As a meeting place between automobiles and pedestrians, Town & Country Village continues to present certain challenges that, in my mind, transform into psychological deterrents. To enter the lot from any direction requires a set of zen-tastic skills that I force myself to summon up in order to return.
These grand prix action skills include fraught left-hand turns through endless waves of fast-moving cars. Before parking there, an endeavor unto itself, impatient drivers focus on the pursuit of empty spots—seldom seen—more than they pay attention to human beings crossing asphalt à pied. Every time I return, T&C rises to the top of my “least favorite strip malls” list.
After taking our seats at Horsefeather, it astonished me to find that my boiling blood quickly cooled down. Amber panels of glass that punctuate the dining room’s dividers immediately induced a calming sense of forgetfulness and a shimmering reverie.
From my vantage point, seated with my back against a large picture window, the facsimiles of mid-century modern décor evoked a scene straight out of Mad Men, one of those louche three-martini lunches.
The couple next to us also seemed part of that swinging era. Their expansive Friday night mood was heightened by the bottles of wine they kept ordering for their table. Loosened up, they felt emboldened enough to peer over the banquette between us to ask about our heaping plate of umami fries ($11). We confirmed they were worth ordering. Pleased with the response, they returned to each other’s arms in impressive and ongoing displays of public affection.
The first Horsefeather opened in 2016 a couple blocks away from San Francisco’s Panhandle. Led by executive chef Johanna Frégoso Ruiz, the Palo Alto kitchen is larger than the one in the city. Because of the extra room, Ruiz was able to expand the lunch and dinner menus.
With more food options, the Palo Alto location represents an evolution for the brand. The bar program remains firmly in place, with $18 cocktails ($16 if they’re zero-proof), local and European beer, and an international wine list. But the food at this location is a central part of Horsefeather’s identity. While the couple next to us were enjoying their revelries, a nuclear family of four sat in the center of the dining room eating cheeseburgers and crispy chicken wings.
I ate at Horsefeather with a vegetarian friend, which always makes for an interesting outing at restaurants that aren’t specifically tailored to the palate of non-carnivores. But she didn’t have to struggle to find suitable options. To start, we shared a large plate of roasted romanesco and white and purple cauliflower ($15) and a chopped romaine and stone fruit salad ($18). In a remarkable turn of events, I preferred the charred cauliflower to the salad, which lacked a certain amount of zest and oomph. Stone fruit was about to go out of season. But the hard char on the cauliflower was nicely complemented, and oomphed, by a vegan corn dressing.
For entrées, we tried miso linguini ($26) and prawn tacos ($23). The linguini arrived with a tangle of crispy nori swirled to form a dark green crown. It was an unnecessary and salty flourish that was easily pushed aside. Once removed, the miso cream sauce was liberated to highlight the pasta, spinach, cherry tomatoes and wild mushrooms. A dash of lemon chive oil also brightened up the dish.
Above all else, the prawn tacos really signaled Ruiz’s strengths. While the California-focused menu, re: fresh ingredients and produce, will appeal to the broadest range of diners, the chef’s tacos tasted like they were made for loved ones or a pre-dinner service family meal cooked for co-workers. Sautéed with turmeric and cayenne, the prawns were perfectly spiced and cooked until tender, almost as if they were poached in olive oil or butter. Ruiz adds melted havarti, salsa verde, pickled onions, and avocado (+$4).
But it was the homemade tortillas that really transformed the tacos. They completely displaced any troubling thoughts about our pending departure from the siss boom bang of the parking lot.
Horsefeather is open every day (hours vary). Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real, Suite 151, Palo Alto. 650.648.4845. horsefeather.com.
