Introduction:

Downtown Menlo Park’s restaurant scene is getting shaken up; over the past year, a wave of new openings has brought everything from fresh seafood to inventive Korean comfort food and an array of grilled Indian eatables. I tried three popular dishes from a couple of newly opened restaurants in downtown Menlo Park: Clark’s Oyster Bar, Yeobo, Darling and Eylan.

Clark’s Oyster Bar: ($$$)

Easily accessible and stationed within a 10-minute walk from Menlo is Clark’s. Inspired by San Francisco’s Swan Oyster Depot, this mini-chain seafood restaurant features 10 varieties of oysters, seafood catches of the day and house-made sourdough hors d’oeuvres. Founded in Texas by Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman, the Menlo Park location is their fifth opening across the U.S. Clark’s has a nautical 1950s Americana vibe, feeling like a cross between a diner and a yacht. Despite its steep fees and slow service (taking an hour and 15 minutes to bring out the entrees), I thoroughly enjoyed each dish.

Oysters: ★★★★★ 

Clark’s carries an array of oysters from across the country, each priced at $4.50 a piece (except for their dressed option at $6). I went with a Dixon Point, NB, Haystack Point, MA and an Arcadia, WA; although, they also have many other options. I am not typically one to opt for oysters — even at a seafood restaurant — but I did it for you guys, and I ended up loving them. Each was fresh, flavorful and served with sides of horseradish, cocktail sauce, mignonette (vinegar sauce), saltines and a lemon. I found that the toppings perfectly complemented each other and that each oyster tasted slightly different than the last, keeping the meal refreshing, not repetitive. 

Burger: ★★★★☆

The burger, Pan Roasted Black Angus, served with Sauce Gribiche & Gruyere with Clark’s Fries (or substitute for slaw), was delectable. Honestly, there is no other word to describe it; it was cooked to perfection — somewhere between medium and medium rare. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from this burger. I highly recommend it, even with its price of $26. However, the fries, on the other hand, I didn’t particularly enjoy — hence the subtracted star. I’m not sure you could actually call these fries, given the small size. And not only that, they didn’t have any substance either, they were mostly just oil and fried-ness? Anyways — maybe next time I’ll get the slaw. 

Crudo: ★★★☆☆

This is one of Clark’s most popular dishes: a platter of fresh fish topped with olive oil, capers, red onion, lemon vinaigrette, chives and wasabi. For the same price as the burger, $26 for 12 slivers of fish, I’m not sure if this would be my top dish to reorder. However, I do admit that the fish was fantastic. It was very fresh, and the salmon in particular was creamy and melted in your mouth.and there was classic tuna, but it was just that, classic, nothing special. 

Octopus: ★★☆☆☆

The $26 Oak Grilled Spanish Octopus dish – garnished with olives, Fresno chiles, bay leaf aioli and “torn sourdough croutons” was similar to the crudo. Although it was delicious, it was average. The octopus was cooked nicely, and the sauces and individual flavors complemented each other well, but it just didn’t stand out to me.

Yeobo, Darling: ($$$)

This upscale-casual Korean-American restaurant on 827 Santa Cruz Ave. opened in mid-June and is run by chefs Michael and Meichih Kim, a husband-and-wife duo who previously ran the Michelin-starred Maum in Palo Alto which closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yeobo, Darling feels like a welcoming reemergence of modern Korean comfort food, reimagined, this time, with a California flair. The interior is dimly lit, stylish and cozy, with an open kitchen that aromatizes the seating area with the smells of customers’ upcoming dishes. The service was attentive but relaxed, and the dishes were inventive.

Lu Rou Lasagna: ★★★★★

This dish encapsulates both Taiwanese lu rou fan and Italian nonna comfort. The layers of lasagna noodles are soaked with intensely savory, soy-braised pork, topped with melted cheese that somehow works perfectly alongside the umami sauce. It’s a dish that isn’t too fancy, yet delivers Michelin-level execution. 

Scallion Croissant With Rou Song Butter: ★★★★☆

An innovative take on the breakfast pastry, this croissant is flaky and buttery with layers that give that satisfying crackle upon first bite. The addition of scallion gives it a mild, yet oniony sharpness that balances out the richness and the rou song (pork floss) butter adds a fun, salty-sweet contrast. My only complaint: it’s small, almost too small for how much flavor is packed into each bite. 

Darling Chicken Wings: ★★★★☆

Crispy, sticky and satiating. These wings are coated in a glossy gochujang glaze that hits all the right notes: sweet, spicy, tangy and a tinge of smokiness. They’re served with pickled daikon on the side, cutting down the dish’s richness perfectly. While they’re not reinventing the dish, the execution is spot-on. However, I chose to subtract one star due to the utter messiness of this dish.

Eylan: ($$)

Eylan opened on January 15 in The Villa Menlo Park and is known for its bold, smoky Indian dishes (with a California twist, of course). The restaurant’s concept centers on live-fire cooking — a glowing tandoor oven visible from where you’re seated — and the entire space smells of a warm campfire and roasted spices. It’s relaxed but refined, with on-point service and a menu that incorporates both tradition and experimentation.

Taro Root Chaat: ★★★★★

This was easily my favorite dish at Eylan. The taro root is thinly sliced and fried until it’s almost shatteringly crisp, then layered with yogurt, tamarind and mint chutneys. It’s tangy, sweet, crunchy and creamy all at once; it’s a perfect example of Indian street food but with an elegant twist. Every bite has an intense flavor you’ll be missing for days. 

Chilled Green Grape Chaas: ★★★★☆

A creative take on the traditional yogurt-based drink, this version replaces the typical savory spices with a slightly fruity sweetness. The grapes add a fresh, unexpected note that makes it ideal for pairing with spicier dishes — especially since my spice tolerance is suboptimal. It’s unusual, but refreshingly so; it kind of feels like summer in a glass. 

Eylan Crispy Chicken: ★★★☆☆

Eylan’s fried chicken is unlike any other: marinated in a blend of Indian spices before being fried to a dark golden crisp. The chicken itself is juicy and flavorful; however, I found the batter a tad too thick. The accompanying green chutney was bright and herby, though, and almost made up for the overwhelming doughiness. This dish was solid, but didn’t stand out to me in comparison to the others.