NEW NICO'S OWNER KEEPS OLD HOSPITALITY ON MENU.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

CANOGA PARK - Every neighborhood has its own little eatery, but none quite like Nico's Family Restaurant. With new owners Michael and Loretta Woo at the helm, the eclectic coffee shop is continuing to win praise for its distinctive nature.

``I travel all over the country, and I always look forward to coming back here,'' said John Martin, a Woodland Hills resident who has frequented the restaurant since it opened in 1984. ``Nothing compares to it.''

He isn't alone in his glowing praise of Nico's, a fixture of the West Valley at Shoup Avenue and Sherman Way. Regular customers rave about the food, the service and, above all, the atmosphere. As the name implies, it's a a family place, where customers are meant to feel welcome. This has been carefully cultivated by the staff over the years, and Michael Woo means to keep it that way.

``People like it already, so why change it?'' he said, sneaking in an interview during a rare lull in customer traffic. ``Sixteen years of establishment is a long time, and you don't want to mess with that.''

The latest incarnation of the coffee shop was opened by Jimmy Vasiliou in 1984, though Nico's in one form or another has been a Valley favorite for more than three decades. Woo, 46, long a local businessman, took the reins from Vasiliou on Dec. 5. Hoping to build upon the restaurant's already positive reputation, he intends to keep the same staff and the same menu. As before, he wants entire families to feel comfortable in Nico's.

``There's a lot of places where you go and you have to be quiet and tense for your whole meal,'' Woo said. ``Here, if you want to come in and make a lot of noise, that's just fine. We make sure the kids feel welcome.''

Leaving his native Hong Kong, Woo struck out for America in 1974. He was trained as an art student but decided to try his luck in the wholesale gold business. In 1989, he opened his own business, Encino-based Ampac, and put his art training to use designing gold coins, primarily for use as jewelry. The Ampac business required frequent travel and absence from his wife and two daughters, however, so he decided to look for a family-oriented business that would keep him close to home.

Nico's proved to be a perfect match. Vasiliou was looking to sell to retire and relax, and Woo was drawn in by the pleasant surroundings.

``When I first came in here, they treated me great,'' he said. ``The service is the best thing here.''

Now he's carrying on that tradition. While answering the phone, ringing up orders and receiving shipments of food, he still has time to say hello to every customer who comes through the door.

``A lot of owners just stay behind the scenes and say, I'm the boss,'' he said. ``You can't do that here. I've seen a lot of restaurants fail because they didn't stay with their customers.''

Employees approve of his energetic approach.

``When you've got a boss like that, you're a lot more comfortable,'' said chef Jose Marron, preparing a massive pot of vegetable soup. ``You work a lot better.''

Vasiliou worried initially how customers would receive the new owners. In the first few days after the Woos took over, regular customers stayed away, he said.

``In the beginning, it was a disaster,'' he said. Some of the more conservative patrons were put off by new management, he said, suggesting that racism may have been a factor.

Woo professed no long-term worries.

``That happens with a lot of businesses, though,'' he said. ``When word gets out that we're all right, people start coming back.''

Even Vasiliou is back, still part of the family. Though Woo has assumed control, the former owner still frequently visits to offer advice. After dropping by to check up on things, he lent a hand, filling out the lunch specials board while Woo rang up customers.

``I took the day off yesterday,'' he said, posting the prices. ``Today I said, hey, I gotta go to work.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Michael Woo, new owner of Nico's Family Restaurant at Canoga Park, makes a point of greeting every customer. Keeping the same staff, he said he intends to maintain the friendly atmosphere fostered by retired owner Jimmy Vasiliou.

(2) Waitress Veronica Rodriguez fills the cups of regular customers Edgar Thatcher, left, and Bob Polakoski at Nico's Family Restaurant in Canoga Park, which has been purchased by local businessman Michael Woo.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer