Ettan, Palo Alto

Reviewer: Foodnut.com Ettan 518 Bryant Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-752-6281 Ettan Website

Cutting Edge Cal-Indian in Palo Alto.

Why did we dine here? – Ettan, Palo Alto open one month before the Pandemic. Talk about bad timing. Open/close – Open close syndrome. Things were opening up again, so we decided to give them a try. This was one of our first high end sit down meals in quite a while. They are tucked away in a small alley in Downtown Palo Alto. Beautiful restaurant, inside and out. Great spot to eat outside in their large patio. East Asians have discovered the spot, helping to validate the cuisine in our book.

They also run Copra in San Francisco.

We’ve eaten here multiple times, with last in the Winter of 2024. Seem like the food has gotten spicier!

ETTAN means “breath” in Sanskrit; breath being the essence and center of one’s life force.

ETTAN means fresh, vibrant Cal-Indian flavors that create a unique confluence of the Indian palette with California fresh ingredients.

Insider Tip – Reservations are helpful, we found some outdoor seating was closely spaced.

Cuisine – California, Indian
Location – Palo Alto, CA
Opened – 2020

Service – Ettan had no issues with service. Knowledgeable waiters as well as lots of supporting helpers moved things along.
Verdict – Ettan impressed us with excellent and inventive food in beautiful surroundings. If you are a foodie, give this place a try. During the pandemic, we found the outdoor seating options not as spaced as we wanted. Get vaccinate and dine in peace.

Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? Yes. 30 minute? Yes. 1 Hour? Maybe.

Ettan, Palo Alto Signature Dishes – Sesame Leaf, Butter Chicken, Monkey buns

Ettan, Palo Alto’s Menu is wide ranging with clearly marked vegetarian, gluten free, and vegan items. A big breathe of fresh air

Website Ettan, Palo Alto Menu

Ettan, Palo Alto Food Picks:

Mojito ($16) was on the average side. 7/10

Tropical Martini ($18) is a strong cocktail, not very fruit. 8/10

I dream of Tahini ($15) is an expensive non-alcoholic drink. Strong flavor profile. 7.5/10

Sesame Leaf ($16 v) Chaat flavors on sesame leaf with mango, sesame brittle, chickpea crumble and cilantro has a vegan option with yogurt on the side. Wow this inventive dish is a must get. A crisp ‘leaf’ topped with the ingredients with varied textures. Slightly sweet yogurt. 10/10

Ettan Salad ($16 v) Mixed greens, avocado, grapes and pumpkin seeds with our signature fermented curry leaf chutney is also made vegan with thick, neutral yogurt on the side. A fun salad you mix at the table. Sorta of like a Burmese Tea Leaf salad. Very fresh and lots of different textures and flavors. 10/10

Burrata Kulcha ($12 v,g) is like a spicy small round flatbread topped with cheese. Interesting combination. 7.5/10

Pumpkin Soup ($14 v) Turmeric, coconut, sage, pumpkin seeds hits the spot for vegetarians. 8/10

Tomato Soup ($14) was very spicy and almost like a broth. 7/10

Oysters ($24 for 6) is expensive but comes with nice accompaniments. 7.5/10

Cast Iron Monkey Buns ($13) are freshly made but not overly warm. Comes with eggplant chutney and butter. Reminds us of the parkerhouse rolls at nearby Protege. 7.5/10

Red Chili Octopus ($19) is solid but not amazing. 2/10 spicy. Included 2 tiny chunks of stone fruit. 8/10

Black Pepper Cauliflower ($16 v) Cauliflower leaf, green onions, black mustard and curry leaves is also vegan with yogurt on the side. If all cauliflower tasted like this, a lot more would be eaten. Appears to be deep fried. Was better on our first visit. 7.5/10

Scallops ($19) had a nice inspired spice profile along with some crispy bits.  8/10

Duck ($38) had one large leg that was cooked until very tender.  Nice entree. 8.5/10

Kerala Fried Chicken ($16 g) Roasted Coconut Milk, Green Apple, Lime, Buttermilk was an eggless interesting variation on the theme.  Okay. 7.5/10

Wild Mushroom ‘One Pot’ ($28 v) Slow cooked mushrooms, potato korma, cauliflower with idiyappam is a good entree for vegetarians. Very interesting unique combination with the included rice ‘noodles. 8/10

Stuffed Anaheim Peppers ($28 v) includes a super spicy sauce. Peppers are cooked fine, but the heat overwhelms. 7.5/10

Copra Beef ($44) is taking from their San Francisco output Copra. 5/10 spicy. Soft tender meat chunks. 8/10

Beef Short Rib ($59) is expensive but massive. Enough for two people. Super tender, nice savory sauce. Was not on the menu in 2023. 9/10

Butter Chicken ($30 n,g) Smoked chicken thighs, fenugreek and tomatoes served with butter naan is a classic dish available at many Indian restaurants. This version was very smokey, with a great sauce. 2/10 spicy. We got some basmati rice which went well with the strong gravy. 8.5/10

Velore Chicken Curry ($31) is a small dish for the price.  Solid curry and chicken but not as amazing as the Beef Short Rib. 8/10.

Garlic Roti ($5 g) had 2 good sized pieces. Very garlicy. 7.5/10

Ettan Kheer ($12 vg) Saffron, milk crisp, mystery++, cashewnut & cardamom was recommend by our server. Nicely done dessert, similar to a Hong Kong style see mee pudding dessert. 7.5/10

Tender Coconut dessert ($13 v) was a new one on the menu in mid-2022. Almost a rice pudding with sorbet on the side. 8.5/10

Peach & Rose dessert ($13) is a special dessert with a variety of textures and flavors. worth ordering. 9/10

OK: (Order if you like this dish)
None

Pans: (We would not reorder these dishes)
None

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