Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Food & Drink: Menlo Grill opens at Stanford Park Hotel

Chef Juliene Brown is serving American comfort food at the new Menlo Grill, which opened June 16 at the Stanford Park Hotel in Menlo Park.

The Duck Club, the hotel's restaurant since opening, has been replaced by the Menlo Grill, which emphasizes fresh and locally sourced ingredients, according to a press release.

The hotel's general manager, Patrick Lane, says guests and local residents told management that, while the area offered many steakhouses, as well as Italian and French restaurants, it needed a stylish restaurant with a broad range of American food.

The restaurant's chef, Juliene Brown, studied at the California Culinary Academy. "The opportunity to create new menus and prepare the kind of food that I like to serve to my own friends and family is a dream come true for me," she says.

A signature dish on the Menlo Grill's dinner menu is a center-cut pork chop, served with cornbread dressing, fried sage and warm apple sauce. The menu features a range of dishes, from charbroiled salmon to organic free-range chicken to pasta dishes that include a gluten-free option.

Lunch offers a wide selection of salads and sandwiches in addition to large entrees. Items include a house-smoked turkey sandwich, pulled pork barbecue sandwich and baked rigatoni. One of the restaurants specialties is its homemade garden burger.

The breakfast menu features house-made muffins and the signature "Chef's griddle trio," with sampler-size Belgian waffle, brioche French toast, and lemon ricotta pancakes.

Strawberry and rhubarb cobbler is featured on the summer dessert menu and brioche bread pudding with caramel sauce will be offered year-round.

With emphasis on becoming a neighborhood restaurant, the Menlo Grill does not charge for corkage, although it offers a wide selection of beer and wine.

The restaurant has been re-designed by the Brayton/Hughes design firm. It now features dark oak floors, natural light from the large windows, leather banquettes and club chairs, and warm red wall accents.

The Menlo Grill is located at 100 El Camino Real in Menlo Park and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Go to menlogrill.com for more information.