More than 50 tinned fish varieties are at this new wine and cheese bar in Menlo Park
Haven Wine & Cheese’s cheese and charcuterie board features Italian meats, including speck, mortadella and spicy calabrese, and a variety of cheeses, including Jasper Hill Farm Withersbrook Blue, brie-style Von Trapp Farmstead Mt Alice and Central Coast Creamery ewenique. A nectarine compote, housemade giardiniera, spiced nuts and fruit complete the board. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
Last summer, a bakery created by two neighbors opened in Redwood City. This summer, a wine and cheese bar created by two neighbors is opening in Menlo Park.
Neighbors Lea Redmond and Sam Martinez-Colson are taking their shared passion of wine and cheese to the next level: opening Haven Wine & Cheese on Saturday. The women- and POC-owned wine bar will highlight wines from female winemakers, smaller producers and winemakers of color, as well as offer brunch, lunch and dinner from Son Souvatdy, the former chef of The BottleShop in Redwood City. Like the name suggests, Haven aims to be a haven for the community, a place where parents and other adults can decompress and enjoy a good glass of wine.
There’s been a flurry of culinary happenings in Menlo Park recently. In addition to Haven, the city also recently welcomed Ren Omakase, the latest project by Sunny Noah, who also owns omakase restaurants in Palo Alto and Redwood City. Last Friday, Yeobo, Darling entered the Menlo Park dining scene as well – more on that in What I’m Eating.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
Why two moms are opening a new wine and cheese bar in their Menlo Park neighborhood
Menlo Park residents Lea Redmond and Sam Martinez-Colson have been neighbors for nearly two decades. Now they’re becoming business partners, opening a wine and cheese bar in their neighborhood that aims to be a haven for the community.
Another new omakase spot, a baking show contestant is hosting a pop-up and a buffet restaurant opens on the northern Peninsula
Chef Wen Zhao chooses the menu for his guests at new restaurant Ren Omakase in Menlo Park. Courtesy Ren Omakase.
A new omakase restaurant helmed by a former Omakase SF chef hosted its grand opening Tuesday in Menlo Park.
A local “Great American Baking Show” contestant is hosting a pop-up at Pacifica’s Craftsman Coffee on Sunday.
Bubbelah, a fast-casual Jewish concept by the chef-owner of Che Fico, opened Tuesday at Springline in Menlo Park.
Daly Buffett soft opened June 10 in Daly City in the former spot of The One Buffet. It offers self-serve drinks, sushi, malatang, grilled meat and more.
Sweetgreen, a build-your-own salad chain, opened its newest outpost in Santa Clara June 10.
Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has expanded to Millbrae, hosting its grand opening today.
Sunnyvale has a new vegetarian South Indian restaurant, SouthIndies.
Eat More Pho has replaced House of Pho in Sunnyvale.
Eataly at Westfield Valley Fair is hosting a birthday bash Friday from 7-10 p.m. The ticketed event includes more than 15 pasta stations, over 25 Italian wines, cocktails, live music, a DJ and a photo booth.
The second annual LoCal Libations wine walk will be Thursday from 6-9 p.m. along California Avenue in Palo Alto. The ticketed event includes a commemorative wine glass, wine tasting from 10 Santa Cruz Mountains wineries, a goodie bag with event swag and snacks.
SF Eats Food Hall opened Saturday at Harvey Milk Terminal 1 in San Francisco International Airport. The food hall includes Kitava, Kona’s, Napa Farms Market and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana.
Lars and Andrew Smith from State of Mind both placed at the 2025 Trofeo Caputo, an annual prestigious pizza making competition in Naples, Italy. Lars Smith won second in Pizza in Teglia, and Andrew won third in Traditional American.
Dinner at Yeobo, Darling
Laminated scallion loaf ($24) at Yeobo, Darling in downtown Menlo Park. Photo by Adrienne Mitchel.
It was a packed house Friday on opening night of Yeobo, Darling, the newest restaurant in downtown Menlo Park. The space is cozy and simple, with neutral colors and minimal decor, and the menu is small and succinct.
Created by the married chef duo Meichih and Michael Kim, previously of Michelin-starred Maum in Palo Alto, Yeobo, Darling is backed in part by Min Park, the COO and CFO of the Omakase Restaurant Group and managing partner of Itria Restaurant Group.
Yeobo, Darling’s menu is divided into bites, appetizers and mains, and the drinks menu features soju cocktails ($16-$18) and wine ($16-$29 per glass). With bites priced at an average of $15.30, appetizers at $22.71 and mains at $53 (not including the mandatory 6% surcharge), the meal comes with a hefty price tag, especially considering portions are on the smaller size.
The selection of items is relatively small, with only five bites, seven appetizers and three mains. There are only three vegetarian options – bread (but not the accompanying meat floss butter), noodles (with notably no vegetables or protein) and salad. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend Yeobo, Darling for vegetarians.
To start, I opted for the laminated scallion loaf created by Redwood City’s The Baker Next Door. Described as a replacement for “typical table bread” by the San Francisco Chronicle, it amazed me that a bread course would run me $24. While perhaps not $24 worth of deliciousness, it was perfectly executed. Packed with green onions, the rectangular loaf had a crispy outside and a flaky, buttery interior.
Korean wheat noodles, somyun, coated in aerated pine nut milk and perillla oil ($24) at Yeobo, Darling in downtown Menlo Park. Photo by Adrienne Mitchel.
Next I tried the Korean wheat noodles, somyun, coated in aerated pine nut milk and perilla oil ($24). The dish was nutty and earthy, with a pleasing chewy noodle texture that contrasted the creamy (but not heavy) pine nut milk. While I overall enjoyed the dish, it became a bit one-note as I continued to eat it. I would have preferred another textural and flavor element, such as something crispy and spicy, to make me want to keep digging in for more.
Lu rou lasagne with braised pork, chrysanthemum pasta sheets and béchamel sauce ($31) at Yeobo, Darling in downtown Menlo Park. Photo by Adrienne Mitchel.
My favorite dish of the night was the lu rou lasagne ($31), a fusion dish combining lu rou fan (a Taiwanese dish of braised pork over rice) and a cheesy lasagne with green chrysanthemum pasta sheets and bechamel sauce. The dish was rich without being too heavy, featuring a nice amount of caramelized pork, and the edges of the pasta were perfectly crispy.
Duroc pork collar with sautéed chard and housemade white kimchi ($48) at Yeobo, Darling in downtown Menlo Park. Photo by Adrienne Mitchel.
For my main course, I ordered the Duroc pork collar and banchan. For $48, I expected to be wowed. Unfortunately, I found the pork to be a bit dry and lacking in seasoning. The banchan included just two dishes, sauteed chard and housemade white kimchi, which both were a bit bland. If I had wanted rice to accompany the pork, it would have been an extra $18, which feels excessive.
Meichih Kim’s trademarked Karat Cake with carrot cake, cream cheese mousse and gold leaf ($14) at Yeobo, Darling in downtown Menlo Park. Photo by Adrienne Mitchel.
For dessert, I tried Meichih Kim’s signature Karat Cake slice, which is carrot cake with cream cheese mousse topped with gold leaf ($14). The frosting was phenomenal, luscious and tangy; however, the cake itself was a tad dry. Again, I could have gone for a crunchy textural element to offset the softness of the slice.
As expected on opening night, there were hiccups when it came to the service. My waiter wasn’t able to describe some of the dishes on the menu, she spilled a cocktail on a nearby guest and didn’t provide a pen for me to write a tip when she gave me back my card. Some of my leftovers were thrown away instead of packed, and my leftovers weren’t returned to me after paying until I realized I’d left them behind and went back. No staff thanked me as I left the restaurant. I would assume that most of these mistakes could be attributed to opening night jitters.
I don’t doubt Meichih and Michael Kim will turn Yeobo, Darling into something spectacular, but I’d recommend waiting a few months before dining there while they work out the kinks.
To watch my review, follow @peninsulafoodist on Instagram.
Yeobo, Darling, 827 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; Instagram: @yeobodarlingrestaurant. Open Tuesday to Thursday from 5-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5-9:30 p.m.
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