Yesterday for lunch Jenny and I went to California Cafe in Palo Alto. Although it was 1:00, the restaurant was nearly full, and for good reason. My wife had the crab melt and I the seared beef tenderloin tips and paparadelli pasta.
What grabbed me about Jenny's sandwich was the crisp yet soft bread, which was undoubtedly fried in an abundant amount of butter. The crab itself was adequate. The salad that came with the sandwich was good, but generic--the big box of organic salad you'd get at Costco comes to mind.
Although the lunch was late and I had a healthy appetite, I ordered a half dish suspecting the cream sauce would fill me up. I was right. To end it there wouldn't do the entree justice, though. My pasta bowl was packed with beef cubes, each of them tender but not flavorful. The sun-dried tomatoes were a good touch. My wife enjoyed the paparadelli. Any trace of lingering hunger we may have had was eliminated by their delicious fresh-baked bread and olive oil.
We will return again someday, but perhaps only for a special occasion, such as a parents' night out. The $14 for a sandwich would be otherwise difficult to justify.
California Cafe
700 Welch Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1519
(650) 325-2233
