Protégé

#taste - 5/5#portion size - 4/5#service - 5/5#value - 4/5#recommendation(s) - I would order the chicken if you're going for portion size value. My friends are big fans of the caviar if you want something delicious and more on the uncommon side.#like - the service was great. I definitely felt like I was being taken care of without feeling like I was spending an exorbitant amount of money. At this price point I wouldn't normally give 5 stars but acknowledging that it is a high end restaurant, I think the value is reasonable. I enjoyed every dish so I'm not sure you can go wrong here.#dislike - it's not so much a dislike but I felt the desserts were average. I get that there is the concept of trying to be more unique but for the menu I had, I didn't have a dessert that wow'ed me like the appetizers and entrees did.

Tonight my date and I REALLY enjoyed the Vday menu until toward the end... I politely asked one of the waitress if it was possible for the chef to sign the Vday menu. She said she will ask the chef and took my menu. She returned by saying "he's a bit busy right now as he's still working on service so it might be a moment" but he's aware of signing the menu. So with that said, I waited patiently while drinking the rest of my cocktail. I waited with my date for 10+ minutes. He asked the waitress again as it's been awhile. She replied back with the same answer as previously. So, we decided to just leave after paying the bill. I wanted the chef's signature on the menu as I wanted to keep it as memory as my date and I had an awesome time and experience.For a 1 star Michelin restaurant in the PA. I was expecting more of a considerate waitress and chef.

We came here for Valentine's Day and they had a preset menu. We sat at the bar and Dani was amazing. I highly recommend sitting at the bar as Dani was so personable (depends on the setting you want) We enjoyed every aspect of our meal. The menu:PROTÉGE RESERVE CAVIAR - delicious (other favorite dish) who doesn't love caviar?MT. LASSEN TROUT ROULADE - delicious flavors WINTER SQUASH & RICOTTA RAVIOLI - one of my favorites as it had fresh shaved truffles on it - who doesn't love truffles?A5 WAGYU RIBEYE - delicious TRES LECHES GATEAU - decentThe bread and butter were another highlight - who doesn't love butter and carbs :)Service was exceptional from the hostess to the bartender to the wait staff. Thanks for a great Valentine's Day!

Incredible experience here. Service was excellent. Food was exceptional. Ambiance is calm, moody and comfortable. We had so many wonderful dishes. Every dish was exquisite. The dishes I will add are fairly rich, even some of the starters like the crab and caviar. However they all leave you wanting more.

Not particularly impressed by this 1 star. Feels like a regular restaurant instead of a Michelin tasting experience. Food were ALL super heavy/ rich/ creamy. Wish there was a palate cleanser mixed in. We were so full we skipped the dessert.

We had an amazing experience at Protégé! The service was top notch and all of the food was extremely tasty. The portions are pretty small but all of the prices were pretty decent except for the steak. 2 pieces of steak for $135 is a bit extreme. But the rice that comes with the steak was my favorite so it made up for it! You should definitely check this place out for a special occasion! Just make sure to make a reservation well in advance.

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday. It was a very cute place, the tables are a bit small but they are spaced out so you still feel like there's a lot of room. I was automatically greeted happy birthday from the host and server. It was our first time here and the server gave us recommendations as well as how much should be ordered between the both of us. They continuously table touched as well as giving us new plates and silverware throughout our whole meal. The duck confit was my absolute favorite and one of the best ones I've tried! The octopus was crispy on the outside and tender in the inside. Everything was fresh and every bite left me wowed! Our drinks took awhile to come out but our server made sure to get it when notified. I had a wonderful experience- it's a great date spot and would love to go again to try the other items!

We visited the restaurant for a friend's birthday and had a lovely experience overall. The service was excellent--friendly, attentive, and made us feel well taken care of throughout the meal.Oyster: The ponzu was nice and refreshing, giving the oyster a bright, balanced flavor.Crab and Caviar: This was my favorite of the appetizers. Unexpectedly creamy but perfectly balanced with the caviar, giving it a wonderfully seafoody flavor. The bottom of the egg with the crab was a bit less exciting, but still enjoyable.Lobster Chip: The chip was very fragrant, though I couldn't taste the wasabi. I liked the pop of the roe, but overall, it was a bit too salty for my taste.Spanish Octopus with Artichoke and Panisse: The octopus was very tender and well executed, pairing nicely with the romesco and olives. Well executed, but not a standout. Nice to see panisse since I don't see it very often.Ricotta Dumplings: The cheese was quite strong. The tomato was critical in cutting through the cheesiness. It was good overall but nothing too memorable.Brick Chicken: My favorite dish of the night! I saw all the rave reviews for this dish and was a bit skeptical. I'm glad I tried it anyway! The chicken was crispy on the top and tender inside. I'd never had Fideuà before, but the noodles were able to incorporate the other ingredients well, carrying the flavor without a problem. It was also able maintain its distinct texture even though it was quite saucy.Duck: Incredibly soft - you didn't even need a knife. The chimichurri added a lovely brightness, though the meat itself was a bit heavily seasoned. The beans and corn didn't stand out as much, but I suppose their role was to help with the saltiness.Apple Pie: I think my expectations were a bit too high. I think apple pie really comes down to personal preference. The apples had a bit of bite, which was surprising. For me, it was a little too sweet. The crème fraîche ice cream was an interesting addition, though!Candy Cap Mushroom ice cream: This had a really intense, rich, malty flavor with a strong umami hit, almost reminiscent of pork floss (a comparison my dining companions found odd, but I stand by it!). However, the flavor was so intense that it was hard to finish. I think it could've benefited from another element with a texture and flavor variant to break up the heaviness.Conclusion: My favorite dish was definitely the chicken, with the crab and caviar as a close second. Overall, a wonderful meal with great service, though a few dishes were a bit too salty or too sweet for my lighter palate.I usually feel that the appetizers are where intriguing and creative dishes shine, but for this meal, it was the entrées that stood out.

Good luck finding street parking on a busy street.We were greeted immediately and told our reservation deposit was refunded. We selected a la carte dining experience. We were seated quickly.Inside the place is kinda dark. I had to turn on my phone light to be able to read the menu.The server was excellent and knew the menu will enough to explain to me how items were cooked.The bathroom was clean.The food was good. I liked the crab with caviar. Octopus was cooked well as it was so tender. The duck was tender and the beef Pithivier special had tons of flavor. We liked the beef more than the duck.We could have passed on the ricotta dumplings. The truffles shaved on top is the only thing that made the dumplings special. I liked the ice cream. While you can taste the ice cream was well made I wasn't able to really taste that there was brown butter in it. I felt like the chef tried too hard to be with the current trend using brown butter in desserts.Beware when you ask for still water, they don't ask you in advance or tell you they will charge you bottle/glass water. This is Palo Alto, tap water is just as safe to drink.The drinks were good, but pretty steep price.Also beware they pass on the health benefits for their employees to the customers.No regrets. Had to try it once.

Had a wonderful experience at Protégé this weekend! We celebrated my birthday - and it was a fantastic all around experience!Food Highlights: - Crab and Caviar: amazing! This was by far my favorite dish of the night. It was a perfect blend of creaminess paired with the saltiness of the caviar and the perfect amount of crab. It was also warm and cozy.- Ricotta dumplings: my second favorite dish, which I did not expect. The little mushrooms were the perfect addition to the dish and added almost a crunchiness against the smooth ricotta filling.- Brick Chicken: this was a larger portion than I expected and was the perfect blend of saltly, crunchy skin and then a juicy tender chicken. The lettuce was also a delicious touch and added a refreshing crunchy burst.Drinks:- the "Goose got me loose" was a fruity and refreshing drink! The frozen yogurt-filled gooodeberry was also the perfect touch.Service: hands down amazing! Fork the second we walked in the door the staff was attentive and warm. We also got some special on the house dishes from the chef which made the entire experience so special and memorable.