Indian Food Meets Serious Wine in Menlo Park
Menlo Park Β· Menlo Park Β· Asian, Indian Β· Visit Website β
Reviewed April 12, 2026
Wingman Metrics
A wine list at an Indian restaurant that earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in its first year? That gets our attention immediately. Eylan isn't playing it safe β there's a named sommelier, Alex James Doughty, steering the ship, and the France and California focus signals someone made deliberate choices here rather than just calling a distributor and saying 'send the usual.'
The list leans into two proven pillars β French classics and California heavyweights β which tracks for a Peninsula clientele that knows what it wants and has the budget to get it. You'll find ChΓ’teau Margaux and Domaine Leroy sitting alongside Ridge Monte Bello and Kistler, which tells you Doughty is building for both old-world loyalists and California devotees. The presence of Screaming Eagle and Sassicaia suggests trophy-bottle territory is well covered, though the list's overall size remains modest rather than encyclopedic. What's here is curated with intention; what's missing is the eclectic depth that would push this into true destination-list status.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but with a credentialed sommelier running the program and a Wednesday half-price wine night, there's clearly an active, rotating approach to pours rather than a static laminated card. We'd expect the glass program to reflect the same France-and-California focus as the bottle list β ask Doughty what's open.
Kistler Vine Hill Chardonnay 2021 β $145
Kistler Vine Hill is one of California's benchmark Chardonnays β allocation-only, hard to find retail β and $145 at a restaurant with this level of curation is reasonable for what's in the glass. It's the pick that actually makes sense with Eylan's menu.
Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 2019
Most people scan past a 'Bourgogne Rouge' on a list and assume entry-level filler. When that Bourgogne Rouge is Leroy, you stop scrolling. At $95 it's the most accessible entry point into one of Burgundy's most revered producers β and it'll hold its own against the spiced lamb preparations on the menu.
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
At $2,850 a bottle, Screaming Eagle is a status purchase, not a dining experience. The trophy-wine markup is real, the bottle will be fine, but you're not here to flex β you're here to eat tandoori lamb chops. Save it for the cellar flex at home.
Ridge Monte Bello 2018 + Tandoori Lamb Chops
Monte Bello's structured tannins and earthy, almost old-world character hold up beautifully against the char and spice of the tandoor. It's California Cabernet that actually has the backbone to stand next to bold flavors without getting steamrolled.
Wednesday β Half-price wine night every Wednesday β easily the best time to work through the France and California selections without the full bottle markup sting.
π² The Bottom Line
An Indian restaurant with a Wine Spectator award, a real sommelier, and a Wednesday half-price wine night is exactly the kind of place Raging Wine exists to find. The markups skew steep on the headline bottles, but the program has genuine intention behind it β and that makes all the difference.
Menlo Park Β· Menlo Park Β· American, Californian
Oak + Violet is a solid hotel wine program β not one that'll change how you think about California wine, but one that won't let you down either. Send a friend here if they want familiar labels in a beautiful room; send a wine nerd somewhere with more range.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Menlo Park Β· Menlo Park Β· American
Madera is the real deal β a hotel restaurant wine list that earns its reputation rather than coasting on the address. The markups will sting, but the depth, the curation, and the staff knowledge make this one of the better wine experiences on the Peninsula.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Menlo Park Β· Menlo Park Β· Italian
Che Fico in Menlo Park is the rare Peninsula restaurant where you could spend an entire evening working through the wine list and never feel the urge to leave. Send your friends, especially the ones who think they know Italian wine β this list has something to teach everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lincoln Β· Lincoln Β· Asian, Indian
The Oven is the most surprising wine list in Nebraska and would be a legitimate destination in any city β a kitchen cooking bold, spice-driven food with a sommelier-driven cellar to back it up. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Caymus.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Miami Beach Β· Miami Beach Β· Asian, Indian
JAYA is a serious wine destination wearing a beach hotel's clothes β the cellar is deep, the sommeliers know their stuff, and Wednesday half-price bottles make one of Miami Beach's best lists suddenly accessible. Markup is steep across the board, but if you pick smart, you'll drink very well here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.