New Restaurant in Palo Alto

From The Chronicle's Inside Scoop:

Let's hope that 632 Emerson St. (near Hamilton) in Palo Alto isn't cursed, too, as Mantra takes over the failed Stoa space. Previously, the location was home to Higashi West.

The California cuisine theme will remain, but instead of vegetarian food, owner Krishan Miglani is creating a California menu with East Asian touches, primarily Indian.

Chef Robert Cibrowski, most recently at the Atlantis in the Bahamas, is ramping up quickly. The restaurant is set to open later this month and serve dinner nightly. His menu will include dishes like braised, fall-off-the-bone short ribs, potato cakes spiced with fenugreek. A tandoor oven installed in the kitchen will turn out dishes such as tandoori roasted quail with huckleberry compote. Entrees will be in the $18 to $26 range.

Heather Koster, who has designed some Kimpton Group projects, has redesigned the interior with tones of rust and gold and a retooled, elegant bar area.

Miglani also owns Zingari (501 Post St., at Mason), an Italian restaurant in San Francisco. This second venture will include new partner Tony Ashwani.