“There is nothing permanent
except change.” 
Heraclitus

Kathy and I moved into our West San José home in October 1986. At the time, we’d been married for fifteen months and had a five-month-old son, after whose birth we quickly outgrew our modest Santa Clara home on Lincoln Street. Neither Kathy nor I were exceptionally gifted at cooking in those days, so we’d gotten in the habit of eating many of our meals at local restaurants. When we made the move to West San José, I couldn’t help but notice the multiple dining options available to us at the nearest major intersection — Saratoga Avenue & Williams Road.

The night we moved into our new home, we enjoyed dinner at Carrows, which was located on the east side of Saratoga Avenue one block north of Williams Road. It was a convenient, affordable place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Carrows closed several years ago and has been replaced by Denny’s, which used to be at the southwest corner of Saratoga and 280. That Denny’s location closed and was replaced by Applebees prior to reopening the new Denny’s in the old Carrows building.

On the northeast corner of Saratoga & Willams, there was a dry cleaners and a Wendy’s Restaurant. In the 38 years we’ve lived here, I’m pretty sure I’ve been to Wendy’s less than a dozen times. I enjoyed stopping by with the boys occasionally for a vanilla or chocolate Frosty. Of course, I was also intrigued by their finger-licking good bowl of chili, though I’ve never tried it.

Speaking of finger-licking good, the northwest side of the intersection included Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Starbucks. Kathy and I were regulars at Starbucks. I’m not a big KFC fan, but Kathy is, so she would occasionally stop by and pick up a bucket of chicken for dinner for our family.

The southwest corner of the intersection included a Rotten Robbie gas station with an attached restaurant — The Bill of Fare. This was an excellent place to enjoy breakfast. Their service was exceptional, as was the food served there. The prices were a little high, but the experience was well worth the cost. Behind the gas station, facing Saratoga Avenue, was Taco Bell. It was a small shop with limited inside seating, but the convenience of American Mexican food in a fast-food setting made it a popular spot for locals. And right next door to Taco Bell was our neighborhood McDonald’s.

Across the street from McDonald’s, on the east side of Saratoga just a block south of Williams Road, was a unique Japanese restaurant. Ringer Hut specialized in noodle dishes, specifically a meal known as champon, a traditional meal from Nagasaki, Japan. It wasn’t until my first visit to Nagasaki in 1998 that I realized that Ringer Hut was an excellent place for authentic Japanese food. Kathy and I became regulars there, too.

Much has changed in the neighborhood in the past 38 years. Taco Bell closed. McDonald’s closed. Rotten Robbie was renovated and enlarged, displacing The Bill of Fare, which now occupies the old McDonald’s building and continues to do a thriving business. The renovation of the gas station required the demolition of the Taco Bell building. 

KFC closed not too long ago, as did our local Starbucks. Both have been replaced with Mexican restaurants I have not yet tried. Ringer Hut, too, closed its doors soon after the pandemic. A new Japanese noodle restaurant, Udon Mugizo, now occupies the building, but I have yet to try it. And a little further south on Saratoga, a relatively new sushi restaurant, Suro Sushi Bar & Grill, offers a delightful array of Japanese dishes.

I briefly mentioned the dry cleaning business next to Wendy’s. That business closed many years ago, and for quite some time, the retail space was vacant. Several years ago, Rose Café and Donuts opened in that location. They had been forced out of their previous retail space on the southeast corner of Saratoga Avenue and Quito Road to make room for a new CVS store. Rose Café is my favorite place for breakfast or lunch in our neighborhood. Their donuts are excellent, too, though I can no longer eat them. The high quality food and exceptional service make Rose Café a popular venue for locals. 

With all the changes in the neighborhood in the past 38 years, I am amazed that the last of the original restaurants still in business at the same location is Wendy’s. I find this surprising, as they never seem to be busy. Somehow, they manage to keep their doors open and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner to those who choose to go there. I’m grateful that Kathy has a newfound love of cooking and that we’ve learned the importance of healthy eating. There’s no place like home.