Panolivo Bistro and Jaffa Café – Trendsetting a new style of restaurant

One location, two cuisines, two types of service

Come and enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean at Panolivo Bistro and Jaffa Café located in the heart of Northern San Luis Obispo’s wine country in Paso Robles. Here one can enjoy two diverse cuisines with two different types of service all at one location.

The casual-chic restaurant is located at 1344 Park Street in the downtown of Paso Robles and is open from 7:30 a.m. until 8:30 in the evening.

Once customers walk through the doors their senses are met with the luscious aroma of Panolivo’s exquisite French-Californian cuisine combined with the mouth-watering whiff of Mediterranean specialties. If that is not enough, customers are greeted by Panolivo’s freshly stocked pastry cases.

Owners Didier and Beatrice Cop said they wanted a restaurant that not only challenges the senses but has a unique environment for all to enjoy anytime of the day. Patrons can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner and have their choice of counter service if they are in a hurry or table service where they can enjoy the restaurants warm and friendly staff.

“We wanted to provide a unique experience with two different menus, French and Mediterranean and a choice of service, a walk-up counter and table service, within the same location,” commented Didier.

The Cops say they spent a lot of time and money ensuring the restaurant had the right comfortable feel. The design considered all aspects of the visual aesthetics including the colors, finishes, floors and furniture. Didier makes it a point to greet customers and is also known to interact with them to ensure they are having a pleasant experience.

“When you come here you will have a unique experience. You will enjoy good food and a pleasant environment. It is relaxing. I want customers to have a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Didier.

The restaurant is even pet-friendly. Customers often enjoy a meal at the restaurant’s sidewalk café-style seating while their pets are tied up right next to them.

Panolivo Family Bistro

Panolivo Family Bistro opened in Paso robles in 2003. The restaurant is in its 10th year serving both locals and visitors to Paso Robles’ world-renowned wine country. According to Didier, Panolivo has served more than 70,000 customers last year. The Cops strive to provide guests with a tasty dining experience in a warm and inviting, casual atmosphere.

“A lot of people know us and enjoy all that we offer,” said Didier.

Beatrice, who is the executive chef, utilizes her long experience of traditional French Family cooking married with local, fresh Central Coast California ingredients and flavors to create a unique experience of wholesome and magnificent foods. The result is sumptuous dishes served in a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere.

“I like to cook from scratch with the freshest ingredients,” explained Beatrice.

Panolivo serves a variety of dishes throughout the day. Patrons can enjoy delicious quiches and breakfast sandwiches in the morning or just a warm cup of coffee with a fresh-made pastry which are all are made onsite from scratch. Panolivo’s in-house bakery offers spectacular desserts and French pastries.

“What makes us unique in this county is our desserts and pastries,” said Didier. “It’s all made from scratch. Come and try one.”

For lunch and dinner, customers can enjoy Panolivo’s distinctive appetizers such escargots, two-bean hummus plate or bruschetta followed by an entrées selection of pastas which include lobster ravioli or spinach and feta rigatoni. Patrons can also select from the bistro entrées which include seafood croustade, Scottish Loch Duart grilled salmon and Boeuf Bourguignon.

The wine list includes French red wines and whites, rosé and sparklings and even French champagne.

Panolivo also offers a one-of-a-kind gluten-free menu. As other restaurants offer gluten-free products as part of their menus, the Cops have designed a menu specifically designed to include an exclusively gluten-free selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner including gluten free bread and desserts.

“Everything on that menu is gluten-fee,” said Didier, “even the English muffins, buns and toast.

Jaffa Café

Jaffa Café, which opened for customers early this year, offers a variety of Mediterranean-style dishes. Customers have their choice of counter service or they can enjoy a comfortable sit-down meal.

The franchise began in San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande. It has served customers for more than 10 years. The unique cuisine and atmosphere draws many customers. The Jaffa Café is well-known throughout the county. The restaurant offers specialty items such as kabobs, shawarmas, gyros and falafels.

A kabob consists of cubes of meat, such as lamb, chicken or beef, marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

A Shawarma is a dish consisting of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and is served in a wrap, sandwich or as a traditional plate with sides. Gyros use the same style of cooking but are usually served on pita or flatbread.

Falafels are deep-fried patties made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans served in pita bread or wraps Jaffa Café is the only one of its kind in North County.

At Jaffa customers can also treat their palettes to Baklava, which is a dessert made with walnuts, sherbet and syrup.

“It’s very delicate and surprisingly not that sweet,” Didier

There is a tradition starting at Jaffa. New customers receive free baklava on their first visit. Additionally, if a customer introduces a new customer at Jaffa, they both get free baklava.

Although Jaffa just opened, there is already a customer base in Paso Robles created by the original restaurants in the southern part of the county.

 “I have been waiting for over a year for this restaurant to come to Paso,” said Peggy Hoffman, a seven-year resident of Paso Robles. “The food is just so delicious.”

Hoffman said in an impromptu interview outside of Jaffa her and her husband always enjoy Jaffa Café in the city of San Luis Obispo when they are there.

“We would always go to SLO to eat at Jaffa,” said Hoffman. “I am going to tell all my friends about Jaffa.”

For more information regarding Panolivo Family Bistro or Jaffa Café call (805) 239-3366.