Parent to open French bistro
Maria Schmitt
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
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"He has a little bleu cheese every now and then," Naatjes said, petting the 9-year-old connoisseur.
Darby is in the right home. Naatjes, a chef and a restaurant manager with international experience, will soon open a French bistro in downtown Hillsdale.
The bistro will serve mainly American food with a French influence, and sits at 96 N. Howell St., currently "Hair Cutter." Naatjes said the café, currently dubbed "96 N. Howell Bistro," should open August 2008.
Shortly after Naatjes' son, Michael, a Hillsdale College sophomore, entered Hillsdale College, the two began talking to local business owners about opening a restaurant.
David Kamen, owner of David's Dolce Vita wine and tobacco store, encouraged Naatjes to purchase a building downtown. Jay Bahr, the city's economic development director, offered to help her find a building. They closed a deal in June 2007.
Though the building will remain a hair salon for a few more months, Naatjes and her son have already written menus and business plans for the bistro. The menu is small and will change each season, perhaps retaining a few year-round items.
"I'm thinking of adding one thing that will always be there, something that will bring people in and make them want to come back," she said.
The restaurant will be small, seating only 35 to 40 people. Naatjes plans to have entrances from both Howell Street and the parking lot behind the building, with a hostess stationed in the middle to welcome diners entering from both ends.
She will use all "two-top" or two-seater tables that can be pulled together or pushed apart as needed.
"I don't think Hillsdale has a lot of fine dining, some place with white tablecloths," Naatjes said. "We do intend to have white tablecloths. I don't intend to cover them in white paper."
Pricewise, Naatjes said a meal at 96 N. Howell Bistro will compare to a dinner at Savarino's Restaurant, which costs about $40.
Naatjes has run restaurants around the world. She and her husband, Dale, a foreign service officer, have lived in Australia, Germany and Panama.
Naatjes also attended a three-month cooking program in London, England, at Le Cordon Bleu, a prestigious culinary school.
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