Sherman Oaks : Quake-Damaged Cafe to Reopen Wednesday

A popular restaurant that burned down in the earthquake is reopening, in yet another sign that Sherman Oaks has rebounded from the disaster.

Cafe Cordiale, a restaurant serving California cuisine on Ventura Boulevard east of Hazeltine Avenue, will celebrate its grand reopening at its old location on Wednesday, the second anniversary of the Northridge earthquake.

Established in 1985, the restaurant, which has musical entertainment in the evenings, attracted a celebrity clientele, including pop singer Richard Marx and Frank Sinatra Jr. The cafe is owned by Sherman Oaks residents David and Margaret May, and their son, Peter.

Soon after the quake, an electrical spark ignited a gas leak, starting a fire that destroyed the two-story building that housed the restaurant, some offices and a few shops. Since then, the Mays and their landlord, Larry Berman, struggled to scrape together the financing to rebuild.

The Mays’ efforts to rebuild were made all the harder when Peter, then 33 years old, suffered a serious motorcycle accident in November 1994, which saddled the family with a huge medical bill.

With a loan from the Small Business Administration and private funds, the family rebuilt the restaurant with a new look. The pastel Art Deco decor has given way to beige walls with peach accents and rich mahogany furniture. In addition, the Mays have built a patio seating area facing the boulevard.

“I’m a little nervous, but excited because we’ve had such an outpouring of support from the community, saying, ‘Hey, we’ve missed you,’ ” said Margaret May.