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ENLARGE
Angela Appleton, manager of Tofanelli's Gold Country Bistro in Grass Valley, sits in front of old photos of Main Street, including the bakery that once occupied the building. Below, the outside of the restaurant.
Time-tested recipes define a great business, much the same as they do relationships. Find the right mix of ingredients and stay true to them.
Welcome to Tofanelli's Gold Country Bistro in Grass Valley.
Frank Cooney and Susan Purdy have been partners more than 40 years, long enough to know what does and doesn't work in their business and personal relationships. When they arrived in Grass Valley from Marin County more than three years ago, they brought the fruits of that relationship to Tofanelli's, which they purchased in April 2006.
“We were going to come here and retire,” said Cooney. “We bought a 20-acre ranch near Auburn and one night drove up to eat at Tofanelli's, where we sat in the corner. Suzie loved old brick buildings and was enamored with the restaurant. She thought it had a lot of potential. So we met with the owner and essentially liberated the building.”
The decision to buy the restaurant wasn't that difficult, since Purdy and Cooney arrived with lifetimes of restaurant experience.
“I was raised in restaurants,” said Cooney. “My mom had a popular restaurant on Mission Street (Cooney was born and raised in San Francisco) and she opened a couple of others in San Jose.”
Purdy, meanwhile, started what would become a chain of Golden Egg Omelet House restaurants in 1974.
“She opened the first one in San Rafael and then went on to open 14 more,” said Cooney. “She would open one and turn it over.”
Purdue brought many of her popular menu items to Tofanelli's. “Those dishes have won a lot of awards over the years, so it made sense to bring them here,” said Cooney.
While he is active in the business, Cooney said Purdy pretty much runs Tofanelli's.
“She is a French-trained chef who has opened 16 restaurants, so she doesn't need me telling her what to do,” he laughed.
The first business decision was an easy one, said Cooney. “We immediately opened the restaurant seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast menu is very similar to the one Susan featured at the Golden Egg Omelet House, filled with award-winning dishes. The evening menu is an aggregate of the dishes I grew up with and is a completely different menu.”
Signature evening meals include a chicken marsala and lasagna. “We really try to focus on family recipes,” said Cooney. “We live up to the standards of fine dining with food quality, but we really are a family restaurant with great food, great atmosphere and consistency.”
Tofanelli's has consistently won The Union's Best Patio Dining and Best Lunch awards, adding to a string of awards Purdy has earned over the years in Napa, Sonoma and in Marin County.
With a full liquor license and bar-side seating, a spacious atrium and outdoor patio (complete with custom barbecue), Tofanelli's offers a variety of dining climates.
“The building dates back to 1859,” said Cooney, a career journalist who runs his own publishing company today after a longtime career as a Bay Area sportswriter (he is an Emmy Award winner, regular contributor to USA Today and was one of the first to cover the NFL draft).
Purdy and Cooney have delegated more of the day-to-day management of the restaurant's 35 or so employees to daughter Angela Appleton.
“We bought a small house in town and it's a joy to have friends come up and stay,” said Cooney. “Howard Levine (Downtown Association director) has done a marvelous job keeping the town lively. There are so many event-driven things here that increase, even in this economy.”
Tofanelli's is open at 7 a.m. each day; dinner reservations are encouraged on weekends and holidays. Cooney also said the restaurant can accommodate parties up to 120.
Located at 302 W. Main Street, Tofanelli's phone number is 272-1468.
Jeff Ackerman is the editor/publisher of The Union. Contact him at 477-4299 or jackerman@theunion.com.
Welcome to Tofanelli's Gold Country Bistro in Grass Valley.
Frank Cooney and Susan Purdy have been partners more than 40 years, long enough to know what does and doesn't work in their business and personal relationships. When they arrived in Grass Valley from Marin County more than three years ago, they brought the fruits of that relationship to Tofanelli's, which they purchased in April 2006.
“We were going to come here and retire,” said Cooney. “We bought a 20-acre ranch near Auburn and one night drove up to eat at Tofanelli's, where we sat in the corner. Suzie loved old brick buildings and was enamored with the restaurant. She thought it had a lot of potential. So we met with the owner and essentially liberated the building.”
The decision to buy the restaurant wasn't that difficult, since Purdy and Cooney arrived with lifetimes of restaurant experience.
“I was raised in restaurants,” said Cooney. “My mom had a popular restaurant on Mission Street (Cooney was born and raised in San Francisco) and she opened a couple of others in San Jose.”
Purdy, meanwhile, started what would become a chain of Golden Egg Omelet House restaurants in 1974.
“She opened the first one in San Rafael and then went on to open 14 more,” said Cooney. “She would open one and turn it over.”
Purdue brought many of her popular menu items to Tofanelli's. “Those dishes have won a lot of awards over the years, so it made sense to bring them here,” said Cooney.
While he is active in the business, Cooney said Purdy pretty much runs Tofanelli's.
“She is a French-trained chef who has opened 16 restaurants, so she doesn't need me telling her what to do,” he laughed.
The first business decision was an easy one, said Cooney. “We immediately opened the restaurant seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast menu is very similar to the one Susan featured at the Golden Egg Omelet House, filled with award-winning dishes. The evening menu is an aggregate of the dishes I grew up with and is a completely different menu.”
Signature evening meals include a chicken marsala and lasagna. “We really try to focus on family recipes,” said Cooney. “We live up to the standards of fine dining with food quality, but we really are a family restaurant with great food, great atmosphere and consistency.”
Tofanelli's has consistently won The Union's Best Patio Dining and Best Lunch awards, adding to a string of awards Purdy has earned over the years in Napa, Sonoma and in Marin County.
With a full liquor license and bar-side seating, a spacious atrium and outdoor patio (complete with custom barbecue), Tofanelli's offers a variety of dining climates.
“The building dates back to 1859,” said Cooney, a career journalist who runs his own publishing company today after a longtime career as a Bay Area sportswriter (he is an Emmy Award winner, regular contributor to USA Today and was one of the first to cover the NFL draft).
Purdy and Cooney have delegated more of the day-to-day management of the restaurant's 35 or so employees to daughter Angela Appleton.
“We bought a small house in town and it's a joy to have friends come up and stay,” said Cooney. “Howard Levine (Downtown Association director) has done a marvelous job keeping the town lively. There are so many event-driven things here that increase, even in this economy.”
Tofanelli's is open at 7 a.m. each day; dinner reservations are encouraged on weekends and holidays. Cooney also said the restaurant can accommodate parties up to 120.
Located at 302 W. Main Street, Tofanelli's phone number is 272-1468.
Jeff Ackerman is the editor/publisher of The Union. Contact him at 477-4299 or jackerman@theunion.com.
