Another favored dish is the shellfish salad, a combination of scallops, prawns, bay shrimp and crab with avocado, tomatoes and onions in a vinaigrette dressing. "I think it's the best in the area," Cooper says. He keeps up on what other restaurants are serving by eating out often. But the Campbell resident admits that "a nice night for us is eating at home," where he prepares comfort food like meatloaf or osso buco.

Brunch on Sunday at Bella Saratoga is often a destination meal for regulars in the surrounding areas. They come for blackened salmon Benedict or perhaps the smoked chicken with sweet-potato hash. Entrees run $10.95 to $12.95 and include a fruit plate and cinnamon rolls. Patrons sit on the porch or in the awning-covered front yard, warmed by the sun on good days or by some big gas heaters on chilly ones. How many might come is unpredictable these days.

"It's an interesting time because of the inconsistency," Cooper says of the restaurant business in today's uncertain economy. He says he may have a very slow period and make plans to cut back on his wait staff of 20, and "then we'll have a huge night."

Bella Saratoga, located at 14503 Big Basin Way in Saratoga, is open Monday through Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday until 9:30 p.m. Sunday brunch is 10 a.m.­2 p.m., with a light menu until dinner, 4:30­9 p.m. For more information, call 408.741.5115 or visit www.bellasaratoga.com.