BIG PLANS FOR MIKE’S … After nearly 22 years, Midtown Palo Alto’s oldest neighborhood restaurant is expanding. Mike’s Cafe, 2680 Middlefield Road, is taking over the adjacent site of the former Peninsula Hardware, which closed in September after 63 years. Cafe owner Mike Wallau has big plans for his small restaurant. City documents show the current 2,000-square-foot eatery will more than double in size. Additionally, seating capacity will increase to an estimated 60 to 70, with an additional 20 seats outside, according to Wallau. Another major change? “You won’t have to go outside to use the bathroom anymore. We’re putting the bathrooms inside the restaurant.” And the ridiculously small kitchen? “That’s going to be larger too. So the quality will also improve because the kitchen will be much bigger,” Wallau said. But the basic menu will remain unchanged. “We found a concept that works. That’s why we’ve basically had the same menu for 22 years.” The caesar salad, the pear gorgonzola salad and the tiger prawn linguine are a few of the items that have been on the menu since day one, according to Wallau. “And they stay there because no one wants us to take any of those items off the menu” he said. Another change for Mike’s Cafe is the location of the front door, which will be facing Middlefield Road. The counter, however, will stay, and will have room for about seven seats. “I’m very excited to be able to offer my customers a larger space. And there will also be an area for private dining,” he said. Wallau, who was born and raised in Midtown, is a busy man. He also owns the popular, 5-year-old Portola Kitchen, located in Ladera on Alpine Road. Like Mike’s Cafe, it offers farm-to-table cuisine. “Everything we make at the restaurants is homemade and fresh, and we use locally grown produce,” said Wallau, who is hoping the new plans for the larger Mike’s will go through the city process smoothly. “Best case scenario, we could be open in the larger space six months from now. I’m really hoping to get it open by the summer.”
VOICE COMMAND SCOOTER … An Israeli company has chosen downtown Palo Alto for its first-ever showroom to feature its new, self-folding, electric scooters. “The opening of our showroom in Palo Alto is a transformative moment for us,” said Ori Dadoosh, CEO of Green Ride. “Our team has put in so much work and countless hours perfecting the (scooter’s) design and advanced technology. We are excited to begin sharing it with the world,” he said. The Green Ride store, which recently opened at 435 University Ave., sells the 55-pound scooters for $3,000 to $5,000 each, depending on the battery range, explained Dadoosh. Calling the eco-friendly scooter a “luxury product,” Dadoosh said, “You can carry it just like a suitcase. Then you can either press a button or you can use voice commands to unfold it. Unfolding it takes seven seconds.” Dadoosh sees a crucial need for this type of personal vehicle because of traffic and parking problems. “Instead of looking for a parking place for your scooter, you fold it up and take it with you,” he said. The scooter is named “inu,” the Japanese word for dog, a faithful companion that’s always by your side. Dadoosh said the scooter can travel at speeds up to 15 miles per hour. But for those who need an electric scooter immediately, there’s a bit of a lag. The store is only accepting pre-orders. The first delivery is expected in September.
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