An iron gate supported by brick pillars sits in the middle of Lytton Street in downtown Palo Alto. A concrete path, tucked between a charming garden with a single palm tree arching over it welcomes guests to Spago. A restaurant run by famous chef Wolfgang Puck, Spago offers a variety of American food with a splash of Asian and Mediterranean flair.

Spago is not limited to Palo Alto. The first Spago restaurant was opened in Beverly Hills and is still there to this day. Spago’s are located in three other places: Las Vegas, Maui, and Tokyo.
The interior of the restaurant is dimly lit, giving off a relaxing vibe. Even the bathrooms are not brightly lit, although they are very hygienic. The main centerpiece of the bathroom is the rubbish bin shaped as though it were many leaves extending upwards.
The whole restaurant is very clean. Without an abundance of décor, guests do not feel crowded. The tables are relatively small, providing a good atmosphere for either casual or intense undisturbed conversation.

Service is prompt, and waiters are able to recite specialties off of the menu right off the bat. This proves hard because the Spago menu changes 30 percent everyday according to their waiters.
Generally, Spago has a steady amount of business. Waiters believe that during the weekdays it is mostly people bringing their business clientele out to wine and dine. The restaurant can hold about 180 to 200 people at a time.

Attendants serve everyone a cool glass of water, which they refill constantly. Spago sells all the standard drinks and for adults there is a wine list of over 300 wines.

The dinner menu offers 10 appetizers that range from $7-$23 each. Diners can start with a simple vegetable minestrone soup ($7) or opt for the lavish Hudson Valley foie gras, which the menu describes as "seared with grilled peaches, mousse with black mission figs, and terrine with spiced plum puree" ($23).
The marinated heirloom tomatoes with bufala mozzarella ($16) provide a tasty balance between the juicy tomato and soft cheese. The prime steak tartare ($13) comes between two slices of Parmesan and has a strong horseradish flavor. In addition, it is topped off with a raw quail egg. Waiters serve a complimentary watermelon soup after the appetizers are finished to all guests to refresh the palate and open up taste buds for the oncoming main course.

The entrées feature Wolfgang Puck’s "favorite childhood recipes". These are the spicy beef goulash ($20), and the milk-fed veal wienerschnitzel ($28). The wienerschnitzel comes with chopped potatoes seasoned with zesty lemon sauce, which contrasts with the blander breadcrumbs and veal.
Also on the menu is seared yellow fin tuna ($28). This dish is very oriental, with a crisp outside and strong ginger and sesame finish. The prosciutto-wrapped "double thick" pork chops ($26) are tender but the real delight is in the grilled peaches at the side. The grilled prime ribeye steak ($38) is far from ordinary. Topped caramelized onions and broccoli rabe, it also comes with a side of mouth-watering mashed potatoes.

The desserts, which are appropriately titled "Sweet Endings" are all $7.50. The menu offers house made ice creams, sorbets and cookies for those who prefer something simple. For chocolate lovers there is the chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate, which are three different desserts, either incorporating chocolate or covered in it. In addition to that, there is also the delicious, crispy, souffléed chocolate purse. The chocolate purse is a crêpe filled with ganache, a chocolate mixed with heavy cream, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. To offset the rich chocolate, raspberries and sorbet are included.

If the chocolate does not sound appealing, then there are other things such as the warm blueberry crumble cake, eureka lemon cheesecake, espresso crème brulée, and quince and Fuji apple crisp. The apple crisp radiates warmth and when eaten with the vanilla bean ice cream it is served with soothes the mouth. This dessert is a light alternative to the heavy chocolate ones.

The Spago restaurant waiters and chefs pride themselves on giving the highest level of food and service available. With a serene environment, swift service, and delectable cuisine, the restaurant ranks as one of Palo Alto’s best.

Spago Palo Alto is situated on 265 Lytton Street. Reservations can be made at 650-325-9586.