The brothers behind Mazra are in the running for a James Beard Award
Saif and Jordan Makableh are on a roll: Just a year after opening Mazra in San Bruno, it ranked #2 on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat. Last year, it ranked yet again on the coveted list and the brothers opened a second location in Redwood City. This year, they’ve received their most prestigious accolade yet: becoming a James Beard Award “Best Chef: California” semifinalist.
In fact, Mazra is the only Peninsula restaurant on the 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist list, which was released today. Finalists will be announced on April 2, and the winners will be awarded on June 16.
Mazra absolutely lives up to the hype. It’s become my go-to Redwood City restaurant for its tasty food, low price point and gorgeous ambiance. There’s often a wait to be seated, so my top tip is to check in with the hostess and then grab a drink at Nighthawk next door. By the time you finish your drink, your table should be ready.
One item you absolutely must not skip at Mazra? The mesquite grilled chicken wings. I know it sounds basic, but these wings are hands down the best I’ve ever had in my life. In fact, it may be the most tender chicken, period, that I’ve had in my life. The meat completely falls off the bone and chewing is practically optional.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
A slice of local history: How the original Round Table pizzeria got its start in Menlo Park
While Google’s humble garage beginning is Menlo Park’s most famous startup story, fewer people know that the city is also the birthplace of Round Table Pizza. The original outpost of the nationwide pizza chain has remained a fixture of the community for more than six decades, and up until last fall, it was run by Bob Larson, the son of founder Bill Larson.
A Bay Area institution plans to relocate, more omakase comes to the Peninsula and a Palo Alto boba shop is replaced with another
- After nearly 30 years, dim sum institution Koi Palace is planning to move its flagship Daly City location into a nearby mall.
- Three omakase spots in one downtown? It’s the reality for Redwood City with the recent opening of Sushi Ai.
- Participating in Dry January? Embarcadero Media blogger Laura Stec offers some suggestions on at-home mocktail making, as well as bars offering nonalcoholic beverages.
- Ask for the Week of the Family discount Jan. 28-29, at participating San Carlos restaurants – including Impasto, Molly O’s and The Refuge – for discounts and specials as part of Cooks Night Out.
- The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in Belmont is hosting its annual crab feed on Saturday with crab, Greek-style pasta, garlic bread, dessert, wine and more.
- Boba and mochi doughnut spot TeAmo recently closed in Palo Alto and has been replaced with Milk Tea Lab, a franchise with locations spanning California.
- Mountain Mike’s pizza chain has expanded to South San Francisco. The pizza spot has a kids’ arcade and an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet.
- Ramen Wakusei, a galaxy-themed ramen spot in Sunnyvale, will have its grand opening from Friday to Sunday, offering 10% off the whole menu.
- Barterra Winery is moving locations within Half Moon Bay, hosting its last tasting in its original location on Sunday before reopening in its new location Feb. 1 with live music.
Dinner at Amara
The balance of sweet and savory is what strikes me most about Amara, a recently opened upscale Mediterranean restaurant in Belmont. Created by the husband-and-wife team behind Rasa, the first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in California, Amara’s cocktails, dishes and desserts continued to surprise me with unexpected flavor combinations.
The drinks menu is unlike anything I’ve seen before, with inventive cocktails rooted deeply in the flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. Cocktails are made with liquors that are infused with grape leaf, olive, saffron or roasted fennel, as well as ingredients like black garlic honey and red cardamom.
I opted for the Dukhan, made with mezcal infused with cumin and caramelized onion plus lemon, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, absinth and orange bitters ($20). Nothing about this cocktail on paper appealed to me, as I don’t enjoy mezcal and haven’t had much luck with savory cocktails. But somehow, I loved this cocktail. The mezcal did not overpower the other distinctive flavors, instead complementing them. With each sip I could clearly taste herbal, sour, sweet and savory notes – the flavors weren’t muddled.
I then opted for the Armonia, made from lemon drizzle Sipsmith gin, beet juice, ouzo (an anise-flavored aperitif from Greece), lemon, tarragon, mascarpone cream and granola powder ($19).
The ingredients sounded more like a salad than a sippable beverage, but again, the cocktail was incredible. First I was hit with the fragrance, which was a strong buttery and slightly cheesy smell not unlike that of cheese foam from a boba shop. The drink itself was very smooth and beet-forward, yielding a uniquely sweet and savory beverage that felt healthy from the beets yet indulgent from the mascarpone.
The food was served tapas-style: The muhammara ($19), a spread made of walnuts, peppers and pomegranate syrup, was smoky, sweet and spicy, served with an ultra fluffy and pillowy pita. The braised octopus ($17), served with papas bravas and crispy sunchokes, was possibly the most tender octopus I have ever tried. And the roasted lamb rack with herb salad and green zhoug ($66) was well-seasoned, buttery, rich and tender: a textbook lamb rack, albeit quite expensive.
The oysters with oro blanco granita ($26 for four), on the other hand, were quite bitter for my taste and lacked the zingy acidity I prefer with oysters. The mushroom kibbeh, a fried dumpling filled with smoked mushrooms and served with garlic yogurt ($19), was underwhelming, with a tough and thick exterior crust that was hard to chew and a relatively flavorless taste.
Do not skip dessert at Amara. Like the cocktails and the majority of the dishes I tried, the desserts featured a harmonious balance of sweet and savory. The labneh cheesecake with pomegranate molasses and olive oil ganache ($15) tasted like Christmas on a plate. The crust was reminiscent of gingerbread, and the cheesecake itself had a citrus and rosemary taste. Garnished with pomegranate arils, the dessert was a festive treat.
The chocolate molten harissa cake with date chocolate sauce, buckwheat crunch and ice cream ($15) had a rich, complex smoky flavor with the smallest hint of spice at the back of my throat. The one critique I have is that the “molten” element was very subtle.
The ambiance and interior design is stunning, with deep green and warm brown hues and an outdoor patio (not yet opened) with trickling waterfalls and lush greenery. The luxurious vibe is quite a contrast to the casual nature of the Carlmont Village Shopping Center Amara is located in. Small details, like the equivalent of a coat check for leftovers, add to the high-end nature of Amara.
Amara, 1015 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont; 650-486-1703, Instagram: @amararestaurants. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 5-9:30 p.m.
French chef reopens Palo Alto cafe following pandemic shutdown
Cafe shares space with nonprofit Avenidas, aims to bring in people of all ages
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