Naschmarkt opens in Palo Alto
A slate gray parklet has appeared on Birch Street just off California Avenue, marking the Palo Alto location of Naschmarkt, which opened Tuesday.
Naschmarkt is named after Vienna's sprawling market filled with fresh produce and international foods, and its Campbell location is known for "new Austrian cuisine." Signature dishes include crispy wiener schnitzel, thick-cut pork belly and spatzle, small egg noodles, paired with smoked chicken and sweet peas. Naschmarkt applies the Californian philosophy of featuring local, seasonal ingredients to central European cooking. A full bar offers seasonal cocktails, European beers and wines from Germany and Austria.
Restaurateur Dino Tekdemir was a co-owner of Anatolian Kitchen, which previously occupied the Birch Street property, and looks forward to creating a new space with a warm ambiance.
"You won't be missing Anatolian Kitchen, because you'll be thankful for me opening Naschmarkt," he told the Foodist.
Before Anatolian Kitchen, the space housed The Oaxacan Kitchen, which still operates as a food truck, Oaxacan Kitchen Mobile.
Naschmarkt, 2323 Birch St., Palo Alto, 650-561-3202; Instagram: @naschmarktrestaurant.
T?no Coffee Project closes in Palo Alto
Tono Coffee Project closed its counter at downtown Palo Alto natural wine bar Salvaje on Sunday, May 15, after nearly two years in business there.
Bryan Chiem started Tono Coffee Project as a pop-up and events company in 2017 and started serving guests out of a side window at Salvaje in June 2020.
Previously popping up for only a day or two at a time, Tono Coffee Project is known for single-origin coffees sourced from roasters around the world and oat milk-based beverages that have created a loyal customer base.
Opening up during shelter-in-place orders in what Chiem called a "ghost town," Tono Coffee Project fostered connections among local guests dealing with the pandemic and other challenges. "This thing here in Palo Alto, it's kind of become (something) that I never really expected or planned for. I have employees now. We have a whole baking operation now. ... It's all good memories," Chiem said.
Tono Coffee Project also hosted a number of bakers selling items such as dark chocolate kouign amann from Love For Butter, sesame-scallion focaccia from Year of the Snake Foods, and Pastry Cat's matcha blondies. Since September 2021, the shop has been baking goods in-house.
Without a concrete plan, Chiem said he looks forward to Tono's next venture, whether it's a pop-up, a focus on private events or a return to his home of East San Jose. "I started Tono as a creative project. I use it as an outlet to explore my curiosities (around) coffee. Being able to continuously explore ... is what Tono is, and has been for me. I kind of want to keep it that way," he said.
Eataly Silicon Valley finally sets a date
Eataly, an international chain of multistory Italian food halls, first announced plans for a Silicon Valley location back in December 2019. Nearly two and a half years later, Eataly will open its doors at Santa Clara's Westfield Valley Fair on June 16.
Celebrating Italian cuisine, Eataly Silicon Valley will combine retail with quick-service counters and two full-service restaurants. Diners can browse specialty goods like olive oils and dried pastas alongside cheese and salumi counters, then sit down at a restaurant for pizza and a Peroni beer. Italy's best-known foods and drinks are represented, for counters sell espresso, gelato and panini all under one roof. The company opened its first store in Torino, Italy, in 2007 and embraces a motto centered on eating, shopping and learning.
Eataly Silicon Valley, which spans three stories and 45,000 square feet, will mark the company's ninth location in the United States and second in California after Eataly Los Angeles. Following a $1.1 billion expansion and renovation, Westfield Valley Fair is quickly becoming a food destination with restaurants Din Tai Fung and Ramen Nagi and trendy desserts including Uncle Tetsu's fluffy Japanese cheesecakes and mochi donuts from Mochill. Mall staples like The Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen now stand next to upscale eateries, including iChina and its $4,500 virtual reality dinner.
Eataly Silicon Valley's opening celebration will include complimentary tastings and take place at 5 p.m.,June 16. The food hall is also hiring aggressively to staff its massive operation and is hosting job fairs and walk-in interviews.
Eataly Silicon Valley, Westfield Valley Fair, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara; eataly.com/us_en/stores/silicon-valley. Instagram: @eatalysiliconvalley.
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