Looking to take your tastebuds on an adventure? Look no further than ROOH Palo Alto.

With a lively environment, ROOH is the perfect place for date night or meeting up with a group of friends. ROOH means soul in Hindu, and the restaurant’s goal is to bring the spirit of India globally. At ROOH, one can expect unique dishes with vibrant Indian flavors and fresh California produce. 

Upon entering from the street, you will be met with a welcoming, warm environment. The interiors were crafted to resemble a haveli, or historic Indian home. ROOH even comes complete with an open courtyard with mango trees. 

Inside the restaurant, high ceilings are adorned with gorgeous red chandeliers and red velvet couches are scattered throughout. Overall, there’s a swanky yet hipster vibe crowned with an oversized mural of a woman with traditional Indian jewelry that adorns the wall.

Husband and wife, Vikram and Anu Bhambri, are the founders of ROOH. When traveling up the Peninsula one can also find their San Francisco restaurant. Additional locations can be found in Columbus, Ohio and New Delhi, India. 

Upon arrival, I was presented with a wheel cocktail menu that included the following categories: Sweet, Astringent, Bitter, Salty, Sour, and Pungent. Head Mixologist, Roger Gomes is shaking up the cocktail game and throughout the evening my boyfriend and I sipped on the following cocktails:

Jungle Juice with rum, pineapple juice, coffee liqueur, pineapple foam, and nutmeg.

Ghee Kesar Old Fashioned with bitter-bourbon, ghee, saffron, and jaggery.

Ratnagiri Sour with vodka, mango, melon, makrut, and egg white.

Coup glass with rosé, tequila, basic stock (lime, sugar, bitters, angostura bitters), and lo-fi amaro.

To start, we had Chili Cheese Kulcha with amul cheese and shishito pepper. It was soft bread that was warm and filled with creamy cheese and topped with a shishito pepper – simply delightful!

We shared the following small plates:

Dahi Puri with avocado, tamarind, and yogurt mousse. It’s a feast for the eyes and a popular snack often sold by street-side vendors and small restaurants in India. Its shell is crispy and filled with sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors.

The Paneer Chili Roll is small, but loaded with flavor. It features crispy kataifi, lime achar, and garlic sauce.

Golden Beet and Avocado Bhel includes avocado, puffed black rice, green chickpea, radish and togarashi. It’s a salad-like dish with a variety of textures and tastes like crunchy radish, creamy avocado, nutty green chickpeas, puffed black rice, and tangy tamarind gel. 

Prawn Ghee Roast is packed with flavor and features pan fried prawns tossed with badegi chili paste masala and ghee. Pickled ginger and fried vermicelli accompanied the dish nicely.

The Chicken Malai Tikka features Tandoori chicken marinated with ginger, garlic, yogurt, white pepper, green chili, garam masala, and cashew paste. It’s a comforting dish and the chicken was tender, moist and cooked to perfection. The creamy and smoky sauce complimented the chicken nicely.

We also shared the following large plates:

Paneer Pinwheel with red pepper makhani and butter powder. It features three paneer pinwheels topped with various garnishes.

The Achari Salmon is unlike any salmon dish I’ve had before. Salmon filets are marinated in pickling spices and it’s served on a hearty, porridge-like mix of lentils, millet khichidi, and bay shrimp. It’s a unique and eclectic dish!

Grilled Rack of Lamb was grilled to perfection and crusted with spices and pistachios. It’s accompanied by green pea puree and roasted potatoes. 

Dal Makhni was accompanied by warm garlic naan, as well as regular.

Even though it was quite a hearty meal, we still managed to save room for dessert. Both of the desserts were unique and beautifully presented. We shared the following:

Coconut Tres Leches cake with coconut mousse and coconut jelly. It was very moist, coconutty, and was honestly the best tres leches cake I’ve ever had! This means a lot considering I’m a tres leches cake enthusiast!

Cashew Praline Cake with cashew cake, phirni mousse, thandai ice cream, and rice wafer was presented in a popsicle. It was the fanciest and most gourmet popsicle I’ve come across!

Overall, I had an incredible meal at ROOH Palo Alto. The food was rich in flavor, beautifully presented, and the service was top-notch. I honestly have a hard time selecting which dishes were my favorite because they are all delicious and unique in their own way!

The Chefs and Mixologists are very passionate about what they do and have vast knowledge of the regional cuisines of India. They are experts in their field and it was an honor to spend time with them.

Chef Apurva has cooked for President Barack Obama, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, and so on.

Considering the experience was amazing, I look forward to experiencing other ROOH restaurant locations in the future! 

During the quarantine, Sundance The Steakhouse lovers can pick up a Butcher Box and have it filled with aged USDA prime steaks, fresh seafood, and wagyu burgers to enjoy at home. There are a variety of delicious side dishes, salads and desserts available. In addition, to-go cocktails and wonderful wines that are sure to lift the spirits!

Fire up the grill and follow their instructions for how to cook to perfection.  

I’ve experienced a couple of different Butcher Boxes over the last month, an assortment of steaks and wagyu burgers. Everything has been wonderful! Since the weather is now warm, I’ve enjoyed grilling and eating outside.

Click here to view the Butcher Box menu.

Available pick up times:
1pm to 4pm, Tuesday through Friday.
12pm to 6pm on Saturdays.

How to Order: Online or call Sundance directly over the phone at 650-321-6798.

Parking Lot Pick Up:
1921 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA 94306

For safe pick up, simply park in their lot and call 650-321-6798. They will deliver to your car.

Enjoy a taste of the Sonoma Wine Country at the J Vineyards & Winery Holiday Wine Shop at Stanford Shopping Center. It’s open from December 12th, 2019 – January 5th, 2020! 

Sip, savor and shop J wines and gifts. Guests can also create custom greetings to hang on their wine gifts, write holiday cards (J stationary, pens and postage included), or pose for a few festive #instaworthy holiday photos.

The Holiday Wine Shop offers flights of four J wines for $25 — guests can choose from either the Signature Tasting Flight, which includes Sparkling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, or the Sparkling Tasting Flight, which showcases the range of the J sparkling portfolio from Cuvée XB and Cuvée 20 to Brut Rosé and Vintage Brut.

It’s the perfect place to take a moment to share a glass with friends during the most festive time of the year!

Treat yourself to a J Wine Club Membership! Enjoy exclusive small-lot wines tailored to your preference and attend exceptional events and experiences with fellow J enthusiasts. It’s also the perfect gift for friends/family this holiday season. Cheers!