Photograph by Robert Scheer
Allan and Cheryl Silver present their falafel at their Sunnyvale eatery.
By KATHERINE PETERSEN
After serving as the head chef of two different restaurants for 16 years, Sunnyvale resident Allan Silver decided to buy his own place to cook. He and his wife, Cheryl, own and operate The Silver Spoon Cafe, formerly Nomee's, at 122 S. Sunnyvale Ave.
Silver did catering on the side while working as a chef in San Jose, but with his own restaurant, he thought could expand that part of his livelihood.
"We started doing some catering eight years ago. We did small, elaborate seven-course dinners in homes for 10 to 12 people," he said.
The couple also caters weddings and other parties. The two of them once put together a wedding for 430 people.
"Timing and coordination are always the challenge. The bottom line is secondary. The focus is on quality and presentation," he said. With primarily a Continental background, Silver looked forward to the challenge of keeping the Middle Eastern theme for which Nomee's was known.
"We were aware that Nomee's had regular customers, and we wanted to ease into it so we wouldn't drive them away," he said.
The Silvers have made only subtle ingredient changes in the recipes.
Silver learned the original Israeli recipes for hummus, baba ganoush (an eggplant spread) and falafels. The Silver Spoon Cafe also offers a full breakfast menu, including a Silver Spoon Omelet of avocado, cheese and mushrooms. In addition, burgers, sandwiches and energy blends are also on the menu.
Two-thirds of the dining room is glass from floor to ceiling.
"I think it's warm and homey, and people are friendly. We try to greet customers by name," Silver said.
Plastic patio chairs surround the wooden-topped tables that dot the restaurant. Customers can keep an eye on their meals and converse with workers because of a semi-exhibition kitchen.
"They can tell us if they want more hot sauce or more tomatoes. There's a lot of personal interaction," he said.
Breakfast prices at the Silver Spoon Cafe range from $3 to $6.25, and lunch prices range from $3.25 to $5.75.
The restaurant is open from 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. Mon. through Fri. and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 4, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.