The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by Robert Scheer

'The service has to be better than the food,' Michaels manager Laura Faravelli says of her father's restaurant. 'There's only so much you can do with a steak.'

Daily staff meetings keep Michaels running smoothly

By Steve Enders

In one dim corner of Michaels restaurant, a group of gentlemen in a plush, high-backed leather booth confer about the day's latest business deal.

In another, a young family with a baby son talks over the day's events.

White linen tablecloths and napkins, a wait staff in bow ties, and generous servings all contribute to the elegant atmosphere of Michaels.

Michaels, says manager Laura Faravelli, "is one of the last dinner houses around."

Faravelli and her father, Ted, have been running the show at Michaels for "as long as I can remember," she explains.

That actually spans 30 years; Michaels has weathered the changes at its El Camino location and is a Sunnyvale mainstay.

Besides being one of the last dinner houses around, Michaels prides itself on its New England seafood fare, with plenty of meat dishes as well.

Veal, steaks, fresh fish, lobster and crab are all part of the moderately priced menu.

Also, a full bar and wine list complement the food and provide a nice way to wind down the day before getting into your seat for dinner.

All good restaurateurs will say that they pride themselves on their service, but at Michaels, it's the truth.

Waiter Fred Lusardi, who has been on staff for four years, has nothing on the kitchen crew, some of whom have worked there for more than 20 years.

"What other business in the entire world do you know of that has daily meetings for its entire staff?" Lusardi asks.

These meetings, he says, are only partly responsible for the impeccable service that Michaels gives its customers.

As a flambé dessert lights up a section of tables, Lusardi comments that people also come to the restaurant for the experience.

"The service has to be better than the food," Faravelli says. "There's only so much you can do with a steak."

Michaels, located at 830 E. El Camino Real in Sunnyvale near Wolfe Road, is open for dinner Monday-Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10:30 p.m.; and Sundays from 4 to 9 p.m. Call 245-4310 for a reservation.

[ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ]

This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 4, 1998.
©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.