"We are still putting the finishing touches on the decor, but plan to have sofas and reading material ranging from finance to travel and leisure to philosophy," Yagoz co-owner Apurva Patel says. "We want to encourage people to come in, have dessert and coffee, hang out and read or talk."

Patel says he is excited to be in Willow Glen. He hopes it will become a coffee and desert destination for locals.

"We chose this area because we felt the residents would understand and appreciate the European cafe atmosphere we are trying to create," he says.

For Patel, opening the business has been particularity challenging.

"I have a full-time job in the computer industry, so right now, it's tough because I am working two jobs," he says. "But it has been a dream of mine to do this and you have to work hard when you are pursuing a dream."

As a child in India, Patel used to make ice cream by putting milk on ice until it froze. His ice cream did not contain as much air as American ice cream and therefore had a denser texture and richer flavor.

"When I first tasted gelato I was excited because it tasted like the ice cream I used to make," Patel says.

An Italian frozen dessert, gelato is traditionally made from whole milk but non-dairy varieties are available. The water-based versions are typically fruit flavored and contain less than 1 percent fat. Far from being watered down, these concoctions are thick, creamy and contain real fruit such as banana, cantaloupe, mango, lemon and pineapple. Milk-based gelato flavors include caramelized almond, vanilla bourbon, pistachio, cookies and cream, cashew 'n' raisin, chocolate chip, Jamaican chocolate rum and tiramisu.

In addition to gelato, Yagoz offers traditional coffee beverages, espressos, frappes and pastries from Icing on the Cake, a Los Gatos-based bakery.

"Everything but the pastries come from Italy and are all natural," Patel says. "The coffee and espresso are organic and the gelato base contains no gelatin."

Patel says that real ingredients like fresh fruit and nuts are added to the base and the gelato itself is made in-house.

"We have the ability to make 100 gallons a day and plan in the future to supply local restaurants with gelato," he adds.

Patel believes it's important to be involved in the community and give back in the form of financial contributions. Patel plans to distribute fliers to community and faith-based organizations. Anyone who comes in with a flier and tells where they got it would earn 20 percent of the overall sales for his or her specified organization. Patel says he and his staff will keep track of the fliers collected and at the end of each month send out a check.

Patel also wants to get involved with local schools. He plans to feature live music on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

"One idea is to go to local schools and invite students to come and play," he says. "We can't pay the musicians directly but we will donate a portion of whatever proceeds come in that night back to the school."

As for the store's unique name, Patel says, "It sounds Mediterranean, but it stands for Yet Another Gelato Operation with a z at the end instead of an s."

Yagoz, 1111-5 Meridian Ave., is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m.-11p.m. Friday and Saturday. Catering is available and delivery in and around Willow Glen is available on orders of $50 or more. For more information call 408.266.9246.