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Hotel guests need restaurants. And guests of boutique hotels — you know, the ones with $$$ room price listings in the guides — have particularly high expectations. So the owners of the Park James Hotel, new construction on El Camino Real in Menlo Park, gave a lot of thought to their food and beverage offerings. The result is Oak + Violet, a dining space meant to outshine the lobby as the hotel’s focal point. We popped in to check out the dinner offerings from executive chef Mike Gadd and restaurant GM Reed Woogerd.
THE VIBE: Chic and airy. Open the front door of the O + V Bar and step inside — and you’ll find yourself outside. The massive courtyard with a signature oak tree is lined with comfy sofas and ottomans the size of the empire itself. Sink in and stay a while, or grab a bar seat. That space flows into the outdoor-indoor bar, which flows into the restaurant, which is actually several rooms that flow into each other. Cool lighting fixtures are everywhere.
As sleekly designed as the space is, here’s what struck us: These modern dining rooms are blessedly free of open duct work. Yes, you can hear your companions! Could ceiling tiles with soundproofing be a concept that will take off one of these days?
Other restaurant designers should take note. The existence of said ceiling has not kept millennial techies from dining here. In fact, there are lots of them sprinkled among the locals and the international array of hotel guests.
THE FOOD: Local and seasonal ingredients inform the inaugural menu. The whole branzino ($31) is stuffed with roasted fennel; a melange of artichokes, olives and peppers is served on the side, along with a romesco sauce we couldn’t get enough of. It’s a popular entree, along with the filet mignon and bone marrow ($32 for the petite filet, $59 for a 16-ounce bone-in). A fall salad ($14) tosses quinoa with honey crisp apples, grilled broccoli, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds.
Among the starters and shared plates, the Mini Lobster Tacos ($18 for four) are two-bite appetizer treats while the bowl of Brussels sprouts ($9), crispy and vinegary with chopped hazelnuts, could serve as a side dish for two or three.
Desserts are still a work in progress. Instead, consider ordering the charcuterie board ($19) upfront. It’s packed with local meats and cheeses (from names like Fra’Mani, Molinari, Fiscalini and Point Reyes) and served with house-made truffle honey, golden raisin mostarda sauce and pickled vegetables.
DON’T MISS: The branzino, of course.
GOOD TO KNOW: All parking is underground, and no, you can’t drive yourself down there. However, restaurant guests get three hours of free valet parking. After that, it’s $10.
PERFECT FOR … A serene stop after a grueling Silicon Valley workday or drive, or a long-overdue catch-up dinner with Peninsula friends.
DETAILS: Open for dinner daily, breakfast on weekdays, with expanded service coming soon. Lunch will be served starting Oct. 22, followed by Sunday brunch on Oct. 28 and, on Nov. 10, Saturday brunch. 1400 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, inside the Park James Hotel; 650-304-3880; www.parkjames.com.
