Palo Alto restaurants beckon diners for tapas, brunch
As if you didn’t have sufficient culinary intake over the holidays, we’re here to tempt you with some mighty fine options for dining out.
If you are craving a soulful taste of Spain in a setting that feels at once homey and sophisticated, head to Palo Alto’s Macarena. We dined on a wealth of tapas, including Churos Bravas, essentially extra-long and thinner versions of tater tots with a bravas sauce; eggplant chips with honey and lime (super thin fried eggplant slices); Gambas Al Ajillo, prawns infused in olive oil, garlic and chili; and Pan con Tomate, crisp bread with a light tomato and EVOO sauce. We thoroughly enjoyed the grilled artichokes in Romesco sauce, which managed to be crisp on the outside and tender inside.
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A revelation was the Timbal De Rabo De Toro, a small but supremely rich dish of braised oxtail with truffle potato purée and brioche bread. Make sure you drink dry red wine with this to cut through the paté-level decadence. My husband loved this almost as much as he did Abuelita’s meatballs, perfectly braised pork and beef meatballs served with peas and crispy roasted potato cubes. We observed many tables ordering platters of paella, but for two people that would be a bit much unless you skipped the tapas.
Although we could barely move at this point, our server insisted we try the Saquets De Crema, little squares of crispy puff pastry stuffed with frozen vanilla cream that are quickly fried and served with melted chocolate. Bet you can’t eat just one. Macarena is located at 420 Ramona St. in Palo Alto, across from a public parking lot.
Although you won’t just happen upon Wild Onion, which is located in the Hotel Citrine in a completely different part of Palo Alto, you should definitely make it a destination, especially on the weekends for brunch. Philippine-born and Hawaii-raised Chef Julie Cablay is not only a delight to chat with, she shows off her love for cooking in every dish. The ricotta pancakes served with mascarpone and fresh berries were exquisitely fluffy. The eggs Benedict here proved among the best ever, especially since we ordered it with the two Hollandaise sauces Cablay has on offer: the Meyer lemony default and the chipotle, which has a nice slow smack of heat. The sea salt roasted potatoes are so mouth-watering, it’s worth coming here just for those.
Wild Onion’s brunch menu is extensive, with bowls, burritos, avo toast, huevos rancheros, a breakfast sandwich of porchetta, egg, cheddar and Nueske’s bacon on a Firebrand brioche bun, and a green omelet with egg whites, spinach, goat cheese and Italian salsa verde that has my name on it for next time.
Wild Onion’s coffee drinks are also excellent, and we did peek at the all-day menu that includes calamari, kale Caesar, jumbo lump crab cakes, rack of lamb, crab-stuffed shrimp with Meyer lemon beurre blanc, Flannery steak, grilled fish tacos, crab avocado burger, tempura fish (cod) and chips, and a lobster roll. The prices are extremely fair and the portions generous. Wild Onion is in the Hotel Citrine, at 750 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto.
Although a recent visit to Palo Alto’s Taverna was lackluster except for the awesome outdoor décor and cute waiters, its sister ship in Portola Valley is absolutely lovely, and the food more in line with expectation. The spanakopita is crisp and nicely done; the saganaki impressive, with a perfectly crispy exterior and molten lava interior; and the tender chicken souvlaki butter lettuce salad with garlicky red wine vinaigrette, super fresh and tasty. The waiters are exceedingly handsome here as well, but skip the pita bread.