![Diners enjoy brunch outside Hatched in Town & Country Village on Saturday morning. The restaurant, which opened in January, is Palo Alto’s second Hatched location and focuses on egg-centric breakfast and lunch options in an area that previously lacked breakfast spots. Manager Craighton Poon said the restaurant has been well-received by the community. “People are receiving us [Hatched] really, really good and it’s pretty busy every day,” Poon said.](https://chompmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/IMG_1052-1200x800.jpg)
The aroma of sizzling spices and fresh citrus aromas welcomes you into the newest restaurant at Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village. With their original location in San Francisco, the new American and cocktail bar Horsefeather opened its Palo Alto location on June 27.
Nestled between The Stanford Shop and Sushi House, warm, shining lights glow from Horsefeather’s entrance, enticing passing visitors to take a look.
The restaurant’s interior has a contemporary feel with textured gold decor, while keeping it rustic and cozy with wood panel detailing. The softly lit cocktail bar offers a substantial space, hosting a comfortable atmosphere between bartenders and diners. Lively diners were comfortably spaced in various seating arrangements, from booths to high tables.
General manager Ana Maria Vasquez said Horsefeather has been heavily influenced by Mexican and Asian cuisines, with its most popular dishes being the Korean crispy wings, miso linguini, fried chicken and cochinita pibil tacos.
“Every item has something unique,” Vasquez said. “It has the touch of our chef, Johanna Frégoso Ruiz, who is inspired by her Mexican background, which she added to the menu.”
According to Vasquez, its dishes contain fragrant, cultural spices that are recognized by its customers.
“The Korean crispy wings have kimchi in them, and a lot of people with Asian backgrounds will taste it and recognize the flavor,” Vasquez said. “The cochinita pibil tacos contain chiote paste, which is a specific flavor used in Mexico that gives the flavor for the braised pork.”
Bartender Juliana Martinez said that challenges have been around figuring out how to cater to customers.
“With any new restaurant opening, the challenge is to create an environment and a space where everyone wants to come,” Martinez said, “We’ve been changing the way we do certain things or how we say certain things. That way, we can kind of create an environment that is welcoming and makes people want to come back.”
Unfortunately, according to Vasquez, the restaurant has been struggling with business during the daytime for its brunch and lunch services, but is hopeful now that students are back in school to bring more customers in.
“We’re going to have a new menu for students, like sandwich options,” Vasquez said. “I feel like that’s gonna bring more people for the morning, but I feel like the challenge was for people to know that we’re here.”
Vasquez explained that Horsefeather sources ingredients from local vendors, reflecting the owners’ commitment to supporting nearby businesses.
Duck Fat Fries ($11)
The appetizer Vasquez calls “a must try for first timers” was umami-seasoned and crispy French fries topped with white and powdery duck fat snow—duck fat that has been rendered into a snowy texture — served with a side of curried ketchup. Our first bite was one of many, as we couldn’t stop eating the delectable snack. The salty-sweet seasoning mixed perfectly with the robust flavor of the ketchup, a tasty combination of familiar spice and tomato condiment we’d never had before. Although delicious, there was a lack of the dish’s main highlight: duck fat. Despite that, the other savory flavors provided a perfect harmony for our taste buds.
Jumbo prawn tacos ($23) — sauteed with tumeric & cayenne, melted havarti, salsa verde, pickled onion
Jumbo Prawn Tacos ($23)
Our first few bites of the tacos were perfect. The dish had tart flavor from the squeeze of a lime, meaty from the fresh jumbo prawns and just a touch of spice from the salsa roja. The fresh guacamole and tanginess of lime balanced the prawn’s saltiness. The cilantro and pickled onion garnish made for refreshing aftertastes. However, as we made our way to the middle of the tacos, we found it hard to finish as the tortilla was too doughy for our palates. Overall, the tacos were delicious with a homemade feel, but there could have been a better balance of filling to dough.
Miso Linguini ($26)
Our favorite dish of the night arrived with the delicious aroma of dashi and miso cream. Topped with crispy nori, spinach, cherry tomatoes, wild mushrooms, and a ring of lemon chive oil, this pasta dish had us wanting more with each bite. From its colorful and inviting presentation to the delicate noodles, we were pleasantly surprised that each ingredient could be distinctly tasted. The only concern we have is the amount of spices and sauce that made the sauce perhaps saltier than needed. Despite this, the noodles were worth the price and an evident highlight of the restaurant’s Asian-fusion cuisine.
Chocolate Cake with Fig Ganache ($13)
The perfect finale to our Sunday night meal — a chocolate cake served with chocolate chantilly cream, pomegranate ganache, charred fresh figs, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, and blueberries. We were expecting a heavy, dense dish as online pictures resembled a molten lava cake, but we were pleasantly surprised when we took our first bites and were met by a light, fluffy dessert. The fresh fruits provided a refreshing counter to the bittersweet chocolate, balancing out the sweetness. The whipped chantilly cream and crunchy pomegranate seeds were a texture combination we’d recommend dessert-lovers to try.
The costly dishes make the restaurant not the most affordable option for students, more to be reserved for special night outs or family dinners. Despite this, Horsefeather’s modern atmosphere and fresh dishes have us excited for future visits. The service was swift, and we recommend it as your next brunch, lunch, or dinner destination if you love fusion flavors with a modern twist.
