Photograph by Ryan Olein
Big Chief: Bob Bronte, manager of the Elephant Bar restaurant on Hamilton Avenue, honed his management skills by working in the kitchens and on the floors of various eateries over the past 27 years.
A dining adventure awaits at Campbell's Elephant Bar
A vast, innovative menu and wild decor combine for an exotic experience
By Shari Kaplan
Mammoth menus, portions to satisfy a pride of lions and room enough to accommodate a crash of rhinoceri--nothing about the Elephant Bar restaurant is small! Nothing about the restaurant is ordinary, either--from the palm trees whose frilly fronds lend a jungle-like ambiance, to the waterfall cascading over a rock wall, to the motor-driven straw fans that gently sway high above the main dining room, eliciting double-takes from first-time customers. Even the carpeting and furniture conjure the jungle with leopard-spot and tiger-stripe prints.
Notwithstanding that "niche" usually suggests a small space, managing partner Bob Bronte says the eatery has definitely found its niche in Campbell, and filled it. Based in Southern California, the Elephant Bar opened its first Bay Area restaurant in Burlingame in 1966. That place experienced such success that the Campbell location trumpeted into being in March 1998. It too, has proved exceptionally popular, Bronte says--a relief in light of the fact that five establishments that formerly tried their luck at that location failed. There is another Elephant Bar in Fremont, and one planned for Concord, which will open later this year. The chain was founded in 1981 by David Nancarrow and his son Chris--the same family that started Carrow's.
Bronte, a 27-year veteran of the restaurant business and a member of the Elephant Bar herd for more than seven, got interested in the industry while attending college and working the graveyard shift at a restaurant. After working in various establishments as a waiter, cook and chef, he decided his next step was management.
"Being in the cocoon of the kitchen, I wanted to see what it was like on the outside," he says with a smile. Being "outside" has not, however, diminished his close connection with the Elephant Bar's main attraction--its hearty food.
According to Bronte, among the most popular dishes are wok-seared Shanghai cashew chicken, sesame chicken stir-fry and fajitas made with marinated chicken, beef or a combination of the two. There's also a wealth of entrees that don't leap from sizzling pans, including fresh soups and salads, grilled hamburgers, big sandwiches, thick steaks, quesadillas, seafood, barbecue ribs, chicken tenders and pasta dishes.
And that's just a small sample of the actual menu, which takes readers on an extensive culinary safari. Even the drinks are exotic--try the Ivory Coast Margarita or the Elephant Rampage, the latter made with Captain Morgan's spiced rum, peach Schnapps and pineapple and cranberry juice. There are also plenty of non-alcoholic specialties, including the Peach & Banana Adventure and Iced Raspberry Mochachino. And if diners ever have room for dessert, there's seven sinful selections on that part of the menu too!
The Elephant Bar Restaurant, 499 E. Hamilton Ave, Campbell. Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 871-8401.
Campbell, California
