Brothers Dean and Darin Devincenzi and friend Ron Garald have obtained the town's approval to have full liquor service, along with a bar, in their Forbes Mill Steakhouse.

The 6,600-square-foot restaurant, serving high-end steaks to a fine-dining clientele, will replace the former Stovie's on N. Santa Cruz Avenue.

The alcohol service request—part of a conditional-use permit modification—was the last step in a series of approvals that the owners needed in order to meet their goal of opening the steakhouse in March. Last month the Los Gatos Planning Commission approved the restaurant's design plans and a request for off-site parking. They also recommended approval for the conditional-use permit modification.

At the Dec. 16 Los Gatos Town Council meeting, Dean Devincenzi spoke about the reputation of Double D's.

"We have a full bar there. We don't have any trouble there," Devincenzi said. Devincenzi said the bar at the steakhouse would have a no-shots, no beer-on-tap rule to discourage customers from drinking without eating. "That's fine with us. We love this town," Devincenzi said.

According to Devincenzi, the 330-square-foot bar, which would seat up to 10 people, "is not about people going in there and getting drunk; it's about people going in and us serving them a great meal, and maybe having a martini or a Scotch with their meal."

Double D's patrons agreed with Devincenzi. Los Gatos resident Reuel Warkov said the Devincenzis have made the sports bar a place that he feels comfortable going to with his children as well as his father. "What they've done for me is they've exceeded my expectations," Warkov said.

Warkov said the Devincenzis would do the same for the steakhouse. "In these economic times, I'm delighted that they want to make yet another investment in our town," Warkov said.

Double D's regular Mike Andrade said he owns a restaurant and a bar in Arizona and knows from experience the importance of having a full liquor service.

"To attract the kind of clientele I believe that they want to attract in that establishment, they really need to have a full-service liquor license," Andrade said. "I wouldn't recommend that for everybody in town because we've seen abuses; we've seen places that we really wish hadn't been here, but I think in their case, they'll do a wonderful job. It'll be done in the proper fashion, with the right kind of clientele."

Council members were concerned that the bar would be too prominent and would encourage just drinking.

Director of Community Development Bud Lortz said, however, that the bar is meant to serve a single diner or someone who wants a drink before or after eating. Lortz also pointed out that the location of the bar is strategic—it is close enough to the front that it disrupts diners if it becomes too crowded but still leaves room for an alcove and server area. At the same time, it is not far enough in the back of the restaurant to become a "congregational area." The bar will be "confined and defined," Lortz said.

"For us, the bar is meant to complement the restaurant," Devincenzi added.

The council was also worried about the aesthetics of the steakhouse. While Councilman Joe Pirzynski said he was impressed with the interior, he felt the exterior was "still a work in progress."

Councilman Mike Wasserman interjected that he expected "excellence in design" and "landmark-type architecture."

"We're expecting the highest-quality architecture. The applicant has expressed a willingness to do so," Lortz said.

"We are very aware of what we need to do," Devincenzi said. "Whatever staff, the council wants on the outside, no problem."

At first, Vice Mayor Steve Glickman said he was "a little uncomfortable with adding another stand-alone bar to our downtown, and yet I want this place to succeed."

Glickman, however, evidently decided to vote for the restaurant's success, as the council unanimously approved the conditional-use permit modification, with changes to the wording of some conditions.

"Another bar in this town," Mayor Sandy Decker cautioned, "is a very special consideration."