RESTAURANT PATRONS STOP IN FOR A BYTE : SOFTWARE, SANDWICHES MIX IN CYBER HOUSE.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

It smells of freshly ground espresso. Virtual reality headsets dangle from the walls. An ``Anatomy of the Internet'' manual sits near a menu featuring frappes, nachos and Mediterranean foccacia.

Welcome to Cyber House, a restaurant with tastes of software and bites for the gourmet.

``There's nothing unique about our computers or kitchen,'' said Sam Tewfik, one of four Cyber House owners. ``It's putting everything together that makes us unique.''

The menu is as diverse as the high-tech electronics.

From Microsoft Word to Connectix Video Phone, programs and computers can be rented for 15 minutes at a time while customers sip chardonnay and eat Cajun pasta.

The ``cyber'' herb chicken and ``mega-bite'' burritos are favorites at dinner.

Customers may rent a variety of games, software and applications for $1 to $1.95 per 15 minutes. Laser printing, color printing, faxing and photocopying also are available for a fee.

But there's no on-line pornography in this chat room.

Tiny cameras throughout the restaurant monitor all activity. Anyone caught pulling up nudie pictures from the Net is booted.

Ten-year-old Stacey Fowler comes more for her favorite Microsoft game.

``My mom has a computer, but she doesn't let me play with it at home,'' Stacey said. ``So she gives me money to play here.''

Games at Cyber House are geared toward the future, said Luis Lopez, a computer systems analyst and part owner of Cyber House.

``The thing about computers is, everything changes so fast and everything is so expensive,'' said Lopez, who oversees computer development and set-ups.

Except for the two full-time chefs, Cyber House employees play multiple roles.

Wearing simple teal or maroon T-shirts, a worker might one minute be pouring drinks, the next minute helping a novice at the keyboard.

``It's not a high-pressure place,'' said Barbara Buller, who helps at the register and sets up customers at the computers.

``We don't make anybody feel stupid here,'' she said, despite offering a broad range of applications and programs.

All computer users are given free memberships. Members receive five megabytes to store personal information. They are also given a free e-mail account with worldwide access.

Sam Tewfik and his wife, Phyllis, first discussed opening the business about four months ago, when the youngest of their three children went out on her own.

As the founder of Advanced Micro Services, Sam Tewfik hooked up with two of his associates in the computer business: Luis Lopez, a computer systems analyst, and Daniel Moyano, a computer programmer.

They considered opening a place where people could use computers and order a simple side dish.

But after hiring a food consultant with a flare for gourmet dishes, they realized they could use a full menu to their advantage.

``It sounded like a great idea: a high-tech restaurant,'' Sam Tewfik said.

Cyber House opened June 22 in the Home Base Plaza next to Discovery Zone.

In about three months, Cyber House will have two separate areas - one side primarily for computer use and dining, the other side for those who simply want to sit down to eat.

``When people are done eating at most restaurants, they're expected to leave,'' Tewfik said. ``Here, it's completely the opposite. Here, we want you to stay.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color in SIMI edition only) Sydney Lanex uses a computer at the Cyber House while he shares a meal with Melodie Mingo and Brian Ames.

(2) Customers may order snacks or meals while they use computers at the new Cyber House in Simi Valley.

Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News