Tag Archives: Peninsula food to go

Where I’ve Been Getting Takeout of Late, Part 11

Camper's version of fried rice will open your eyes and palate.
Camper’s version of fried rice will open your eyes and palate.

Camper, Menlo Park

It still amuses me whenever I read comments from people visiting Camper in Menlo Park for the first time, who expect, well, yes, camping-type food.

While there are S’mores on the menu (albeit a pretty gourmet version), you’re not going to find any canned pork & beans or mounds of trail mix.

Not when Chef-Partner Greg Kuzia-Carmel hails from New York’s Per Se and San Franciso’s Cotogna.

Instead, the name is meant to evoke the great outdoors, as Camper takes its inspiration from the freshest, seasonal local ingredients.

Red lettuce, mustard greens, little gem leaves with green goddess.
Red lettuce, mustard greens, little gem leaves with green goddess.
Maccheroni with pork ragu (top), and chickpea panisse (bottom).
Maccheroni with pork ragu (top), and chickpea panisse (bottom).

That shows from the get-go even with a simple green salad ($14), consisting of an ample amount of fresh mesclun with peppery mustard greens in the mix. Pink peppercorns added pretty color, as well as a crunchy bite of floral heat. House-made Green goddess was the final flourish.

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