Jenkintown couple serves up variety
By Matt Schickling
Wire Staff Writer
Jose and Jennifer Vargas spend most of their time in separate quarters of the “house,” but that’s just the way their partnership thrives.
In their restaurant, Leila’s Bistro, Jose works as head chef in the back kitchen and Jennifer oversees the dining room. The husband-wife pair has been working this way since they opened their first restaurant, Rylei, in Northeast Philadelphia back in 2007. Though this first venture has since closed, they’ve moved forward, now owning and operating both Leila’s and Forcella, two BYOBs in the heart of Jenkintown, with plans to open a Glenside gastropub in the fall.
“We worked in the restaurant business all of our lives, so I think it was natural for us to want to open our own place,” Jose said.
He’s sitting in the dining room of Leila’s Bistro, named for his and Jennifer’s 8-year-old daughter. It’s on West Avenue, down the street and out of range of the Old York Road traffic. The room is quaint, with flowers on every table, large front windows giving plenty of sunshine and intimate, but comfortable seating. The ornate, cushioned chairs are actually from the now-closed New Hope restaurant La Bonne Auberge, which was widely known for its French cuisine across 38 years. The menu matches the ambiance, offering a selection that can accommodate a wide range of tastes.
“The idea is to use French influence and techniques and apply them in a more American setting,” Jose said.
Menu standouts include the oven-roasted veal chop, duck breast served with black risotto and orange gastrique, pan-seared foie gras with red onion jam and melon soup and pan-roasted scallops with crispy chorizo and velvety corn purée.
Back when Rylei closed, Jose and Jennifer moved to Bucks County and started working in local restaurants. Right around the time Leila’s Bistro opened, they decided to make another move to Jenkintown.
“We just had to move here. We thought the town was great and everyone was supporting us,” Jose said. “We always had that in the back of our minds, opening up a restaurant in Jenkintown.”
Three months ago, they opened another restaurant just around the corner on Old York Road. Forcella, the name of this restaurant, is the Italian word for fork, which aligns directly with its concept.
Chef Tim Thomas prepares Italian-influenced food as part of “more of a tasting menu, a progressive menu,” Jose said. In this format, Forcella serves forkfuls of delicately prepared portions over several courses for patrons in the 14-seat restaurant.
Jennifer’s son, Ryan Brennan, runs the front of the house, rounding out the family operation, which is especially important as Jennifer and Jose look to expand.
They are eyeing September or October for the opening of their Glenside gastropub, to be named Robert’s Block. There, they hope to set up seating for 100 people with a bar and a casual vibe.
“We bought this huge grill. We plan to be heavy on steaks, chicken and fish,” Jose
said. “We’re going to focus on a really good burger.”
The same work ethic, service and attitude they’ve established in Jenkintown will continue in Glenside, but with some new ideas.
“We want to diversify, to try not to duplicate what we’re already doing,” Jose said.
Leila’s Bistro is located at 700 West Ave. in Jenkintown. For information, call 215–589–0736. Forcella is located at 310 Old York Road in Jenkintown. For information, call 267–400–6155.
