The “chocolate burger” at Alexander’s Patisserie. (Photo courtesy of the bakery)

Alexander’s Patisserie to Open In Mountain View on Oct. 16

The folks behind Alexander’s Steakhouse in Cupertino and San Francisco, as well as The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse in Palo Alto, are expanding their mini empire by opening a patisserie in downtown Mountain View on Oct. 16.

Led by Executive Pastry Chef Dries Delanghe, the new Alexander’s Patisserie will offer breads, sandwiches, cakes, tarts, cookies, macarons, chocolates and other confections, as well as Equator Coffees.

Everything will be available to enjoy at the cafe or to-go.

Beets and strawberries. (Photo courtesy of Alexander’s Patisserie)

Delanghe honed his skills at the incomparable Pierre Herme in Paris, before moving to the United States to work at Joel Robuchon Restaurant in Las Vegas.

Tout Sweet to Open in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village

Pastry Chef and “Top Chef: Just Desserts” winner Yigit Pura is expanding his Tout Sweet patisserie by opening a second one in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village.

Look for it to open in November. Like the original San Francisco location inside Macy’s on Union Square, the Palo Alto one will be stocked with macarons, tarts, cookies, small cakes and layered parfaits, as well as marshmallows, pate de fruit, meringue kisses, jams, and dessert sauces.

Pastry Chef Yigit Pura. (Photo by Frankie Frankeny)

The Palo Alto store also will carry something new: frozen cookie doughs and pie crusts for folks to take home to bake in their own kitchens.

Alkymists Opens in Downtown Palo Alto

Alkymists restaurant in Palo Alto serves up global cuisine — with a twist.

Once a month, it forgoes serving the general public to provide a free brunch to those in need with a particular emphasis on mothers with children, as identified with the help of local community organizations.

The restaurant, housed in the former Palo Alto Grill location, aims to offer what it calls “foodanthropy.”

It is the brainchild of Thierry Fassiotti, a native of France, and Chef Jared Combs, who was most recently chef de cuisine at the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica.

Fassiotti, who has lived all over the world,was once homeless, himself. He went on to manage restaurants in France and has worked at such esteemed establishments in the United States as Melisse in Santa Monica, Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, and The Bazaar in Beverly Hills. Throughout his career, he’s made a point to support organizations that serve those in need.

Alkymists features small and large plates, as well as custom-made alcoholic elixirs with supposed medicinal properties.

Dishes include pork belly tacos with curry-glazed corn; vegan soup served in a roasted bell pepper with farro, quinoa and tempeh; herbed lamb and beef pita burger; burrata Thai basil flatbread with dried tomato and pine nuts; and goji berry creme brulee.