Eylan, a modern Indian fusion restaurant located in the new construction development on El Camino Real, brings exciting flavors to Menlo Park. As the sister restaurant to Ettan, which has been a staple in downtown Palo Alto for five years, Eylan caters to Menlo Park diners with a similar palate. Offering a standout selection of traditional Indian appetizers, main courses, and desserts, Eylan is a much-needed addition to the upscale Menlo Park restaurant scene.
Flava Flav ($16): 7/10
This drink puts a unique twist on the traditional Indian Lassi, a yogurt-based drink commonly enjoyed with meals. Unlike the usual plain or mango varieties, this lighter version combines guava, coconut, cinnamon, and lemon for a more complex profile. The lemon is surprisingly noticeable, making the drink quite tangy, and the naturally tart guava enhances the drink. The flavor is bearable with the help of coconut, but it’s ultimately overly tangy.
Tarot Root Chaat ($16): 9/10
This dish is a refreshing take on chaat, a popular dish in India that usually contains yogurt and toppings like tamarind, potatoes, and sev—crispy fried chickpea noodles. This dish offers new flavors to the chaat, incorporating pomegranate and date, which perfectly tie together a new experience with a well-known dish. This would be the perfect starter for those who enjoy sweeter appetizers.
Flaxseed Pooe ($19): 8/10
Typically a thin, plain side dish to pair with main dishes like potato curry, this bread is a creative upgrade at Eylan. Thickened and infused with flaxseed, it is served not with a main dish but alongside a variety of side pairings to taste test. This dish was delightful, given that you didn’t need to just eat it with a main, and it was created as an appetizer. The eggplant was smokey and thinly sliced. Along with the eggplant were a garlicky raita, a flavored yogurt served on the side with many Indian dishes, and an avocado paste.
Anar Chicken Sigri Kebab ($19): 8/10
This dish reimagines a kebab—traditionally found in various cuisines but not commonly associated with Indian food—by infusing it with bold Indian flavors like masala and turmeric with mint. The chicken itself was tender with a slightly crispy outer layer and seasoned with garam masala, pomegranate, and mint. The garam masala made this dish the perfect spicy sauce, and the mint chutney added a fresh flavoring. Overall, this dish was phenomenal.
Grilled Green Grape Chaas ($16): 10/10
This North Indian dish, better known as pani puri or puchka, is a personal favorite. Traditionally, it is served with thin puri crackers, a cilantro-mint water mixture, and a potato filling. However, this version offers thick semolina puris and a thick lime and mint sauce with tamarind filling. This was a much-needed version of puchka; it was remarkable and made the dish even more appealing.
Hispi Cabbage ($29): 10/10
This dish is a vegetarian take on chicken tikka masala, a popular dish originating in England with Indian flavors—and it might just be the best reason to visit this restaurant. For vegetarians who desperately want to try chicken tikka masala, order this. This dish offers burrata and tomato sauce with Indian spices, the traditional chicken tikka masala coating, and green chutney with cabbage instead of chicken. A side of rice is the perfect combination by adding substance but not taking away from the main flavor.
Indian Milk Cake Ice Cream ($8): 7/10
This was a perfect way to end the meal. While it is not out of the ordinary like some other dishes, it is a classic. A sweet vanilla-flavored ice cream with toppings of crispy sugar and mint, it was not too heavy and was a perfect palate cleanser.
