Hot Spot: Mac Arthur Park

My daily life is quite hectic. Between my two little kids, my husband, and work I rarely have any extra time. While the fashion industry is many fabulous things, calm and low key aren’t one of them. So for my 30th I didn’t want to be in Vegas, a club, or anywhere that was fast paced. I needed calm, serene, classy and for my husbands sake with good food. This is where MacArthur Park comes in. This beautiful charming restaurant is on University Ave. in Palo Alto. Since it’s not located on the main strip so you might have not noticed it. But trust me once you experience MacArthur Park, you’ll be back time and time again.

From the second we walked in we were immediately greeted, and seated. As we took our seats I started to feel the stresses of the day just melt away. From the sound of the piano to the view from my window I instantly felt like we were on vacation, or in a Hallmark movie. The building is like a charming secret hidden away in Palo Alto.  There is history and character in every direction you turn your head. We saw some pictures of Mac Arthur Park from Christmas time, and it looked like still shots out of an old classic Christmas movie.

I know you’re probably thinking most places that look this amazing generally leave something to be desired in terms of price, food quality and service. This wasn’t the case with Mac Arthur Park. Since I have a gluten allergy I started asking questions as to what I could order. The general manager was very helpful and he went over each area of the menu with me. Even though I wanted to try the ribs, he let me know that the sauce wasn’t gluten free and recommended the pork chops for my main entree. Since it was my birthday I kissed my diet good bye and dove into a couple of appetizers.

We ordered the Alderwood Smoked Salmon, and the combination platter. The smoked salmon was served with capers, red onions, and a horseradish cream sauce. I was hooked from the first bite. The perfect combination of salt, tang, and a the freshness of the fish were fantastic and I could have eaten 4 more platters of that and called it a night! The combination platter for 2 in my opinion could have easily fed 3-4 people. The artichoke hearts were great, and since I can’t eat the calamari I had to ask my husband who said they were perfectly breaded and just melted in his mouth. While everything else on the platter was great also, but the artichoke hearts, and salmon were our favorite!

Our table was cleared off and room was made we saw our dinner approach the table. The portions were huge, and the food smelled amazing! I have to admit that as soon as i saw my pork chop and how thick it was I was sure that was in for one dry mess. I’m glad to say that I was so wrong! The pork chop had an amazing smoked flavor and it melted in my mouth like filet mignon. I had yet to experience a pork chop that was so juicy and tender. I’m assuming the ribs were just as good because my husband couldn’t put them down, and we got a bottle of the sauce to take home. He said the sauce was a  combination of sweet, and sour and the meat just melted off the bone without being fatty or losing it’s texture. The sides were once again heaping portions that were more than enough to satisfy any appetite.

After our main course I was ready to call it night but we had the pleasure of having coffee and dessert with Owner/Chef  Faz Poursohi, and General Manager Christopher Vestal. This is where it became clear why the staff was so amazing. Usually great people draw in other great people and this was evident the whole night. Faz’s passion for food and people had clearly been passed on to everyone else and then to the customers. I was so glad that we got to sit down with them, besides learning more about the history of the building and how the restaurant came to be we also learned about all the other great amenities Mac Arthur Park had.

The restaurant is a great spot for weddings, anniversaries, and private parties. While it’s open feel is a great for weddings and barmitzfas, the private back rooms are the perfect location for events ranging from business meetings to bridal showers.

Another part that took me by surprise were the prices. With hamburgers starting at $10, and the pork chops at $22 this is one place that anyone can enjoy on almost any budget. With a great lunch menu this is perfect place for students and anyone else looking for great food for a great price.

I want to emphasize how much I enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, and the people at McArthur’s park. If you’re looking for top notch food, in an atmosphere that is a rare find here in the Bay Area then I recommend you check out one of my favorite places to eat!

Make sure you check out Faz, Owner/Chef of Mac Arthur Park this weekend in Costco/Sunnyvale for an amazing deal (more details in photo gallery!)