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For those who remember the culinary skills of Sherry Horst, her move to Cafe Rouge in Los Gatos will be considered a good match. She was executive chef at Matter of Taste in Los Gatos for nine years. Then she branched out into her own catering business called Esfio last fall. Now she's settled into a three-way partnership with Farhad and Belghis Proushani at their Cafe Rouge, tucked away on Elm Street across from Domus. The move satisfies a desire Horst has harbored since she first started cooking—to have a restaurant of her own.
Restaurant is a relative term. Cafe Rouge is a charming little cafe. Its decor, rich in red hues and crystal chandeliers, is described by Farhad, a former architect, as "eclectic symbolism of baroque, Edwardian and Victorian, with a touch of the Middle East"—in short, a 1930s Paris lounge.
The sometimes wine bar-usually sandwich and coffee shop has a history of welcoming the offbeat. Over the 10 years of its existence, poets and musicians have used its open microphone as a forum for their work. On warm evenings of summers past, drummers have congregated there and bonded with one another in rhythm. Europeans find comfort at small tables, reminiscing over a latte with expatriates of their native countries.
Cafe Rouge has evolved and reinvented itself according to the demands of its customers. Now, with the French cooking of Horst giving the place a new dimension, it is heading toward being a full-blown dinner restaurant, probably by this fall.
"We want to grow into the concept gradually," Horst says, "building on the success the place has enjoyed." What she calls "baby steps" toward that end are some new additions to the luncheon menu, like the more conventional Cafe Rouge burger served with pomme frite (fried potatoes) at $11.50. For a more adventurous palate, there is Horst's invention of a Caesar salad served with skewered grilled ahi ($9.50). The skewers form a teepee over the salad, satisfying her penchant for loftiness in her presentations. "I'm a height freak," she laughs.
Admittedly, her menu is customer- and weather-driven. It's also driven by her need to avoid boredom by trying new items. "I'm so excited because spring is coming," enthuses the Los Gatos native. The warmer weather opens up the menu to new salads with fresh produce from local growers. It also opens up the patio. A new awning and a converted parking space provide seating for up to 15 people who can enjoy the bubbling sounds of a fountain that mask street noise. The setting is appropriate for Horst's Asian chicken salad, made with purple and green cabbage tossed with mixed nuts, cilantro and green onions, or perhaps a light meal of paté served with petite Basque and cambozola cheeses from the south of France. As a garnish, there's a boiled egg and a cornichon—a crisp, tart pickle ($8.50$13.50, depending on ingredients).
Cafe Rouge transforms into a lamp-lit wine bar on weekends. French wines, European beers and whatever local wines are available are served to the sounds of a Latin rhythm band or perhaps a flamenco guitarist. "We try to support local musicians wherever we can," Horst notes, adding, "We're a small business. It makes more sense to support each other."
Cafe Rouge, 42 Elm St. in Los Gatos, is open Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. or "until everyone's gone." For more information, call 408.395.1599.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad