Kerala Fried Chicken. Fava Bean Vada Pav. Puffed Rice-Crusted Rotisserie Cauliflower.
If those sound like the brainchild of a James Beard-nominated chef, that’s because they are.
The team behind Palo Alto’s lauded Ettan, including chef Srijith “Sri” Gopinathan, a finalist for the 2022 James Beard award for California’s best chef, have opened their Cal-Indian comfort food concept, Little Blue Door, inside Los Altos’ new State Street Market at 170 State St.
Gopinathan is the latest buzzy chef to debut a casual concept at the Peninsula’s first food hall. Last month, Traci Des Jardins unveiled her highly-anticipated Cal-Mexican restaurant, El Alto, and Michelin-starred chefs Meichih and Michael Kim’s Bao Bei, a Korean-Tawianese eatery, opened in October.
Co-owned by Ayesha Thapar, Little Blue Door draws inspiration from the entire Indian subcontinent — including Gopinathan’s native Kerala, the inspiration for that fried chicken — with an emphasis on street foods.
That Fava Bean Vada Pav features ghee and gunpowder, a condiment made with lentils and peppers, served alongside a tangy chili relish. The restaurant’s eye-catching rotisserie is turning out Kashundi Roasted Chicken, named for the condiment that blends mustard and green mango.
Coated in a gluten-free batter, the Kerala Fried Chicken appetizer is served with a green sauce — made with cilantro, mint, garlic and ginger mixed with creamy aioli — and crunchy rice fryums flavored with roasted chili powder.
During the soft opening, Little Blue Door is open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday for dine-in and take-out. The team plans to expand its hours and menu later this month. Find more information at www.statestreetmarket.com.
Source: www.mercurynews.com