The Spice Hut Indian fast food chain has opened its first bistro with sit-down service at 625 Oak Grove Ave., in downtown Menlo Park. The restaurant is located in the space formerly occupied by Mr. Chau, a Chinese fast food operation.
Joseph Manoharan, part owner of the chain founded in 2003, says Menlo Park seemed an ideal location for their first bistro because locals would be likely to patronize a sit-down restaurant, rather than a fast food operation. Spice Hut’s fast food outlets are in Sunnyvale, San Jose and Newark.
At noon, diners have a choice of a buffet ($8.95) or ordering from the menu. In a section of “tandoori delights,” chicken tikka is $10.95, tandoori prawns are $14.95, and ground lamb kebabs are $11.95. There are eight chicken selections, including butter chicken and chicken pepper fry, both $11.95.
For the adventurous, goat is featured as “mutton pepper fry” at $13.50 or curry for $12.95. Many dishes are south Indian specials, including several dosas (crispy rice pancakes) ranging from $5 to $8. There are 14 vegetarian selections.
Some Chinese dishes are also on the menu.
The young staff seems eager to please. My server helped me find my way through the buffet and identified the various dishes, which are served from large chafing dishes.
Spice Hut’s decor is very spare: white walls and white tablecloths and just a few small pictures. It seems an Indian restaurant should have some vibrant color to go with the exotic cuisine.
Spice Hut bistro, 625 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park. Telephone: 289-0520. For more information, go to www.spicehut.us.
Winning cookbook
The “Tastes, Tales and Traditions” cookbook published by the Palo Alto Auxiliary to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital has been named a finalist in the general cookbook category of the nationwide Best Books 2006 book awards.Since 1932, the auxiliary has operated Allied Arts Guild Restaurant in Menlo Park. The cookbook includes favorite recipes that span the decades, new recipes, anecdotes from the restaurant’s history, and original paintings of the Allied Arts gardens.
Four recipes from “Tastes, Tales and Traditions” are also included in a cookbook entitled “Cooking Up a Classic Christmas,” published by Favorite Recipes Press. The cookbook contains favorite recipes from community cookbooks throughout the country.
Both books are for sale at Allied Arts Guild Restaurant. For more information, call 324-2588.
Sam’s Chowder House
After early complaints about the service, things are settling down at Sam’s Chowder House, the new seafood restaurant located at 4210 N. Cabrillo Highway, just south of the Pillar Point Harbor and north of Half Moon Bay.At a recent lunch, the service was swift and efficient. The New England clam chowder ($7.95 a bowl) was authentic and flavorful. My dining partner liked the Manhattan clam chowder ($5.95 a cup). His order of rock cod fish & chips ($11.95) looked a little strange (the fish was almost mahogany-colored) but tasted fine and was not overdone. The fries were not memorable.
The food took second place to the stunning view on the sunny day we visited. When the sun’s out, there’s no prettier place for lunch on the coast. There’s an outside deck and comfy Adirondack chairs to settle in and enjoy the view.
Owner Paul Shenkman also has the highly rated Cetrella restaurant in Half Moon Bay. With time, he is solving the service problems, which seem to be caused by inexperienced young servers.
Sam’s Chowder House’s menu includes such appetizers as pricey shrimp cocktail ($9.95) and Dungeness crab cocktail ($12.50), chowders, fried seafood platters of fish and chips, crab cakes, prawns, and a combination of calamari, prawns and crab cake ($22.95), daily fresh catch, and entrees ranging from a Maine lobster roll ($17.95) to cioppino ($24.95). The sides ($3.95) include creamed local chard and roasted squash, as well as the expected Old Bay fries and coleslaw.
