& New restaurants, recipe ideas, and profiles of local chefs. ■ August 5, 2009
SECTION A LSO INSIDE C ALENDAR 23 |C LASS GUIDE 24 |C LASSIFIEDS 26| R EAL ESTATE 31
2 he old adage, “The better the view, the worse the Tfood,” does not apply to Madera, the new restaurant at the Rosewood Sand Hill hotel in Menlo Park. The vista of the Santa Cruz By Jane Knoerle Mountains is lovely, and so is Almanac Lifestyles Editor the food. Executive Chef Peter Rudolph calls Madera’s cuisine “rustic American food.” Presentation isn’t fussy, but ingredients are top notch. He uses many of the same produce purveyors he came to know while heading the kitchen at Navio at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay. He also shops at local farmers’ markets. A good example of quality ingredients was the red Russian kale and stone fruit salad, with endive and blue cheese ($12), recently served at dinner. The raw kale was delicious and tender. White nectarine slices were sweet, and top-quality blue cheese added just the right zest. The greens served at Madera make the simplest salads taste delicious. Their crunchy sweetness shames salad greens poured from a bag. I’ve had lunch and dinner at Madera, but prefer dinner. The view of the Santa Cruz Mountains at twilight is magic. Diners dress up. The tables are nicely appointed, with plenty of room between them. There is the feeling you have been invited to a very nice party. Our server started us off with an amuse bouche of ceviche served in a tiny white cup. We split the kale and fruit salad and
Madera restaurant offers locally California sourced cuisine in an elegant yet cool comfortable setting settled back in comfortable chairs to await our entrees. Rotisserie chicken from the open kitchen, considered Madera’s signature dish, came with polenta, Swiss chard, and chicken sau- sage ($31). The chicken was moist and flavorful, but where was that crispy skin you find on most rotisserie chicken? The chicken sausage link added a piquant note and the sides were fine. Grilled rib eye, served with mushrooms, Yukon gold potatoes, and spinach ($34) was a winner. “Best I ever ate” was a fellow diner’s comment. We all tasted bites and agreed. Rainbow trout stuffed with crab and served with cherry tomatoes, green beans and warm Italian bean salad ($32) sounded strange, but was very good, and a nice choice for a warm summer night. Roasted cauliflower ($7) was a mushy disappointment; no com- parison to the crisper version served at San Francisco’s Perbacco. Our server was gracious enough to bring three plates for strawberry rhubarb cobbler with creme fraiche ice cream. Wonderful, and I don’t even like rhubarb. The portion was large enough for three. All dinner portions were very generous. The finishing touch was a mignardise of three chocolate lychee truffles and a little dish of caramel corn. Complete with espresso and lattes, it was a meal to savor. Lunch at Madera is more casual. Many guests sit outside to savor the view and sunshine. There is a nice selection of salads and a great-looking burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, fries and pickled vegetables ($18). The ingredients in salmon Nicoise Photos by Michelle Le/The Almanac ($16), especially the tiny green beans, were top quality, but the Madera’s dinner menu includes rainbow trout, top, with Dungeness crab, warm summer bean salad, salmon was bland. cherry tomatoes, and sauce vierge; and, above, roasted veal chop with a ragout of sweetbreads, served At another lunch, the chicken salad sandwich ($15), made with radishes, haricots verts, and creamer potatoes. See MADERA, page 22
August 5, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 21 FOOD & DRINK
New Peet’s Coffee opens in Menlo Park Peetniks now have two local “while the weather is still gor- and dark chocolate caramel Peet’s Coffee & Tea stores, geous,” says assistant manager mocha. where they can find their Jamie Michael. Peet’s Menlo El Camino is favorite brew. Peet’s Menlo Coffee Freddos and Tea open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. El Camino opened June 29 in Freddos are popular choices weekdays and 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. the shopping plaza adjoining with customers this summer, weekends. Safeway at 515 El Camino Real says Mr. Michael. “We make Do people really show up at in downtown Menlo Park. Coffee Freddos to order, so 5 a.m.? They do. “We usually The new Peet’s is 1,600 you can have it with soy have a couple people at the square feet, with indoor seat- or non-fat milk.” The cool door, waiting for us to open,” ing. Outdoor seating, awaiting drink comes in three flavors: says Mr. Michael. a permit, will be added soon, mocha, dark chocolate mocha,
A Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac The dining room of the new Madera restaurant at the Rosewood Sand great Hill hotel offers comfortable seating in an elegant setting. bike California cool MADERA continued from page 21 with generous pieces of rotisserie chicken and served with fries and ride! mustard greens, was more to my taste than sand dabs with arti- chokes and parsley potatoes ($22). The sand dabs were fine, but the two artichokes pieces were miniscule. The dish was too buttery — I couldn’t taste the lemon caper sauce. Hope the soft shell crab BLT on grilled focaccia ($19) is still on the menu next time I return. It sounds fabulous. s &ULLY