Peninsula restaurant scene: Portola Bistro opens in Portola Valley

Portola Valley’s newest restaurant, Portola Bistro, has begun serving up elevated French and Italian-style dishes.

Situated inside the Ladera Country Shopper center, the restaurant occupies the former Portola Kitchen, which closed in March after owner Mike Wallau decided to focus on his other restaurant, Mike’s Diner Bar in Palo Alto. That restaurant subsequently closed in June.

Portola Bistro hosted its grand opening Oct. 10 with a crowd of about 140 people, including many locals who have lived in the community for decades, says restaurant co-owner Dino Tekdemir. He’s hoping they become regulars.

Tekdemir shares ownership with Allen Isik and owns several other Peninsula restaurants, including Anatolian Kitchen in Palo Alto, Barbayani Taverna in Los Altos and Naschmarkt’s two locations in Palo Alto and Campbell.

The new menu offers appetizers such as grilled octopus with squid ink aioli ($22) and ahi tuna tartare ($23); pizzas topped with prosciutto or filet mignon ($24-$26); and mains like double-cooked pork belly ($42) with roasted cauliflower and pear, pumpkin and celery root purée and lobster ravioli ($32) with brown butter sage sauce.

Lunch service is set to start Oct. 15, and an expansion to weekend brunch service is coming soon.

“We are looking to be there forever,” he sayss.

Details: Open from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 3130 Alpine Road in Portola Valley; portolabistro.com.