Butter Is Better
That's the motto of Olivia and Henry Nevarez, local owners of the recently opened Olivia's Courtyard Café at 2719 E. Broadway Blvd. Caterer and pastry chef Olivia makes her own pastries, and she serves butter and crème fraiche with the Sunday brunch mushroom omelets and french toast. Another motto is that food should be a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Formerly on the grounds of a landscape-architect business, this urban oasis is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Starting April 1, gourmet salads and sandwiches will be offered; 323-0198.
Family Owned
Mediterranean Garden is new at Plaza Escondida, located at 7850 N. Oracle Road, at Magee Road. It's locally owned by brothers Jeff and Emad Wer; Jeff and his wife, Reina, also own the Shish Kebab House across from the Park Place Mall. Open daily from 11 a.m., Mediterranean Garden serves the same delicious Middle Eastern fare as its eastside counterpart; 878-9400.
58 Degrees & Holding Company
A new kind of luxurious wine venue is coming soon to the spot formerly occupied by the Gateway Computer Store at The Plaza at Williams Centre, 5460 E. Broadway Blvd. The company has created a state-of-the-art holding environment with the perfect blend of temperature (58 degrees), humidity, lighting, stillness, security and service. A variety of membership-based locker sizes are offered to satisfy clients' cellaring needs. Member benefits include discounts in the wine shop and wine bar--Bar 58--which is slated to open by mid-April. For specifics, call 747-5858.
