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They were able to seat a group of 6+ without a reservation as long as we got there early. The restaurant is small but very nice and intimate. It's presentable for a first date, business lunch, or a meet up with friends. The high ceilings give the room more air and nice acoustics that feel large, but contained. Servers were very pleasant and attentive and aware of whether we wanted to try individual or family style. The food was great. Very delicate without overdoing any individual flavors. Textures were smooth and creamy. It's definitely an elevated Japanese European take on many dishes. We tried the mentaiko and carbonara. Carbonara was really nice. Then the omurice and hamburger were very solid as well. One tip I would kindly suggest is to set the spoons with the fork and knife at the beginning or to give a spoon with every spaghetti dish, as one came with one and one did not. Many, including myself, prefer to eat spaghetti and nest it on a spoon to avoid splattering on clothes.
This review is for Japanese breakfast. For other foods, see my first review We went to their special Japanese breakfast. It is only on Sunday and you must reserve ( on yelp) in advance. There were about 10 people there-- not full-- because the Japanese breakfast is labor intensive and when they had a full house, diners had to wait too long. Bravo to the place for thinking about the diners' experiences We did not wait long for food At breakfast, one can choose anything from the regular menu AND the special Japanese breakfast. We came for the latter because we do love a Japanese breakfast, featuring a variety of small dishes with proteins and vegetables This came with a small taste of corn soup (10/10) 2 squares of grilled beef and a piece of salmon a small pile of squid -- the squid was very tender and the salmon and beef good Bento box with a large onigiri (can choose filling) Karaage, home fries Beef Pork Konjac in spicy sauce with mushrooms Salad Potato salad Overall this was a nice offering. There really is no other place that does a Japanese breakfast We were celebrating a birthday and the chef sent a caramel miso ice cream with a candle. That was nice and very delicious The green tea is made with a teabag that releases microplastics. I think most people don't care or notice this. Many high end tea brands use the microplastic bags. At any rate when I saw the staff prepping our tea I cancelled our order before the hot water was added. Thanks for understanding my husband ordered coffee and they didn't even charge him for it ( and we did ask about this when we saw it missing from the bill)
This place is so busy! We came for lunch on a weekend and we waited around 2 hours to get seated. If you can come by and put your name down earlier that would be better because they do sell out towards the end of the lunch service. There were a lot of angry customers as well. There system wasn't too hard because you get a text when your table is ready, but everyone was probably getting hungry from waiting. The staff were really nice about it trying to calm people down. I would recommend walking around the downtown area after you've placed your name down. Once we got seated we were told that all pasta were sold out, we got the Tonkatsu Sando and the Chicken Katsu Curry. We really enjoyed both of them. The chicken and pork were really juicy. I don't think I would wait 2 hours again but if you can get a reservation then it would've been better.
Stopped for a weekday lunch. The restaurant wasn't busy, so I was sat quickly. I really enjoy Japanese curry, so I was stuck between the tonkatsu curry and the shabu curry (curry with thinly sliced beef). Since this was my first time at Demi, I went with the classic tonkatsu curry. It came with a side salad with a delicious carrot dressing; the perfect start to my meal. The curry was well-seasoned with a good curry flavor and depth from some sweetness. The potatoes and carrots were well-cooked and not mushy at all. There were plenty of onions which were an excellent accompaniment to the katsu, along with a side of pickled daikon. Unfortunately, the actual style of the tonkatsu was a let down for me. The tonkatsu was thick and hard to chew to at times, partiality from being a non-thinned style and partially from some grisly bits toward the ends that I wish had been trimmed. I think a dish where the protein was integrated with the curry, like the shabu curry I was considering, might be a better match for me. I've also heard really good things about their karaage, which is an option with the curry as well.
Came in on a weekend night and waited about 30 minutes to be seated with no reservation. In short, the food was great but the kitchen takes a long while. Even a single empanada took nearly 40 minutes to get to the table before any main dishes came. It's a very small restaurant and we slowly watched the place clear out as we waited for our food, and even noticed many tables who were seated after us eat first. This place could also use some better dishwashing as we had several dirty dishes we asked the swap out. On the bright side, the servers were super friendly and apologetic. Beef empanada - really flaky, soft on the inside, and unique flavor Pork curry doria - the cheese was the highlight of the plate, as the rest of it was pretty bland Japanese carbonara - only get if you like your spaghetti al dente, as it was definitely on the harder side
Had reservations for Friday night at 7:45pm for a party of 3. The place was small and packed. Despite the reservation, we had to wait an extra 15 minutes before being seated. What we got: - Creamy Shrimp Empanada ~ creamy, savory interior wrapped in flaky buttery crust. Came fresh right out of the oven! - Beef Curry Empanada ~ Very homey curry interior, with a crispy and buttery crust. Came out fresh and steaming. Ours was slightly burnt on top, but still delicious nonetheless! - Yuzu Kosho Peperoncino Pasta ~ Semi-oily from the olive oil, but carries big flavor. Crispy fried garlic adds flavor and texture, while the yuzu kosho cuts through with its bright, tangy flavor. However, the Pasta was too al dente for my liking. - Omurice ~ THE DEMI-GLACE SAUCE! A great balance between buttery, tangy, and tomatoey. The sauce was so good, I had to ask multiple waiters to see if I could figure out the ingredients to the recipe! Highly recommend. All in all, pretty decent. Would return to try their lunch menu!
Came by for dinner the other night and it was a tasty experience. DEMI is an upscale version of the Demiya chain located in the outskirts of Downtown Palo Alto making parking a breeze. The kitchen seemed to be staffed by Japanese and Gaijin's were taking care of the front of the house. Made a reservation and our table was ready upon arrival. There is a ductless air conditioner although it wasn't on and the door was wide open during my visit. The interior was rather cute. Started off with the Japanese milk bread and it was decent. The versions in Japan are better. The whipped butter was on the harder side. The versions in Paris are miles better. The highlight of the meal was the grilled prime yakinuku steak which was extremely flavorful and cooked to a medium rare as requested. Loved how this was served over a bed of carefully curated vegetables. Clientele seemed to be a mix of tech/AI bros along with some boomers. ~$61/head after tax and gratuity for dinner.
We came to celebrate my friend's birthday and the staff were very kind and helpful, they made him feel very special. The place was very small and cozy, they did leave the door open all night which was interesting. A small note we did family style to try everything, and before the dishes came out the server places all the extra utensils for sharing down. This was very considerate but a little overwhelming because we had a bunch of extra silverware on the table. I would recommend placing a few sets down as the dishes are coming out so things can be more organized. Carbonara pasta: 8/10 this was my favorite from the meal! It's not very Japanese though, very creamy and you can taste the egg which is interesting, large portion for sharing Salmon pasta: 6/10 I normally don't like salmon pasta but the sauce was a little watery and tasted a bit bland, large chunks of salmon though Calamari katsu: 7/10 can't really taste the calamari, the breading on it was a little heavy, smaller portion Omurice: 8/10 tasted like ketchup rice Milk bread: 7/10 good bread but not amazing, not sure what butter was paired but it was on the salty side (champagne butter?) Mushroom Empanada: 4/10 we had the beef curry one and shrimp one too I think those were better, the mushroom one just tasted like mushroom and mozzarella cheese that was hardened Soft shell crab katsu: 6/10 dry and breading bad, crab not juicy Yakiniku beef: 7/10 it was ok not amazing, just tasted like marinated beef 6/10 overall for me, it's comparable to GIWA so if you like GIWA you'll like this place. I didn't think the food was amazing, I didn't really taste the Japanese in the pastas, and the food was just okay and not WOW. They did surprise my friend with ice cream for his birthday which was very sweet but it was as we were paying so it was a little awkward. I think Ethel's fancy which is near by is a better choice and around the same price.
We tried Demiya years ago and were excited to hear about Demi by chef Demi Ebara. Demiya: casual Japanese comfort food Demi: refined sit-down Japanese-Western fusion in a more upscale environment The restaurant is very small maybe 10 or so tables but they do take Yelp reservations. Food was good but they do have some kinks to work through as food took awhile to come out.
Demi is a wonderfully spot for a casual lunch. The place isn't very big, but the charm lies in the intimate and cozy environment. I ordered the Mentaiko Cream Pasta (added on a fried egg and Japanese sausages), my partner ordered the Japanese Carbonara (added on mushrooms), and we shared a Creamy Crab Empanada. The empanada is packed with crab meat; both the pastas have are well within expectations of what yoshoku food should taste, a reflection of the chef who moved here from Kyoto. The portions are decent, a rarity among Japanese restaurants in CA. The service was also great, and everyone was so kind. Overall a great brunch/lunch spot that's tucked away at the edge of downtown and the surrounding residential area. Would recommend giving them a try, I know I will!
A new gem in Palo Alto! This spot serves modern Japanese food with classic dishes like chicken katsu, Japanese curry, and omurice and also, more fusion dishes like Japanese empanadas, Japanese carbonara, and mentaiko cream pasta. Right now, the space is small and cozy, with around less than 10 tables for parties of 2-4 people. The space fills up fast right now and you'll have to wait. However, they did mention that they're opening up an outdoor garden soon that will have additional seating. The staff were very friendly. Here's what we ordered: The Pork Curry Empanada had very flaky crust and was packed with a flavorful pork curry. The Mentaiko Cream Pasta was the best bite! The sauce was rich and creamy and the mentaiko flavor really came through. I would absolutely order this again! We also got the Chicken Katsu Japanese Curry. The chicken was juicy and the curry was good, but we weren't fans of the breading on the outside. They also serve Japanese breakfasts in the morning. I'll definitely be back to try that and to see how the new outdoor space adds to the experience!
New Japanese fusion spot in downtown Palo Alto, 1 street north of University and located next to Ike's. Came on a Friday for lunch around 1pm. Place is small, probably 10-12 tables. Had to wait a couple minutes for some people to finish up which was fine. Waiters were good and very informative of menu and letting us know which has been popular to that have given them feedback. My friend wanted a curry dish and I wanted a pasta dish, so we were able to share a little of each for us to try both. My friend ordered the Katsu Curry. Fried chicken katsu over rice and curry sauce with carrot, potato. The chicken was fried well and the chicken wasn't dry. Overall a solid dish. My friend said she enjoyed it and wasn't able to finish as it was too much for her. I ordered the Mentaiko pasta. It was flavorful and wasn't too heavy. It was basically noodles without any protein, so I'd suggest ordering a karaage plate if you're trying to hit your protein goals. The noodles were thin and not chewy and the sauce was light and not too heavy. Overall really good, but not spectacular. I think I'd like to comeback and try the carbonara pasta, karaage and an empanada.
Food was absolutely delicious with great portion sizes. The stars of the meal were the beef curry empanada, japanese carbonara, and the black currant spritz. Though the japanese carbonara did get a little too rich and heavy towards the end. The chicken tonkatsu was fried really well and was not dry at all. The warm milk bread coupled with the miso butter was delectable. Only thing that didn't stand out much was the miso caramel ice cream, felt drowned in the caramel and overly salty for my liking (didn't finish). Service was amazing and staff were friendly and attentive throughout the meal. At one point a bigger table freed up early on in the meal and staff asked if we'd like to move to a bigger table given the items and they helped us move over. Furthermore, we (2) asked if we can split the black currant spritz and the staff was resourceful enough to ask the chef whether they'd be able to (and they did). Phenomenal service and night! Ambiance was a bit loud and the place was a bit small but the food and service more than made up for it.
1 month ago
21 hours ago
Was able to get a reservation a few days in advance and they accommodated us really well. Cute place and everyone was nice. I was a little skeptical of the price at first, but both the omurice and chicken nanban were exceptional. The size of the octopus in the tokoyaki was a bit disappointing though (not enough). The chicken nanban was probably my highlight. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the nanban sauce wasn't too overwhelming, which I liked. Everything was well balanced, and I would come back for the chicken and try other items!! read more
We were quite excited to this new restaurant. Fusion and creative seems to be the theme as of late. When we read through the menu, clearly Japanese themed. We had reservations for a Saturday and we seated once we arrived. The restaurant was quant and clean. It felt like could have fit a few more tables but purposely left it open. Service was great they were attentive and helpful. We ordered a good variety to try the range of their offerings. Though decent, nothing really stood out. Not a back place for a peaceful fusion meal though. read more
They were able to seat a group of 6+ without a reservation as long as we got there early. The restaurant is small but very nice and intimate. It's presentable for a first date, business lunch, or a meet up with friends. The high ceilings give the room more air and nice acoustics that feel large, but contained. Servers were very pleasant and attentive and aware of whether we wanted to try individual or family style. The food was great. Very delicate without overdoing any individual flavors. Textures were smooth and creamy. It's definitely an elevated Japanese European take on many dishes. We tried the mentaiko and carbonara. Carbonara was really nice. Then the omurice and hamburger were very solid as well. One tip I would kindly suggest is to set the spoons with the fork and knife at the beginning or to give a spoon with every spaghetti dish, as one came with one and one did not. Many, including myself, prefer to eat spaghetti and nest it on a spoon to avoid splattering on clothes. read more
This review is for Japanese breakfast. For other foods, see my first review We went to their special Japanese breakfast. It is only on Sunday and you must reserve ( on yelp) in advance. There were about 10 people there-- not full-- because the Japanese breakfast is labor intensive and when they had a full house, diners had to wait too long. Bravo to the place for thinking about the diners' experiences We did not wait long for food At breakfast, one can choose anything from the regular menu AND the special Japanese breakfast. We came for the latter because we do love a Japanese breakfast, featuring a variety of small dishes with proteins and vegetables This came with a small taste of corn soup (10/10) 2 squares of grilled beef and a piece of salmon a small pile of squid -- the squid was very tender and the salmon and beef good Bento box with a large onigiri (can choose filling) Karaage, home fries Beef Pork Konjac in spicy sauce with mushrooms Salad Potato salad Overall this was a nice offering. There really is no other place that does a Japanese breakfast We were celebrating a birthday and the chef sent a caramel miso ice cream with a candle. That was nice and very delicious The green tea is made with a teabag that releases microplastics. I think most people don't care or notice this. Many high end tea brands use the microplastic bags. At any rate when I saw the staff prepping our tea I cancelled our order before the hot water was added. Thanks for understanding my husband ordered coffee and they didn't even charge him for it ( and we did ask about this when we saw it missing from the bill) read more
18 days ago
This place is so busy! We came for lunch on a weekend and we waited around 2 hours to get seated. If you can come by and put your name down earlier that would be better because they do sell out towards the end of the lunch service. There were a lot of angry customers as well. There system wasn't too hard because you get a text when your table is ready, but everyone was probably getting hungry from waiting. The staff were really nice about it trying to calm people down. I would recommend walking around the downtown area after you've placed your name down. Once we got seated we were told that all pasta were sold out, we got the Tonkatsu Sando and the Chicken Katsu Curry. We really enjoyed both of them. The chicken and pork were really juicy. I don't think I would wait 2 hours again but if you can get a reservation then it would've been better. read more
Stopped for a weekday lunch. The restaurant wasn't busy, so I was sat quickly. I really enjoy Japanese curry, so I was stuck between the tonkatsu curry and the shabu curry (curry with thinly sliced beef). Since this was my first time at Demi, I went with the classic tonkatsu curry. It came with a side salad with a delicious carrot dressing; the perfect start to my meal. The curry was well-seasoned with a good curry flavor and depth from some sweetness. The potatoes and carrots were well-cooked and not mushy at all. There were plenty of onions which were an excellent accompaniment to the katsu, along with a side of pickled daikon. Unfortunately, the actual style of the tonkatsu was a let down for me. The tonkatsu was thick and hard to chew to at times, partiality from being a non-thinned style and partially from some grisly bits toward the ends that I wish had been trimmed. I think a dish where the protein was integrated with the curry, like the shabu curry I was considering, might be a better match for me. I've also heard really good things about their karaage, which is an option with the curry as well. read more
Came in on a weekend night and waited about 30 minutes to be seated with no reservation. In short, the food was great but the kitchen takes a long while. Even a single empanada took nearly 40 minutes to get to the table before any main dishes came. It's a very small restaurant and we slowly watched the place clear out as we waited for our food, and even noticed many tables who were seated after us eat first. This place could also use some better dishwashing as we had several dirty dishes we asked the swap out. On the bright side, the servers were super friendly and apologetic. Beef empanada - really flaky, soft on the inside, and unique flavor Pork curry doria - the cheese was the highlight of the plate, as the rest of it was pretty bland Japanese carbonara - only get if you like your spaghetti al dente, as it was definitely on the harder side read more
Had reservations for Friday night at 7:45pm for a party of 3. The place was small and packed. Despite the reservation, we had to wait an extra 15 minutes before being seated. What we got: - Creamy Shrimp Empanada ~ creamy, savory interior wrapped in flaky buttery crust. Came fresh right out of the oven! - Beef Curry Empanada ~ Very homey curry interior, with a crispy and buttery crust. Came out fresh and steaming. Ours was slightly burnt on top, but still delicious nonetheless! - Yuzu Kosho Peperoncino Pasta ~ Semi-oily from the olive oil, but carries big flavor. Crispy fried garlic adds flavor and texture, while the yuzu kosho cuts through with its bright, tangy flavor. However, the Pasta was too al dente for my liking. - Omurice ~ THE DEMI-GLACE SAUCE! A great balance between buttery, tangy, and tomatoey. The sauce was so good, I had to ask multiple waiters to see if I could figure out the ingredients to the recipe! Highly recommend. All in all, pretty decent. Would return to try their lunch menu! read more
Came by for dinner the other night and it was a tasty experience. DEMI is an upscale version of the Demiya chain located in the outskirts of Downtown Palo Alto making parking a breeze. The kitchen seemed to be staffed by Japanese and Gaijin's were taking care of the front of the house. Made a reservation and our table was ready upon arrival. There is a ductless air conditioner although it wasn't on and the door was wide open during my visit. The interior was rather cute. Started off with the Japanese milk bread and it was decent. The versions in Japan are better. The whipped butter was on the harder side. The versions in Paris are miles better. The highlight of the meal was the grilled prime yakinuku steak which was extremely flavorful and cooked to a medium rare as requested. Loved how this was served over a bed of carefully curated vegetables. Clientele seemed to be a mix of tech/AI bros along with some boomers. ~$61/head after tax and gratuity for dinner. read more
We came to celebrate my friend's birthday and the staff were very kind and helpful, they made him feel very special. The place was very small and cozy, they did leave the door open all night which was interesting. A small note we did family style to try everything, and before the dishes came out the server places all the extra utensils for sharing down. This was very considerate but a little overwhelming because we had a bunch of extra silverware on the table. I would recommend placing a few sets down as the dishes are coming out so things can be more organized. Carbonara pasta: 8/10 this was my favorite from the meal! It's not very Japanese though, very creamy and you can taste the egg which is interesting, large portion for sharing Salmon pasta: 6/10 I normally don't like salmon pasta but the sauce was a little watery and tasted a bit bland, large chunks of salmon though Calamari katsu: 7/10 can't really taste the calamari, the breading on it was a little heavy, smaller portion Omurice: 8/10 tasted like ketchup rice Milk bread: 7/10 good bread but not amazing, not sure what butter was paired but it was on the salty side (champagne butter?) Mushroom Empanada: 4/10 we had the beef curry one and shrimp one too I think those were better, the mushroom one just tasted like mushroom and mozzarella cheese that was hardened Soft shell crab katsu: 6/10 dry and breading bad, crab not juicy Yakiniku beef: 7/10 it was ok not amazing, just tasted like marinated beef 6/10 overall for me, it's comparable to GIWA so if you like GIWA you'll like this place. I didn't think the food was amazing, I didn't really taste the Japanese in the pastas, and the food was just okay and not WOW. They did surprise my friend with ice cream for his birthday which was very sweet but it was as we were paying so it was a little awkward. I think Ethel's fancy which is near by is a better choice and around the same price. read more
2 months ago
We tried Demiya years ago and were excited to hear about Demi by chef Demi Ebara. Demiya: casual Japanese comfort food Demi: refined sit-down Japanese-Western fusion in a more upscale environment The restaurant is very small maybe 10 or so tables but they do take Yelp reservations. Food was good but they do have some kinks to work through as food took awhile to come out. read more
13 days ago
Demi is a wonderfully spot for a casual lunch. The place isn't very big, but the charm lies in the intimate and cozy environment. I ordered the Mentaiko Cream Pasta (added on a fried egg and Japanese sausages), my partner ordered the Japanese Carbonara (added on mushrooms), and we shared a Creamy Crab Empanada. The empanada is packed with crab meat; both the pastas have are well within expectations of what yoshoku food should taste, a reflection of the chef who moved here from Kyoto. The portions are decent, a rarity among Japanese restaurants in CA. The service was also great, and everyone was so kind. Overall a great brunch/lunch spot that's tucked away at the edge of downtown and the surrounding residential area. Would recommend giving them a try, I know I will! read more
A new gem in Palo Alto! This spot serves modern Japanese food with classic dishes like chicken katsu, Japanese curry, and omurice and also, more fusion dishes like Japanese empanadas, Japanese carbonara, and mentaiko cream pasta. Right now, the space is small and cozy, with around less than 10 tables for parties of 2-4 people. The space fills up fast right now and you'll have to wait. However, they did mention that they're opening up an outdoor garden soon that will have additional seating. The staff were very friendly. Here's what we ordered: The Pork Curry Empanada had very flaky crust and was packed with a flavorful pork curry. The Mentaiko Cream Pasta was the best bite! The sauce was rich and creamy and the mentaiko flavor really came through. I would absolutely order this again! We also got the Chicken Katsu Japanese Curry. The chicken was juicy and the curry was good, but we weren't fans of the breading on the outside. They also serve Japanese breakfasts in the morning. I'll definitely be back to try that and to see how the new outdoor space adds to the experience! read more
3 months ago
New Japanese fusion spot in downtown Palo Alto, 1 street north of University and located next to Ike's. Came on a Friday for lunch around 1pm. Place is small, probably 10-12 tables. Had to wait a couple minutes for some people to finish up which was fine. Waiters were good and very informative of menu and letting us know which has been popular to that have given them feedback. My friend wanted a curry dish and I wanted a pasta dish, so we were able to share a little of each for us to try both. My friend ordered the Katsu Curry. Fried chicken katsu over rice and curry sauce with carrot, potato. The chicken was fried well and the chicken wasn't dry. Overall a solid dish. My friend said she enjoyed it and wasn't able to finish as it was too much for her. I ordered the Mentaiko pasta. It was flavorful and wasn't too heavy. It was basically noodles without any protein, so I'd suggest ordering a karaage plate if you're trying to hit your protein goals. The noodles were thin and not chewy and the sauce was light and not too heavy. Overall really good, but not spectacular. I think I'd like to comeback and try the carbonara pasta, karaage and an empanada. read more
11 days ago
Food was absolutely delicious with great portion sizes. The stars of the meal were the beef curry empanada, japanese carbonara, and the black currant spritz. Though the japanese carbonara did get a little too rich and heavy towards the end. The chicken tonkatsu was fried really well and was not dry at all. The warm milk bread coupled with the miso butter was delectable. Only thing that didn't stand out much was the miso caramel ice cream, felt drowned in the caramel and overly salty for my liking (didn't finish). Service was amazing and staff were friendly and attentive throughout the meal. At one point a bigger table freed up early on in the meal and staff asked if we'd like to move to a bigger table given the items and they helped us move over. Furthermore, we (2) asked if we can split the black currant spritz and the staff was resourceful enough to ask the chef whether they'd be able to (and they did). Phenomenal service and night! Ambiance was a bit loud and the place was a bit small but the food and service more than made up for it. read more
1 month ago
This place is so good. I tried two empanadas and the herb chicken flavor is so good. The contrast between the flaky crust and the soft chicken makes it so hard not to get. The beef one has japanese curry inside and it has a strong scent of curry but not that potent of spice. The chicken karaage was pretty solid too. This was one of the first times that i ate karaage and didnt need the mayo. The hamburg was sweet and savory, the carbonara was rich and creamy. The combination of the two was so hard to beat. I highly recommend this place. read more
23 days ago
The owner is the best Food was amazing! Everyone there was friendly and attentive. Seats are cozy, bathroom super clean, You can easily make a reservation online. read more
The food is shockingly sweet. The presentation is beautiful but the ginger pork tasted like candied pork and the mentaiko pasta also tasted sugary with not enough mentaiko for my taste. Ive never had Japanese food taste so sweet before so i was shocked. The table next to us also commented on how sweet the food tasted. Its a pity, its a gorgeous resultant but they do need to fine-tune the taste of the dishes imo. read more
1 month ago
Japanese comfort food and a good-very good level. Went here on a Sunday evening with reservations. Seated right away, waters came quickly and the server was very helpful in pointing out their most popular dishes. Here's how I would grade what we ordered: Takoyaki: B+ Furikake Steak Fries: B+ Pork Curry Empanada: B Omurice: A- Cabonara: A- Corn: B+ Monaka Matcha: A- Yuzu Sorbet (tended toward ice cream): B Overall solid food and well prepared. Portions were of decent size so you won't come away hungry. The decor is nice, not high end. Prices aren't the lowest in town, but the quality makes it worth the price. We'll be back to try some other dishes. read more
12 days ago
Drop by Demi for lunch with my wifey. The interior is quite modern with big windows, very bright and cozy with nice color decor. For lunch, I have ordered Karaage Curry and iced latte. Before the entree serve, we have the salad which is nicely served as a start. I like the Karaage chickens that fried pretty well (crunchy) and still keep moist inside along with delicious curry sauce. May come back for more. read more
This concept is really unique and I'm happy that Palo Alto gets its share of western-style Japanese food. We got seated about 45 min after we showed up, and by the time we ordered half the menu had run out so I'm sad we didn't get to try everything we wanted to (for reference, we got seated around 1pm). The staff are incredibly friendly though and very helpful. I think the chicken empanada was my favorite, though it was $9 each. read more
Cute Japanese restaurant that's in soft opening, one block away from University Ave. Their soft opening lunch menu has quite a few options, ranging from Japanese empanadas to pasta. We opted for their omurice and Japanese carbonara, and it didn't disappoint! The lunch set came with a house salad and potato salad that were both tasty. The omurice had a fluffy egg with a really good gravy sauce over it. The carbonara was creamy without being heavy, with a unique corn-taste to it that reminded me of corn portage soup. Both were really good dishes that we wouldn't hesitate to order again. Good service and ambiance. Highly recommend giving them a try! read more
2 months ago
Great food, great service, great ambiance. They are in soft open phase, and it's already getting busy as diners seek out this gem and come back for more. Tried dinner menu, will also try Japanese breakfast and lunch menu, soon. read more
1 month ago
Decided to check out this spot for dinner after strolling around ikea and it did not disappoint. I would definitely come back again-every dish tasted so delicious Milk bread-the bread was soft, fluffy and warm. The butter that came with it was light and flavorful Beef curry empanada-nice and flaky crust with curry beef toppings inside that weren't too over powering Shishito peppers-perfectly salted, one of the better shishito pepper dishes i have ever tasted Pork & shimeji curry doria- I wasnt too sure what to expect for this but it was rich in flavor and had a great creamy texture. Too much cheese for my preference but otherwise, this dish was crafted really well Chicken katsu-chicken was tender and moist, the batter was crispy, not thick at all. The house dipping sauce it comes with was insanely delicious that we had to order a second sauce. Servers were all nice and attentive. Really loved the vibe here! It's a small, cozy spot with a beautiful interior that feels stylish but still relaxed and approachable. read more
2 months ago
Food , service and space were great. Ordered the chicken curry it was good but it was too expensive considering there are other options out there so it's a one and done for me. read more
3 months ago
i was unexpectedly in palo alto for the day and visited for lunch. demi is a yoshoku restaurant located in the old poke one location. front of house is helmed by two personable waiters and quality is pretty good. liked both the carbonara and the katsu curry. carbonara could use a bit more pepper but the rest of it is very by the book -- al dente spaghetti, clingy cream sauce, shimeji mushrooms, and a hint of dashi. katsu is well fried with a nice fat cap, curry has more depth than expected. overall pleasant spot, they seem very geared towards business lunches read more
2 months ago
Ordered the carbonara, pork katsu, and empanada and the food was great! It did take a while to come out but understandable since they're just opening and are ramping up. Our servers were amazing and super friendly! The one negative thing - there is an older tall employee (not sure if he was a supervisor but he was sure acting like one) that was very off-putting. First of all when we walked in, he said there would be a 2 hour wait and that there was a waitlist but he wouldn't help us get on the waitlist... and after talking with another employee (a lady that was very helpful) it turns out there was indeed a table available for us to sit immediately. I brushed it off assuming he must have just been occupied with the busy dinner crowd, but during the entire dinner I can hear him micromanaging the other servers (who were super amazing and didn't need to be micromanaged) and making demeaning comments to them. Please remember... it's not only the customers that deserve respect, but also your peers as well! read more
1 month ago
Food was very good. My wife calls it comfort food. We had omurice, pork empanada and menchi katsu burger. We'll be back to try their curry dishes and other lunch plates. Service was very attentive. We had one mishap with our empanada but the servers were right there and made things right. Best to make reservations or it'll be a wait if you drop in. Very casual ambiance. read more
2 months ago
We had to go after looking at the menu. There are few yoshoku restaurants in the Bay Area so we were excited to see a variety of traditional and creative interpretations of western style menu items. We decided that it was worth the hour and half wait but were startled to get a text saying our place in line was canceled. Luckily we were already in front of the restaurant and the front desk person straightened out the problem right away. I haven't seen a doria selection here so was excited to order the pork and mushroom curry version. We decided to split it and the very popular omurice. Luckily during our wait we had plenty of time to make menu selections and ordered right away. Two other groups had to wait quite a bit before their orders were taken. Alas after all this wait both dishes were underwhelming. They were too plain and I found the taste of the omurice sauce off-putting. I wanted a proper rich demiglace sauce for this dish. I am glad Demi is doing so well right now and introducing people to these types of dishes.i hope they develop their flavors more as the insane rush of customers die down. read more
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My group loved everything that we ordered! Everything was seasoned well, nothing was too overbearing. The House Salad was a delightful surprise and tasted amazing! The service was impeccable, checking up on us frequently to make sure everything was ok and that we had the necessary utensils. It can get pretty busy around noon but the wait time wasn't too bad. Definitely coming back read more
2 months ago
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