Amato's Pizzeria is the realization of an immigrant's dream
By Barbara Luis
Special to the Times

The dream of an immigrant from Iran is finally being realized this week in Almaden Valley. After nearly six years of hardship and setbacks, family and friends of Mahmood Kuchaki helped celebrate the grand opening of his new pizzeria “Amato's,” located inside the Almaden Oaks Shopping Center, across from Albertson's.

The former home of Quicksilver Pizza, Amato's Pizzeria is now affectionately described as the home of the “beloved tomato.”

One glance around the newly renovated interior indicates that Kuchaki has left nothing out in creating updated surroundings to showcase a bountiful menu of mouth-watering specialty pizzas and calzones, most featuring the lovable red veggie in one of it's most enjoyable forms - tomato sauce.

But opening “Amato's” hasn't exactly been a breeze for the 39-year-old and his family. After leaving Tehran, Iran for America back in 1996, Kuchaki moved with his wife and two young sons to Los Gatos, then to Almaden Valley, where he worked as a manager for various local restaurants until a devastating health problem caused a setback.

In February 2000, Kuchaki says he started feeling terribly ill for no apparent reason. Doctors soon discovered an operable cyst on his brain. He underwent surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital, which went well, but the stubborn cyst returned the very next year.

Kuchaki eventually underwent four separate surgeries and still needs one more in the near future.

But currently, treatment of the cyst is on hold because he decided to go ahead and pursue his longheld dream of restaurant ownership despite his illness.

The former restaurant's owners weren't willing to sell, at first. It took a few months of waiting on hold before a prayer he said during a church service led to a phone call letting him know he could buy “the store.”

“Because, really, it was in my dream to open a business, and show to the people how much I care about them, how much I respect them and how much I can offer to them.”

Kuchaki says there are three things important to customers. “The first thing they are looking for is good quality, and the second thing is good customer service and the third one is the price.”

Delivery to Almaden Valley residents is free. Menu prices are competitive, if not downright affordable. There's a lighted salad bar at the back, offering the usual array of fresh lettuce, veggies and toppings for $5.50 without a meal, $4.50 if you've ordered pizza or calzone.

Pizzas come in a full range of sizes, including personal for $5.99 up to an extra large for $22.50. Some of the selections include “the Amato” topped with fresh tomato, basil, Italian herb seasoning and homemade tomato sauce. The “Almaden Greek” features Italian sausage, artichoke hearts, black olives, and feta cheese on top of pesto sauce. The “Maui” includes ham and fresh pineapple. Or create your own pizza combo from a long list of toppings and sauces, including "house BBQ sauce” and “buffalo sauce.”

Amato's also offers a choice of three different types of folded pizza, known as “calzone.” Choose from turkey, veggie or Italian combo for around $7 and change. A standard selection of sandwiches is served with chips for $5.50.

What is not standard, according to Kuchaki, is the restaurant's “food quality.”

“Amato's is really going for 100 percent fresh quality…our dough, we are making it every night. Every night, we are leaving the store at 2 a.m. because we have to make our dough. Sauce, we are making it every day. Cheese, we are shredding it every day. Produce, we are purchasing the produce every day. Even our wine, I can say is really good. But we are open to any ideas and (the customer) can let me know.”

Amato's is “kid friendly” with their own menu selection, including a personal pizza or “chicken bites” for $3.99. The price includes a soft drink. There are also two giant video games located toward the back, plus a big screen TV for regular sporting events like Monday Night Football, play-off games and more.

Vice-Mayor Pat Dando lent her support to this week's packed ribbon-cutting ceremony held last Tuesday night from 5 to 9 p.m. As Kuchaki and his staff proudly looked on, the Vice-Mayor snipped a large red ribbon across the restaurant's threshold, officially opening Amato's for business.

Dando says she “loves pizza.”

“It's always exciting to see a family open a business,” Dando says. “And District Ten is like a family. And when we have someone that has overcome great odds to open up a business in our community, especially a family business, I'm extremely pleased.”

Some of the pizzeria's new neighbors stopped in for Tuesday's opening bash. One Citicorp Investment official who would only call himself “Brian,” says the updated food and decor are “the best I've seen in four years. It's a whole different atmosphere.” His co-worker “Ray” says the new owners are the “first in several years to put something into the place. They're not pinching pennies.”

“Dave” and family from the surrounding neighborhood say they like the “open family atmosphere.” His wife says, “it's light, plus I recognize the people who run it. I can't wait to try the calzone!”

Friend of the family, Borz Pourabbas, says it's all a “labor of love.” As he reaches to meet the handshake of another family friend during the grand opening, he wishes him “Shalom” and pours out a generous glass of house wine.

In Italian, the word “amato” means “beloved.”

If you stop by Amato's Pizzeria for a pizza or calzone, say hello to Mahmood Kuchaki and shake his hand. After all, you're helping him to realize the dream of his “beloved pizzeria” here in the land of opportunity he's adopted as his own.