Tag Archives: Protege Palo Alto

The Tasting Menu Experience at Michelin-Starred Protege

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An artful sea trout-stuffed crepe heaped with caviar at Protege.
An artful sea trout-stuffed crepe heaped with caviar at Protege.

I have enjoyed the exquisite food at Palo Alto’s Michelin-starred Protege many a time.

In the lounge with the a la carte menu. Dining outdoors on the same. And even with takeout during the throes of the pandemic.

But I had never ever tried the tasting menu that’s offered in the restaurant’s more intimate dining room.

Until last week — when I finally decided it was the perfect time to do so to celebrate a late-birthday dinner.

It’s a 7-course menu for $225 with an automatic 20 percent gratuity tacked on that requires a full prepayment. Any cancellation must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

Unlike the lounge, which has a bar with seating and an view into the kitchen, the dining room is more serene, done up with a tufted banquette and curved leather chairs.

Co-owners, Chef Anthony Secviar (right) and Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly (left).
Co-owners, Chef Anthony Secviar (right) and Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly (left).

Owners, Chef Anthony Secviar and Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly, met while working at the French Laundry. So, it’s not surprising that there is an air of precision to everything. What’s not so expected is the touch of whimsy and light-heartedness here and there. It all makes for an upscale experience that makes you feel well cared yet in an unpretentious manner.

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Where I’ve Been Getting Takeout of Late, Part 13

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Duck leg confit with braised greens, and garlicky beans from Michelin-starred Protege.
Duck leg confit with braised greens, and garlicky beans from Michelin-starred Protege.

Protege, Palo Alto

Apologies to Chef Anthony Secviar for my plating skills — or lack thereof — on his sublime takeout food from his Protege restaurant in Palo Alto.

Because, yes, it’s possible to enjoy Michelin-starred food to-go in the comfort of your own home.

And getting takeout does offer an alluring plus: the chance to enjoy one of the restaurant’s “family meal of the week” options. I’ve had the pleasure of dining several times pre-pandemic in the lounge of the restaurant, where an a la carte menu is offered. But before, the only way to indulge in a multi-course progressive meal was to book a table in the intimate dining room for the tasting menu.

The “family meal of the week,” however, is a much less expensive variation with typically about four courses or dishes, including dessert. For instance, the one offered last week, which I got, was $75 per person.

A perfect winter salad -- all tied up with a pretty blue ribbon.
A perfect winter salad — all tied up with a pretty blue ribbon.

It began with shaved Brussels sprouts salad, the crisp julienned leaves tossed with an almost equal amount of grated cheese, as well as pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and crunchy, salty, porky bits of pancetta for a dish that hit every taste bud.

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