Pro Bono Café's new sibling deserves to do well Pro Bono Café's new sibling deserves to do well (May 25, 2001)

By Jim Harrington

The old Menlo Park was all about comfortable family restaurants specializing in meat-and-potato dishes that please mom, dad, grandpa and grandma. The new Menlo Park is all about trendy bistros and eateries that serve big-city fusion dishes and wonderfully presented meals that will impress your date and break your wallet.

Along comes Trellis, nestled in a small storefront on El Camino Real near the chic Left Bank and Wild Hare establishments. It's a place that bridges the gap between now and then, and in doing so appeals to both the old guard and the young crowd.

Frankly, Trellis was much needed. The wonderful new Italian restaurant is the child of owner Kurt Ugur and chef Douglas McGraw, the duo behind the successful Café Pro Bono on California Avenue in Palo Alto.

Those familiar with Pro Bono will feel right at home at Trellis. The new eatery shares many similarities with the longtime favorite -- the menu even offers Pro Bono's signature pasta dish, Susan's Downfall. Trellis is a bit more formal and a bit less of a neighborhood hangout, but still quite friendly and personable.

The restaurant is simple but quite attractive, with stone floors and muted colors. There's a small bar by the front door. The main dining room delivers views out to El Camino Real. There is also a back dining room that would be great for special-occasion dining and big parties. The charming Ugur can often be found at the front of the restaurant chatting up customers as they enter the building.

The full bar offers a complete array of finely mixed drinks, including a superb cosmopolitan. The wine list is very nice, with some very reasonably priced California wines. The main courses can be quite filling, so I recommend going with something simple for an appetizer. The steamed Manila clams ($10.50), flavored with wine, lemon and garlic, are a suitable starter. Or go with one of the exceptional salads.

What should you order for a main dish? Well, the answer is simple. If you haven't tried Susan's Downfall ($14.75), order it. But heed the warning: the meal could become your downfall as well.

The dish, which is named for the former owner of Printer's Inc., is simply addictive. The flat cheese ravioli pillows are covered with a winter's blanket of Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheese with toasted almonds and butter. This signature dish is rightfully popular with Pro Bono regulars and Trellis newcomers.

Along that same line, feel comfortable in ordering any of the pasta dishes, including the linguini with porcini mushrooms in cream sauce ($13.50). The pan-seared sea scallop and asparagus risotto ($25) is fabulous.

Not feeling the starch? The meat dishes are also worthwhile. McGraw and his staff do an excellent job with fish entrees, and one should definitely inquire about the seafood specials. The veal chops ($26) are thick and juicy, and paired with pancetta-studded mashed potatoes.

With luck you've left room for dessert and perhaps an after-dinner cognac or single-malt scotch. The restaurant offers a number of adventuresome desserts, like dried fruit compote with vanilla bean ice cream ($7). But I recommend the basic crème caramel ($5), always a great capper to a big meal.

There's little doubt that Ugur and McGraw have another winner with Trellis. The new restaurant deserves the type of run that Café Pro Bono has seen. Both the old and new Menlo Park crowds would appreciate it. Trellis, 1077 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Phone: 326-9028. Hours: dinner, 5-10 p.m., Mon.-Sat.; lunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Mon.-Sat. Closed Sun. Credit cards accepted.