Amazing food made with fresh local seasonal ingredients. Very flavorful, very well presented. Great service and ambiance. Upscale, elegant, high quality and unpretentious. read more

Café Vivant - American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

A poultry restaurant with more fish than poultry. Ended up being good but nothing to write home about. Apparently the restaurant sources nearly all of their ingredients very locally I overheard a waiter tell that to a different table though not ours which would be a great thing to hear. heritage ham - Really weird for $22 it was served like prosciutto and just the ham alone again is a bit weird just a sauce or some melon could have made this really good. farfallone d'estate - Great the best thing of the meal the smokey tomato taste was great, and the pasta was great too. smoked wolfe ranch quail milanese - Rather good, the corn was especially good and very rich. The quail was nice. grilled short rib a la caesar - Everything was good. california golden chicken basquaise - Was good. paris-brest - The dessert was very good for most of it though 1/4 of the pastry was extremely salty from too much salted caramel. Online the restaurant talks about being a bird focused restaurant but that dosen't seem to be true. One of the people dining with me said to a waiter they were expecting more chicken and they were told there was poultry, but there is 3 poultry related items with 4 fish ones. So this restaurant is actually a fish restaurant? We were told that everything is meant to share though it really didnt feel like it. A lot of the dishes felt like they could have been for one person. The waiter as well was just okay for most of the night. The ambiance of the place is very nice and well decorated. Ultimately once they actually get more poultry on the menu, and just tighten up I would probably come back. read more

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Snap pea toast (5/5) Pea agnolotti (5/5) Pork rib chop (3/5) - too dry Overall still an amazing wine collection and great starters read more

Came back for happy hour. Service is great, they keep notes on the wine you order and try to find ones in the same profile. Happy hour is a great deal, especially because I can order more than one nugget and without the caviar, which is better on the wallet and easier to feed the kids! read more

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Visited again recently, this time for a wine tasting dinner event in the private room (/wine shop). Food preparation & wine pairing was perfect, seriously. Overall a really fun environment and great way to meet other wine enthusiasts, too. read more

Café Vivant - wall of fame - great wine! - American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Came by for dinner the other night with high expectations and it was rather mediocre...sadly. Most, if not all the photos on Yelp featured the previous chef. Cafe Vivant has a new chef, formerly from Oxalis, a 1 Michelin star in Brooklyn. Parking is plentiful and easy around the restaurant. Made a reservation for dinner and my table was ready upon arrival. Dining is available inside the luxurious dining room, outdoors, or at the fancy bar. Staff throughout the evening were fantastic. Started off with the dungeness crab crepe which was ok. The crab wasn't super duper fresh. The crepe was just a freshly made tortilla. Moved on to the white asparagus tempura which was unfortunately heavily salted... The tempura batter was light and the asparagus was tasty. Even the dipping sauce was tasty. The agnolotti verde was excellent. The pasta was fresh and cooked to perfection. The snow pea tips were tasty although some were quite "old." The grilled half chicken may have been the highlight of the meal. This was my first time having Heritage chicken and it was quite tasty. The chicken was grilled to perfection. The meat was very juicy and flavorful, including the breast. The skin was grilled crispy and lightly salted. Excellent. The short rib entree was decent. The short rib felt overcooked, especially after being seared on the grill. The side sauces were decent. It was interesting that none of the entrees had any side dishes, for vegetables as an example. Again, most, if not all of the photos were from the previous chef, which was different... There is no longer any mention of a pastry chef on the website which is a bummer. The desserts were lacklustre...definitely not worth the $15 for the chocolate and hazelnut. The ice cream was a huge miss as it seemed to be lacking in dairy...it felt like it was made using skim milk....yikes. ~$125/head after tax and gratuity, including a 5% employer mandates. read more

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Good, not blow-away, but good. I came after reading an article about it and for the passion about the birds and wasn't disappointed. The interior is lovely as is the location on Santa Cruz Ave. The service was warm and friendly. Let's cut to the food. After mentally processing $19 for a single chicken nugget (with caviar on top), I was able to order. We had a few "bites" (nugget, egg salad, beet tarte), then some starters (salads, duck pate), and then one whole bird and one steak. Overall the food was very good. The presentations beautiful. Through some ~$20 bites on top of a regular heathily-priced meal, along with some good wines by the glass, and I think we spent $550-something for three people. Nugget: good, not worth $19. Egg salad: surprisingly good but the egg salad is hidden inside the brioche and they need more egg salad per unit brioche. Beet tarte: very good Pate: home run Salads: good Whole bird: very good but wasn't blown away like I was hoping to be. Hint: use the jus and sea salt. Puree: (mashed potatoes) stunningly good Steak: really good, maybe the star of the evening read more

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The menu offers solid shareables, the pricing feels fair for the area, and the environment stays comfortable even during peak hours. Great for team outings, casual meetups, or decompressing after work without feeling rushed. read more

Chicken and pork belly were amazing - both dishes had a few unique touches and were pretty well-portioned. I'd skip the appetizers or just try them once. Service was great, and the interior is pristine. read more

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We sat at the bar during happy hour. It was great. Almost all 9 items we ordered from the menu were spot on in terms of cook, presentation and flavor. read more

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Came here with a few friends for a birthday dinner. This place specializes in chicken, which I undoubtedly enjoy! The interior is very aesthetic and modern. Service was friendly and we enjoyed our dinner here! We started off with their mocktails which were very nice. As a starter, we had the heritage chicken nuggets (the fanciest chicken nuggets I've had) which were good (undeniably as they are topped with caviar!). We went straight for their whole chickens for our entrees as that's what they are known for (we were a party of 4, and that's a lot of meat!). We went with the California golden and the French bresse (the least amount of dark meat, and medium amount of dark meat). I liked the California golden a bit more as the meat was a bit less "gamey" but was definitely a tad salty. The salad, fries, and Mac n' porcinis were good (the latter two were on the saltier side as well). We ended with their desserts which were all quite complex. We wanted to try the baked Alaska, but they told us they don't make that anymore and they didn't update the menu yet. The tarte tatin was my favorite! They also gave a small complementary dessert for my birthday. Service was good overall. read more

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Wow, it's not often that a brand new spot blows it out of the water. But Cafe Vivant has done it. Every dish was thoughtful, beautiful, and delicious, and the service was excellent. We had the crab cannoli, rabbit pate, pear salad, octopus, duck, and guinea hen. Everything. Was. Excellent. EVERYTHING! Also the 200 page wine list is something to be applauded. To top it all off, loved eating it all with the hip hop instrumentals of our favorite throwbacks in the background. Perfect vibe soundtrack for our feast. read more

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Cafe Vivant is a great new spot for an amazing wine and food experience. We've visited twice (once at the bar and once at a table on a double-date) and can't wait to come back. The wine list is so extensive and the som can help pick the perfect bottle. And the food is delicious and beautifully presented - from the "bites" to the apps to the mains (they're famous for their chicken and chicken nugget "bite" with caviar), and, possibly best of all, the desserts like the souffle. They also have a retail store for wine with an amazing selection of wine, beer, and liquors. And parking isn't too challenging in downtown Menlo Park. read more

The service was amazing. The happy hour had great drinks and food. The place is clean and classy. We loved it. Would highly recommend trying the cute place out. read more

Upon entering this new restaurant in Menlo Park, I loved the overall vibe. The design is very cozy and upscale. If you walk further in there's walls of bottles which is pretty cool to see such a wide selection. You can go to this bottle shop on specific days and it turns into a communal dining table. You can tell everything was very meticulously curated from the decor, tableware, to dishes. I am always as a sucker for starters and the starters were all well done for me. I would say skip the nuggets and go for the other starters although it might be appealing with the caviar. Onto the main attraction the chicken. It is beautiful presented and you Can tell they know what they are doing when they are prepping this heritage chicken. I was even impressed by the sides! They were so yummy. What a surprise to have pumpkin risotto paired with the chicken. Honestly you can share a chicken and sides for a filling meal. read more

Wow!!! It was so much more than I expected! We sat at the lovely bar. Initially booked for the communal table, but decided to switch to the bar, which was in the front dining area. Communal tables are on the back side. The regular dining area is nicer and recommended unless you have more than four in the group. Every dish was beautifully presented and delicious. The sauce was not overpowering but had a lot of delicate flavors. The service was excellent, and I love how they transformed the original Boulanger cafe into a beautiful space. I think the price was just right. read more

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My experience at Cafe Vivant was a huge disappointment. Previous reviews noted that the food was too salty and I have to agree. I'm someone who prefers well salted food and tend to find food under seasoned at times. And because of that, I don't think I've ever eaten at a restaurant where the food was so salty that it ruined the rest of the meal. My husband and I ordered the white asparagus tempura, which came out super salty and fibrous - I even had to spit one back out. Then the little gem salad came out next, and honestly I was wowed at first. Amazing flavor and probably the best salad I've ever eaten. Then I took another bite and it just wasn't as enjoyable. I realized that slowly, the salt level is building up the more bites I took. The dressing combined with the dried yeast also drove the salt levels through the roof. Then finally, the chicken arrived. This was the dish I was looking forward to the most. When I grabbed the first piece, my heart sank a little. It felt tough. I bit into it hoping to prove myself wrong here. But no, it was just tough, dry, salty chicken., I tried eating more to see if it'll somehow, improve, but I couldn't even finish one piece. The funniest part was that the chicken came with extra salt on the side in case I needed more salt! Maybe the chicken would've been ok at salt levels if I haven't eaten the extra salted appetizer and salad beforehand, but all together it was too much. At the end, our drinks were comped after we complained. The manager spoke to us, gave us his business card and asked us to email him and give them another chance. I sent him an email a week back and never got a reply, so needless to say, I'm definitely not returning to torture my tastebuds and wallet again. read more

Café Vivant - American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

I really wanted to love Cafe Viviant. The idea of heritage chicken and extensive offering of French wines really speaks to me. Sadly, it is so very close and yet so very far from being worth your time and money at this point. Honestly, wait a few more months to see if they can figure out the problems with the food, the service, and the ambiance. I suspect they can. For now, I feel like a total chump for giving them $500+ for three people to dine. Three people who didn't even order a bottle of wine... If you go, sit at the communal table in the retail side of the restaurant. It is the farthest away from the kitchen and the horrendous, persistent, incredibly disturbing low roar of their industrial dishwasher. Service was inattentive and required excessive effort on our part. It took 20 minutes to order a glass of wine! We ordered a single mocktail and despite delivering two, they never did manage to get the one we actually ordered. The wine menu is essentially an inventory list making it a boring read. They offer a "seasonal shortlist", but we were informed that the shortlist was not seasonal at all. Rather it was a list for people who don't like to read. The wine service was a huge miss for a wine focused establishment. The culture is not (yet?!) set up for wine hospitality. The food is good, but not yet great. The chicken nuggets with caviar just did not work. The chicken was minced and the breading was tempura. The celeriac rollitini is a single noodle with loads of foam and delicious chanterelles. The pear salad was lovely with the dressing and frisee working well together. The root down duck was amazing and the confit divine. The California golden chicken was presented beautifully with lots of flair, taken back to be carved and it emerged beautifully tossed with delicious root vegetables. The sauce they served was way too salty but we love roasted chicken. We had the side salad and french fries, both of which were quite nice. We skipped dessert as we could not bear anymore of the sound torture and were tired of fighting for decent service. read more

Café Vivant - The duck was amazing! - American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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The new menu is just straight-up delicious. They focus on heritage poultry and a lot of the ingredients are sourced from local markets and small farms, so everything tastes really fresh and seasonal. I especially loved the agnolotti verde and the Broadbent heritage country ham--both paired perfectly with the white Burgundy and Pinot Noir we ordered. This was my second visit, and honestly the overall hospitality and execution have gotten even better. The wine list is kind of insane (in a good way)--super deep, almost like a bible, with a lot of reasonably priced gems. The vibe and interior also make it a great spot for a date or a more serious wine dinner. Definitely coming back soon! read more

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We had an 11 person party last night. We were reserved 10 and the staff was welcoming and made our experience great. Jason and chef crested a lovely menu with land sea and fabulous veg dishes. Along with the great wine list bubbles white and red wine and mocktails. The experience was special thank you cafe vivant. read more

We were looking to celebrate an important event in our lives. We chose Café Vivant and it was the right choice. Everything we ordered was delicious and imaginative. The pork chop dish in berry sauce was the best I'd had. Bette loved her skate. The biggest surprise was a summer squash tempura dish we shared. The restaurant sources ingredients locally, like the strawberries in the dessert, abd it shows. Definitely a place to bring someone special. read more

We were looking for a new place to try out and Cafe Vivant caught our eye. We ended up getting there a little early and the host was kind enough to get us a spot at the bar. The bartender/server was amazing with recommendations and letting us know that the burger was exclusive to the bar. The decor and vibes were great, it felt cozy and romantic. We got the chicken nugget with caviar, sunchoke agnolotti, burger, and the half chicken. Everything was so good and extremely flavorful. The nugget was definitely the best bite of the night. We ended the meal with their "experimental" cheesecake which was a play on caviar. We had no idea what we were eating but it was really well balanced once you had all the components together. . For the two of us, the bill came out to ~$200. We're doing dry January or else it probably come out to much higher. Definitely recommend! read more

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I was here six months ago with my husband, and we were amazed by the food and attentiveness. We recently came back and heard they changed the chef. The food was okay overall, but a bit salty. The asparagus tempura was way too salty. The service was almost non-existent because they seemed understaffed. No one checked in even when none of us touched our drinks, and unfortunately both the mocktail and cocktail were not good. That said, the chicken caviar and spaghetti were good. They also messed up our order, but they did apologize. I appreciate the manager comping some of our snacks, though overall the dinner just felt way too long. read more

As someone who really likes chicken (yes, chicken breast..) and wine, I was excited for Cafe Vivant's opening. They have completely transformed the former La Boulangerie space at the corner of the block. It's now very bright and open, and it's just a very cool setting, especially with all of the bottles on display. Drinks: they actually sell spirits, but the cocktail list is low ABV only. They have an impressive wine list, with some options dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. I was there for a work dinner, so I didn't get to browse the entire list, but you could spend a lot of time perusing it! We ended up ordering by the glass. Menu: they are known for their heritage chickens, and there are 3 to choose from. The menu has much more than just chicken, though. Starters - I would say each dish is best split between 2 people, 3 was a bit of a stretch - Butter poached main lobster: topped with uni, with a lobster nage and root vegetables - Celeriac rollatini: filled with chanterelles and black truffle, very flavorful and satisfying for a vegetarian option Mains - - Pacific halibut: with thinly sliced suqash on top, confit tomato, baby potatoes, and a fragrant mussel saffron broth. I wish it had come with crusty bread for the sauce! Part of the fish were saltier than others, but overall, the flavors were great - California Golden chicken: raised 112 days in CA, $48/person (service for 2). The lemon and thyme jus over the chicken was amazing. The dark meat fell off the bone, and the white meat part had lots of flavor and wasn't dry. I appreciate the initial presentation of the whole chicken before they cut it up for you. It comes with various mushrooms and roasted fall vegetables. Sides - - Pumpkin risotto: mostly tastes of parmigiano, not too heavy on the pumpkin (which I appreciate) Desserts - - Camembert cheesecake: the must try, with camembert filled "eggs," complete with a yellow yolk inside, pineapple compote, calamansi curd, hay ice cream, and lots of other textures. This dessert is the kind you expect at a 2-3 Michelin star place because of all the surprising flavors and textures - Chocolate mousse: with honeycomb cake, caramelized sunflower, grape fig leaf sorbet; this was also composed beautifully and had lots of textures and flavors, but it's hard to beat the cheesecake They have all the right touches for a fancier new place: Cutipol, Aesop, individual hand towels in the bathroom, bobo glasses, etc. Though heritage chicken is their feature, the other dishes were actually really great. I would definitely get the lobster and the rollatini again, and their desserts were also high level. I really like this new concept, and Cafe Vivant definitely brightens up Santa Cruz Ave (both figuratively and literally with the beautiful lighting and space). Though their features are heritage chicken and wine, don't skip that camembert cheesecake! read more

I have heard that the owners have aspirations of being a 1 star restaurant, and that food is designed to go with more refined and elegant, rather than bold, wines. What I liked: * A respectable wine by the glass list. It's different from what I've seen elsewhere. The mark-up on the wines seems reasonable, but they are expensive wines. * The veggies and mushrooms that accompanied the chicken were tasty, I enjoyed them. *The dessert menu is unique, with five fresh interpretations to choose from. The deserts (I had the baked Alaska, the other three the chocolate mouse) themselves were visually appealing, bordering on being works of art. * The dinner was served at a comfortable pace. We got there at 6:30 and left after 10:00. We had not spent that much time in a restaurant in a long time. What I didn't like: *The chicken is over hyped. In the end chicken is chicken, I didn't find the taste and texture particularly different from what I have had elsewhere. The presentation was interesting with chicken feet included, again that's different. The chicken itself was over brined for my taste - in fact it was the loudest flavor of the night (more below.) * Desserts were bland to my taste. I had baked Alaska, I could not tell there was chicken ice cream. The other folks at my table all said that there was not much chocolate taste in the chocolate mouse. * Loud. Most new restaurants these days are full of hard surfaces, long gone are the padded walls of restaurants. So I guess I just need to eat outdoors more so I can hear the conversation better. I would definitely go back for a drink of fine wine at a fair price, and then head to another restaurant for flavorful food. read more

Just celebrated my birthday at Cafe Vivant tonight and it was a wonderful experience. The owner was so gracious, helped with our order and offered me a free dessert. The service was great, the atmosphere was so fun and the food was delicious and fresh. We shared the half chicken, fries, mushrooms and the bread. We had the date tart for dessert. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Clearly understaffed, they quickly seated us and insisted we order everything all at once. They brought out the appetizer before they even brought the drinks, I had to ask about the champagne only to have it take several minutes as the appetizers congealed, waiting for the wine pairing. The champagne was flat. I asked the waiter, they said it had been open all day and then did nothing. Very disappointing. The food was quite good, though pricy, so I give that component four stars but the service was very sub par. Weird, because I saw a lot of staff walking around but not many actually attending to the tables? Not worth the drive. read more

What an absolute disappointment from a few months ago. From the service to the actual food, it was as if l was in an entirely different restaurant than l had been 4 months ago. I had taken my parents to Cafe Vivant in January when they came to CA for a visit. On that visit, l had an amazing whole roasted chicken that was beautifully presented, tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned to let the meat's flavor shine through. I was hoping for a repeat. Either l got a completely subpar chicken or there is a new chef that has no idea how to properly roast a heritage chicken. The chicken this go around was tough and flavorless not to mention stringy. Not what the first chicken tasted like at all. The waitstaff were professional but "cold" and not too versed in the details of the chicken. I asked what local farms the chicken were being raised at? No answer. I asked for an explanation between a heritage chicken and a regular chicken bought at a grocery store - got a deer in the headlights look. I stopped asking questions although l should have asked if there was a staffing change in the kitchen because the chicken did not taste like the chicken l had eaten in January. I am a creature of habit. If l like a menu item at a restaurant, that item becomes the go-to dish l order upon subsequent visits. I also am into consistency and return to restaurant expecting all meals to taste the same as last ordered. Cafe Vivant did not provide the consistency necessary for third visit. read more

Bay area needed Cafe Vivant. From the extensive wine list, amazing squab, roasted chicken, and the best chicken nuggets! My only tip would be to leave room for dessert as it's an experience that's worthy of visit on its own. Must visit and will return. read more

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Sat at the communal table. Amazing food paired with the deepest wine list and great service. Ambience and lighting are very nice and chic while not being pretentious and down the earth. Classic farm to table with a huge focus on poultry. I loved the guinea hen and the duck in particular. Great addition to Menlo Park and the bay area in general. Highly recommend! Can't wait to come back and try more things For those who are into wine - the restaurant has a list that goes on forever focused on aged California and French wines. read more

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Finally had a chance to stop by Cafe Vivant! I heard about it from my artist friend Suzanne Howard who created some of their dish ware! Absolutely love the local artist support!! I'll be back for more delicious food. read more

Café Vivant - American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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We had dinner the day after the restaurant opened. TLDR: Appetizers and dessert were the stars. Prices were very high. Service is still being worked out. We started with the heritage chicken nuggets topped with caviar. For $38 a pair, they better be great--and they were. The quail was also terrific, as were the shaved pear salad, the celeriac rollatini, and the heritage pork belly. I was confused by the heritage chicken service. The price of those chickens is 8- 10x a roasted chicken at whole foods, and it was quite plain, and the pieces were very big and hard to cut. It's meant to be the star of the meal, and for our table of 6, it was the least good. The 2 desserts we tried, the cheese cake and the carrot cake, were so creatively reimagined, beautiful and delicious. The restaurant is pretty, if stark. I have a lot of patience for a new restaurant getting the operations worked out, but I was surprised at the lack of warmth and hospitality. We recognized the owners from their photos, but they never introduced themselves, or asked us how we were enjoying our meals, even as they helped with serving drinks and clearing plates. That was surprising. read more

Café Vivant - Heritage Chicken Nuggets - American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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We enjoyed our entrees here, but not the starters. My husband had the 1/2 chicken, which was delicious, including the accompaniments, and I had the duck, which was prepared in two different ways. I liked the roast duck, but the confit was dry and had a strange flavor. I started with a small bite of a beet tart, but I didn't really like it. My husband ordered the grilled salad, but I thought it didn't have much flavor. The dessert, a Napoleon, was quite good. The service was professional and friendly. The ambiance was nice, if a little noisy, and the lights could have been softened a bit. I would come here again for a special occasion. read more

Amazing food, ambient, reminding me of New York best restaurants definitely a must Will become a regular of this restaurant. The food was amazing, service was great. Definitely a little gem in the heart of Menlo Park. read more

From the top I can say that Cafe Vivant is an exceptional culinary experience. While stated as American Cuisine, the taste feature an east meets west blend of Japanese and French fusion. For appetizers we ordered the pate and the savory crab cannoli. The flavors for both were spot on, but $18 for 2 bites of cannoli does not make sense to me. I went on Christmas Eve and ordered the special of the night a Christmas Goose breast that had wonderful flavor and I was blown away by the savory bread pudding that reminded me of my favorite holiday stuffing. Finally, the chocolate souffle was a stunning conclusion to the evening. While the servers were nice and attentive, I felt very rushed through the evening, being asked what I wanted to have for entrees before the first drink came to the table. Additionally, it felt a bit awkward to ask the sommelier for a pour every time we wanted wine from a bottle we ordered. It stopped our party from buying more than one bottle. It is clear to me that Cafe Vivant is seeking a spot on the Michelin guide if not a star. The food an ambiance are ripe for that status and if they work out a few kinks of the experience, I think they will have it. read more

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Best wine list West of the Mississippi. Literally. The chicken i delicious, but so is everything else I tried. Been there 3 times already. read more

I'll stand by the fact that people should order chicken over steak for a special occasion, and Cafe Vivant is a perfect place to do just that. A beautiful heritage bird with sides that are unique and more than just an afterthought. We had the Delaware chicken, the whipped potatoes, and the roasted carrots. I'd gladly order it all again, and I can't wait to work through the rest of the menu. read more

Had such an incredible dining experience with my husband, aunt, and uncle -- who had been eagerly following this restaurant's opening for months. The ambiance struck the perfect balance: elevated and intentional, yet warm and unpretentious. It was fascinating to learn about chicken in a completely different context than what we typically associate with it here in the U.S. As a former vegetarian, I've long been aware of how most chickens are raised -- the overcrowding, the disease, the toll of mass production. But here, the chickens are sourced from a nearby farm, allowed to live double or even triple the lifespan of conventional ones, making them more active, healthier, and in turn, far more nutrient-dense and flavorful. You could truly taste the difference. The sides were creative and beautifully executed without being over the top, and the dessert and wine... don't even get me started. Every element felt thoughtful and harmonious. A genuine 10/10 experience. Excited to come back in the future! read more

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We recently dined at Cafe Vivant with a large group and had the opportunity to try a wide variety of dishes. The service was excellent, and the staff did a great job accommodating dietary restrictions. However, the main drawback was that the food was heavily seasoned--most dishes were overly salty, even after we requested less salt. read more

Came here to check out the new spot and it was amazing. The chicken nugget was savory with a smoky flavor. The Caviar was a nice touch. We split the Delaware bird which was cooked to perfection. The wine list here is surprisingly phenomenal. The sommelier Alex, was super helpful. The space is beautiful, the chairs are comfortable and the ambience is wonderful for an evening out. This is a great addition to the Palo Alto Menlo Park food scene! read more