Fancy an escape to France for some Champagne, Sturgeon pâté, Coquilles Saint-Jacques or oefs cocotte? Perhaps you’re craving classic French onion soup with melted comté cheese, or baked oysters, or maybe you’re mulling over moules frites. Epernay Champagne Bar, a charming spot on Main Street in Los Gatos, feels like a sanctuary with its brick walls and brightly lit décor. Everything about it feels so very French. We love having weekend brunch here, whether it’s a perfectly prepared French omelet or beef tartare topped with a quail egg and cornichons.
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We watched with a bit of envy as a couple devoured a decadent Croque Monsieur oozing melty Gruyere like a cheese volcano, , but our perfectly cooked pommes frites with house-made aioli kept us plenty carbed.
Spacious outdoor tables for folks with dogs, which sometimes seem to outnumber humans, beckon after the farmers’ market. We think the inside window table for two is possibly the most romantic spot in town; it’s certainly the best lit.
Garrod Farms grass-fed beef
The Garrod family’s Luke Garrod may not be known to many as he lives on Bird Flat Ranch up in Lassen County, where he’s been growing hay and alfalfa for Garrod Farms horses for most of his life. For the last 25 years, Luke has been developing his own breed of cow that thrives on the native California grasses of Lassen County. He calls the breed Merlot: befitting, as the Saratoga operation is as well known for its wine as it is for its equestrian program.
For the first time ever, you can buy this 100% grass-fed, 100% grass-finished beef, offered frozen and vacuum sealed, exclusively out of the Cooper-Garrod tasting room. They’re also compiling recipes that pair the grass-fed beef with Cooper-Garrod wines for local farm-to-table experiences in the comfort of home. Beef prices start at $14 for ground and go up to $44 for filet.
Delfina’s summer pies
If you have a hankering for tomatoes fresh out of the garden, you might be a candidate for the seasonal Cherry Pie on the menu now at Pizzeria Delfina in downtown Palo Alto. We indulged in this seasonal delight with a fresh tomato base, layered with cheeses and topped with sweet cherry tomatoes, on their extensive outdoor patio, surrounded by pizza lovers. We also sampled the white sauce-based squash blossom pie, layered with ricotta salata, squash blossoms and thin zucchini slices. A taste of summer in every bite. Even fussy kids were devouring their slices and were largely eating their crusts.
Another sure sign of summer is soft-serve: I remember steamy nights back east, eating soft-serve cones as they melted all over the plastic seat covers of my dad’s Impala. Pizzeria Delfina makes its own soft-serve in house from pure Jersey cow milk. There are two flavors: fiore di latte and chocolate. You can mix in a variety of evil additions, but the straight up mountain of pure vanilla goodness is seriously hard to beat.
Also in Palo Alto, Sushi Roku has some summer sushi specials. These limited-time handrolls, wrapped in seaweed, include salmon belly with caviar and cilantro mayo; truffle snow crab with avocado, truffle and Champagne butter; and A5 Wagyu, kizami wasabi, garlic chips and sesame soy. Grilled salmon served with golden Yukon mashed potatoes, green apple, bok choy and citrus kumquat makes its debut as a summer entrée.
If you’re seeking a romantic spot for lunch in Palo Alto, Macarena is offering a special Chef Collections Menu Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., for $65 per person. This includes one drink per person (sangria, beer, soda or house wine), a choice of starters, a first course, a paella to share and dessert. Minimum of two guests per experience.
For starters, choose from rustic bread with gratinéed garlic aioli; tuna carpaccio with semi-cured bluefin tuna belly, Iberian ham-infused olive oil and almonds; and Pulpo a la Gallega, Galician-style octopus with creamy potato purée and extra virgin olive oil.
First course choices include prawn tartare with Málaga-style Ajoblanco and tomato concassé, and grilled Iberian asparagus with Iberian ham crème, croutons and tomato concassé.
Choose from chicken paella with roasted chicken, chickpeas and green beans, or the Mediterranean paella, served Valencia-style with sea bass, artichokes and saffron-infused rice. For dessert, enjoy an assortment of chocolate truffles, mini lemon pie and mini tiramisu.
‘Let’s Do Lunch’
Santana Row is launching “Let’s Do Lunch” at selected restaurants in September. This weekday dining event features $25 prix-fixe lunches at participating Santana Row restaurants. Enjoy one appetizer and one entrée at Augustine, Dumpling Time, El Jardin Tequila Bar, EMC Seafood & Raw Bar, Fitoor Indian Grill & Lounge, Fogo de Chao, Momosan Ramen & Sake, Oveja Negra, Ozumo Sushi, Parranga Taqueria, Pizza Antica, Suspiro, Vintage Wine Bar and Vintage Wine Merchants.
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