Parcel 104 is a stellar example of the direction modern cuisine has gone toward organic and sustainable food, with local seasonal ingredients taking center stage. Under the direction and ownership of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Bradley Ogden, Parcel 104 is at the forefront of contemporary American dining, with a standard nothing short of excellence.
Executive Chef Robert Sapirman handcrafts the daily menu by exploring his backyard for the very best seasonal items, with area farms providing everything from persimmons to porcinis. Sapirman cultivates his relationships with these farms as carefully as they raise their produce, ensuring a long-lasting partnership between the restaurant and the growers. The fruit of the farms’ labor is presented to diners nightly in winning combinations of vegetables, seafood and meat.
“The items available in each season are natural pairs for one another,” Sapirman explains. He expertly crafts appetizers and entrees in which the raw materials—fresh from land or sea—coalesce to create vibrant flavors for an unparalleled gastronomic experience.
Master sommelier Randall Bertao’s award-winning wine list further complements Parcel 104’s food pairings. The extensive choices of wines from around the world by the glass, bottle or in wine flights, ensure the ideal accompaniment, with several sommeliers always available to aid in selections.
The dinner menu offers three courses, with optional oyster, antipasti and cheese services. For a truly indulgent evening, a weekend-only Chef’s menu offers a six-course journey through the farmland of California.
In the autumn, starters might include local organic beets with horseradish-spiked celery root, Mount Shasta mushrooms with smoked cheddar mac-n-cheese and crunchy shallots, or foie gras from Sonoma, served with chestnut bread pudding. Entrees then build upon the unforgettable flavors of the appetizers, as gamey meats and succulent seafood mingle with Meyer lemons, brussel sprouts, organic apples and Valencia oranges. Diver scallops sit atop sweet potato “risotto,” complemented by lentil fritters and hazelnut brown butter; the all-natural Kansas City Steak comes with a twice-baked huckleberry potato and baby spinach.
Pastry Chef Carlos Sanchez’s trio desserts are an irresistible draw all on their own, which is why they’re also served at the kitchen counter—even by Sanchez himself on weekdays. Chocolate abandons its usual form of cake; instead the eternal sweet ending makes its appearance as pot de crème, churros, hot cocoa and ice cream. Other combinations highlight the season, such as the “Fall” dessert which includes pumpkin pie, cinnamon brûlée and a “ratatouille” à la mode (a combination of seasonal picks which are cooked and caramelized); in the summer, expect variations on the theme of strawberries. After all, what’s in season is always on the menu at Parcel 104.
— Christine Zumba
LOCATION:
Santa Clara Marriott
2700 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara
MORE INFO / RESERVATIONS:
(408) 970-6104
www.parcel104.com
HOURS:
Breakfast: Mon-Fri, 6-11; Sat & Sun, 7-11.
Lunch: Mon-Fri, 11:30-2.
Dinner: Mon-Sat, 5:30-9.
Indulgence menu available Friday and Saturday only.
