They're not calling it the Piano Caffe for nothing.

"I think it's in our blood," says Amanda Friedman, the co-owner of the new Merced eatery. "We are obsessed with entertaining and cooking. Music and food has always been closely tied together in my family."

Friedman's mom and business partner — Renae DeJager — is an accomplished pianist who has played at church services, weddings and funerals for some 35 years. And Friedman's husband Jason is a professional pianist/songwriter who belongs to a few bands and trios, and he plays regularly at Yosemite Church.

Amanda even met her husband after he played a concert in Denver. That's where it all began, actually.

She had left the family dairy in Chowchilla for a life studying culinary secrets at the Art Institute of Colorado. As a graduate working for a "big catering company," she fell head over heels with Jason as he played the piano and she tested out recipes for him.

"It was nothing sort of natural," she says.

They got married (you know the song), and they moved back to this area in 2006.
Together they bought the local car accessory companies Sound Encounters and Car Plus. They also found themselves the busy parents of a son and daughter.

But something else was brewing between mother Renae and Amanda.

"The restaurant was always a type of pipe dream really," Friedman says. "My mom and I have talked about it for years. We saw a need for something like this in Merced."

Friedman said a big part of that vision was the idea of catering to the business around town.

When the opportunity presented itself in the form of a location inside The Plaza at El Portal, the business couple were thrilled.

"We like this location because it allows us to deliver to the nearby mortgage companies and doctors offices."

Piano Caffe was born with the idea of providing breakfast, lunch and private events.
"Everything is super fresh," says Friedman. "Our breads and pastries are baked at Jantz Bakery in Atwater and our espresso and other coffee specialties are flown in from Denver every week. They're fabulous.

Piano Caffe features house-made salad dressings and sandwich spreads. Friedman says the paninis and daily soups are especially great. She also says there are three classically trained chefs on staff — a young crew that does a lot of recipe tasting.

On Saturdays, they are open early in the morning and offer treats you can't get anywhere else in Merced.

Says Friedman, "So far our Dutch Apple Pancakes are our most popular item. It's a family recipe."

Weekly wine tastings are on the way as well, but "We need to walk before we can run," says Friedman.

As for the piano in the dining area, Friedman says it will get a lot of attention.

"Jason is going to play a few days a week and we are looking for accomplished pianists for lunch time," she says.

Piano Caffe is located at 3361 North G Street in Merced at the Plaza at El Portal. It's open Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 724-9451.