| Le Papillon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1977 |
| Owner(s) | Mike Mashayekh |
| Head chef | Scott Cooper |
| Food type | French |
| Dress code | Business casual |
| Street address | 410 Saratoga Avenue |
| City | San Jose |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 95129 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 37°19′11″N 121°58′21″W / 37.31972°N 121.97250°W |
| Seating capacity | 65 |
| Reservations | Suggested |
| Website | LePapillon.com |
Le Papillon (the French word for butterfly, pronounced [lə papiˈjɔ̃]) is a French restaurant located in San Jose, California.
Le Papillon is located on a busy street corner between a hotel and a strip mall.[1] Although the surrounding area is prosaic, the restaurant is "elegant (and expensive)".[2] Customers are pampered by "many people in suits".[3] Le Papillon specializes in contemporary French cuisine.[4]
Owner Mike Mashayekh[5] opened Le Papillon in 1977 in a remodeled coffee shop at its current location.[6] Mashayekh was also co-owner of the La Foret restaurant (another French restaurant in San Jose) with John Davoudi. Mashayekh and Davoudi were friends before they immigrated to the United States. They had been in the Iranian Army together[7] before the overthrow of the Shah.
Before moving to San Jose, Mashayekh had lived in Santa Maria, California where he met and married the mother of Scott Cooper (Le Papillon's Executive Chef). Cooper was a young boy at the time. The family moved to San Jose so that Mashayekh could attend San Jose State University.
- ^ Graue, Jennifer (2010-06-09). "Review: San Jose's Le Papillon offers outstanding French cuisine for special-occasion dining". San Jose Mercury News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
Le Papillon, I was reminded there is a reason that stocks, and therefore sauces, are the foundation
- ^ Holbrook, Stett (2005-08-10). "French Connection – Fine dining at Le Papillon means stepping into another world". Metro Silicon Valley. Metro Newspapers. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
Stepping through the doors of Le Papillon, you leave the noise and exhaust
- ^ Pearson, Mark (2008-12-07). "Le Papillon Review". PBworks. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
dim lighting, many people in suits, no windows
- ^ Waters, Christina (2001-09-27). "French Dressing". Metro Silicon Valley. Metro Newspapers. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
Contemporary French cuisine is the house specialty
- ^ Photo of owner Mike Mashayekh with customers in Le Papillon
- ^ Watson, Aleta (2007-02-11). "Fresh French cuisine at classic Le Papillon: Elegant eatery plays with inventive dishes". San Jose Mercury News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
formally clad servers, theatrical flowers and gilt-framed prints of the butterflies
- ^ Smullen, Dede. "Meet Your Neighbors – Carolyn and Scott Cooper" (PDF). Almaden Winery Neighborhood Association Newsletter. Almaden Winery Neighborhood Association. pp. 3 & 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
La Foret, owned by her uncle John Davoudi
Alt URL, Volume 9, Issue 4, August 2004