Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly and Executive Chef Anthony Secviar may have earned a Michelin star at Protege only nine months after opening it on California Avenue in Palo Alto.
But for the two, who met at Michelin three-starred The French Laundry, learning from mentors and striving for excellence never stops. Hence the name of their restaurant, which opened in 2018. It’s also the reasoning behind the name of their new wine and cocktail bar that opens on Thursday just across the street.
You might say that Underdog is their spirit animal.
“We’re both from blue-collar areas. I grew up in Cleveland, and Anthony grew up in Indiana,” Kelly says. “The name is a nod to being in the trenches, and doing the work each and every day.”
They have leaned heavily into the name and concept, too, as I discovered when I was invited in for a sneak peek a few days before the official opening.
Framed photos hang on the walls of an eclectic assortment of underdogs from history — from Rosa Parks to Rocky Balboa to the classic cartoon character, Underdog, himself, decked out in his flowing blue cape. The bartenders and servers are dressed in black Underdog jerseys, too.
It’s the type of place where you instantly feel cool the moment you walk in. It’s as if you just stepped into a fashionable bar-lounge in Tokyo or London or Melbourne rather than the burbs. It’s dark and sultry yet with loads of whimsy. It’s also very noisy once it gets crowded. But then again, what bar with energy isn’t?
There are Hi-Balls made with tequila, shochu or Japanese whisky, as well as a few traditional cocktails on the menu, along with select sake, beer, and wine. Look for shave ice-type cocktails to debut in spring. Bar Underdog is also working on canned cocktails for customers to enjoy on the premises or to-go.
The house cocktails ($18) are not to be missed, with their balanced yet intense flavors plus pun-loving names.
The vodka-based “XXX” is tangy with passion fruit and whey, and gets a hint of creaminess from vanilla. It comes garnished with a tiny spoon holding Champagne pearls.
The “Chilly Wonka” is smoky and caramel tasting from scotch and piloncillo with a touch of tamarind. It comes with an “everlasting orb,” a sphere of ice that is coated in coca butter so that it keeps your drink cold but doesn’t dilute it because it never melts. How cool is that?
With a wink and a nod, one of the bartenders handed us another cocktail, saying “You should try it.” When we asked what it was, he repeated, “You should try it,” because that’s actually its name. Served in an elegant fluted glass, it’s tangy and herbaceous with a mix of armangac, soursop, maraschino, and sorrel.
The snacks menu may be compact, but each item is executed with aplomb and finesse. After all, this is the team behind a Michelin-starred restaurant across the street. At Underdog, it’s Chef Daniel Ly, who brings an izakaya background, overseeing the kitchen that is not much larger than one found inside a small house.
Korean corn-cheese puffs ($8) arrive hot and crisp with the sweetness of corn, heat from pickled jalapeno, and the cheese pull of smoked mozzarella. It’s as if you fried a tiny cream puff that was filled with the flavors of Korean street food inside.
The kitchen sent out the burdock and carrot dip ($12), knowing that a lot of people might not readily order it, thinking it too hippy-dippy. It is far from that. It has the velvety texture of chicken liver mousse — while being vegetarian. It’s earthy and savory, and gets a hint of heat from togarashi, along with crunch from fried sprouted lentils over the top. It’s served with thick slices of sesame-crusted bread with a moist, chewy crumb.
Tuna tartare, with its precise dice of ahi, avocado and curls of scallions, is beautiful to behold. It tastes even better with its seasoning of plum miso, accentuating its natural umami. The chips are light and airy, kind of like the more sophisticated cousin of prawn chips. They taste of sweet onions, making you wonder why all onion chips can’t taste like this.
Shumai (four for $20) are a must-order. Filled with Wagyu, they may very well be the juiciest and richest tasting ones I’ve ever had. They get finished with pickled mustard seeds and hot chili oil, so you never ever miss the soy sauce.
Fried chicken ($16) gets dredged lightly in mochiko sweet rice flour, then fried to an irresistibly deep crunch. You taste five spice and feel the tingle of Sichuan pepper, as you dip a piece into the accompanying Kewpie mayo blended with Japanese chili paste, and reach for another piece and another.
Of the two desserts offered, we went with the Rice Krispie treats ($8 for two pieces) made with yuzu and raspberry, with their bottoms dipped into fruity white chocolate. The taste is like your two childhood favorite cereals rolled into one bite: Rice Krispies and Fruity Pebbles.
The bar is open Monday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Happy Hour is Monday, Thursday, and Friday, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will also be snack and cocktail specials on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., to coincide with the Palo Alto Farmers’ Market on California Avenue.
Itching to feel like one of the cool kids in town? It’s as easy as grabbing a seat at the bar at Underdog.
More: Enjoying the Tasting Menu In the Dining Room at Protege
