We're attending something tomorrow night at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton and would like to grab a bite before or after. We're not looking for a 3 hour fine dining experience, just good (or great) relatively quick food.

Recommendations? I'm about as familiar with the South Bay as I am the surface of Mars.

The Circus Club is a surprisingly nice venue. Unfortunately the peninsula is not exactly overflowing with top end restaurants. Marche in downtown Menlo Park is the "best" high end restaurant in that area but frankly if Marche was in San Francisco it would be out of business by now imo. The Menlo Park branch of Left Bank (disclaimer I've done work for entities related to Left Bank in the past) is decent and has a good ambience. Iberia has a surprisingly good wine list and is also not bad.

Does anyone have any thoughts on La Strada (Palo Alto)?

Casual, very good food, and wine friendly.

Lavanda Restaurant on University Ave. in Palo Alto.

It is owned byHoward Graham who is the money behind Ed Kurtzman and Gary Franscioni with August West.

Tell the proprietor Bruce who you are. If that doesn't work tell him you know me . He will take very good care of you.

Just had dinner at Chantilly in Redwood City (few steps from Atherton) and the dinner was very good.

I was invated there for dinner and never had a chance to look on their wine list.

www.chantillyrestaurant.com

We enjoy our own wines there:
DRC GD Echezeaux 1989
Cht Cheval Blanc 1993
Cht Rieussec 1997

Great food, GREAT wines, Great friend = Great time.

D

I've had some horrible meals at Chantilly. The place feels like it is trapped in a time warp and is channeling the "haute cuisine" of the fifties/sixties in the 'burbs. I'd avoid it if I were you.

John Bentley (sp?) next door to Chantilly is quite good - great CA cab menu. (Had a 1977 Ch. Montelena)