I was intrigued by Tal Palo after reading about it on a couple food sites. It was an unconventional restaurant concept that had me very curious. So a few days after returning from an overseas trip, I made a lunch reservation with a friend. Apparently, reservations are required if you want a proper meal experience. At $35 per person for lunch, including tip but excluding drinks and additions, it still seemed like good value.

Finding parking during lunch time in downtown Los Altos was surprisingly difficult. There were no spots available on the Main Street, so I had to park in the lot behind the buildings. As I walked inside, I admired the high ceilings, curved alcoves and glass-enclosed dining room by the entrance. The entire space seemed to be illuminated by a central skylight.

Aaron is a co-owner of Tal Palo along with his partner, Chef Adriana. He greeted and complimented me on my Mikkeller Taipei t-shirt. Aaron told us he was once the co-owner of an Oakland bar specializing in Belgian ale called The Trappist and subsequently knew Mikkel’s brother, Jeppe, who founded Evil Twin Brewery quite well. It was cool to meet a fellow artist and Renaissance man. Fittingly, the beautiful space was largely designed by Aaron.

We had our choice of seating. It didn’t seem as if there were any two tables and chairs that were alike. Each part of the dining room was unique. There’s a really nice patio in the back with a cool huge mural on the wall that is undoubtedly popular during warmer months. We chose a nice broad two top table near the entrance, lit brightly by the skylight above it. Chef Adriana introduced herself and brought by what was essentially an elote muffin, and offered it as an optional appetizer. We took her up on it. It was delicious and buttery with the texture of corn kernels, not simply pureed into a batter. I also ordered a Cafe de Olla, which was pleasantly sweet and blended with cinnamon and spices.

She then brought a plate with skillfully prepared green salad. It was then clear that each dish was meant to be shared family-style. The portion-size of each dish is about the size of an individual portion, but there were three dishes included in the lunch course. I could see how this might be an issue for those who eat larger portions, leaving them unsatisfied. Me and my friend don’t generally eat a ton, so this was perfectly fine for us.

Next up was the highlight of the meal, Chilaquiles Verde. The egg was perfectly fried atop tortilla chips that still had a bit of crispness to them. The tomatillo salsa was a perfect balance of flavor, tanginess, spice and temperature. It was a superb dish that outpaces any chilaquiles that I’ve been able to find locally, and I’ve certainly been trying out many for the past six months in search of the best one. I think Chef Adriana’s version at Tal Palo may be the winner.

There was one more interesting dish remaining: fried quesadillas served with a creamy red beet mole sauce. The quesadillas were light and fluffy, made from masa rather than flour. The beet mole sauce had pine nuts and sesame seeds and several other ingredients blended into it. Very unique and creative rendition unlike any mole I had ever tried.

The overall experience at Tal Palo was very unique. There is no set menu, and you are served whatever Chef Adriana has prepared that day. So one needs to approach this restaurant with an open mind and leave preconceptions at the door. As I mentioned earlier, the shared portions might not be enough for people with a higher caloric intake. If these are showstoppers, this is probably not the right place for you. I personally really enjoyed the concept and experience. I look forward to trying their dinner course and going to their workshops for things like making tamales.

No joke the BEST restaurant I’ve been in this country. Everything was perfectly portioned, incredibly well crafted, and surprisingly affordable. I’ve never seen friendlier and more attentive staff. Michelin restaurants got nothing on Tal Palo, we’ll be coming back many times over.