This dish of compressed tomatoes, peaches and lobster is on the three-course prix-fixe and seven-course tasting menus by Chef de Cuisine Francisco Simón at Navio at the Ritz in Half Moon Bay. (Photo by Laura Ness)
All the buzz is about Chef David Kinch leaving Manresa at the end of the year and what that means for the restaurant. After 20 years of delivering cuisine at the highest level, he deserves to pursue his dreams.
While we await word on when the Los Gatos Manresa Bread Café will actually open on Santa Cruz Avenue, there are some new menu items that can be enjoyed at the bakery’s current locations, including a Santa Cruz Vegan sandwich with hummus on Avery’s new olive ciabatta bread. There’s also a Grab ‘n Go Seasonal Salad with baby arugula, Gigante beans and snap peas. Both are available at Manresa Bread in Campbell, Palo Alto and Los Altos, and at the current location in Los Gatos. A BLT on brioche bread with basil aioli and applewood smoked bacon is available in Palo Alto and Campbell, and via third-party delivery vendors DoorDash, UberEats and GrubHub. The Palo Alto shop also offers grilled cheese pizza on levain. Meanwhile, book your table for an exceptional fine Manresa dining experience on Tock.
The Tasting House in Los Gatos is now offering champagne brunch on weekends, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with New Orleans style jazz on Sundays.
The former Garden Court on Cowper in Palo Alto is now the El Prado Hotel, with Spanish Tapas Bar & Lounge. Also in Palo Alto is the third location of Arya Steakhouse, created by Executive Chef Mike Hashemi and Fera Hashemi, who serve up Persian cuisine and fine steaks on their strictly halal menu. Their other locations are in Cupertino and Redwood City.
Los Gatos-based Locale is constantly expanding its geographical footprint. It’s a great way to sample cuisine from LA and to keep your breakfast properly bageled by Boichik, which is building a new kitchen in Berkeley and soon will open a retail shop in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village.
Fans of “Check, Please! Bay Area” will be thrilled that Leslie Sbrocco is back with new episodes on KQED or on the PBS Video App. It seems there’s an app for everything but rainfall.
Navio at the Ritz in Half Moon Bay is featuring three-course prix-fixe and seven-course tasting menus by Chef de Cuisine Francisco Simón, a Spanish-born master of treasures from the sea. One a recent visit, we delighted in a beautifully composed dish of compressed tomatoes, peaches and lobster topped with hydroponic greens and interspersed with green olives with a tangy dressing, and a sole dish that wrapped tender, moist filets into the shape of a whole fish, topped with a sauce verdure. The Flannery 28 day dry-aged beef filet was rare, tender and served with morels, a perfect pairing with the 2007 Cain 5 suggested by sommelier Marcus Slosek. The desserts were divine.
Originally published at Laura Ness, Correspondent