Say 'bonjour' to gourmet grocery

There is something delicious brewing in an unassuming former car lot in San Mateo.

It is the new store opened by local businessman Hugues de Vernou that specializes in imported European fine food and wines. The Gourmet Corner, located at 873 N. San Mateo Drive, is wedged between a car dealership and an industrial building in the northern section of San Mateo. It seems an unusual place to find fois gras, morels by the pound and the only location on the West Coast to buy a certain French yogurt. De Vernou thinks it is the perfect place to open a retail shop after 20 years in the import business.

"It’s a warehouse feel and it holds true to our mission — to provide the best products at the best possible price,” de Vernou said.

The Gourmet Corner is open until 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. It is the only place on the West Coast to find Mamie Nova yogurt. The store also sells Rougié foies gras and pates, Fabrique Délices and Plantin truffles. De Vernou currently offers 250 products, but expects to expand to approximately 1,000 and will soon sell wine, he said.

De Vernou, a Burlingame resident, owned and operated Brisbane’s Village Imports, selling wholesale specialty imports. Top Bay Area chefs would get what they needed there any day of the week and household cooks could visit twice a month. De Vernou sold the business, which — at it’s peak — was worth $25 million, and decided to focuses exclusively on retail sales, he said.

So far, it’s a hit.

"I think it’s great. Hugues has all the resources to find all the products. He knows where to find it,” said Xavier Salomon, executive chef for the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay.

Salomon also said de Vernou offers fresher products than supermarkets.

The store gets shipments every two weeks and Hugues goes out of his way to help customers with special requests, he said.

De Vernou took several months after selling Village Imports to consider a smaller retail store. The low rent attracted de Vernou to the San Mateo location. He knew opening a store in a downtown shopping district would require him to raise prices and he is already looking at slimmer profit margins with the weak economy affecting the currency exchange rate, he said.

Knowing he has a long list of committed customers, de Vernou is confident the business will thrive.

For more information about The Gourmet Corner visit thegourmetcorner.com or call 340-6370.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.