Swanky-Looking Indian Restaurant Will Rise in Palo Alto

A new Indian restaurant will rise from the ashes of the Three Seasons, which fell victim to fire last year. Ettan, a venture from first-time restaurateur Ayesha Thapar, is targeting a fall opening at Palo Alto’s 518 Bryant Street space. News of the business was first reported by Palo Alto Online.

Thapar, an entrepreneur with experience in e-commerce and real estate, was motivated to pursue the restaurant to bolster Indian representation in the area’s dining scene. “We hope that the food at Ettan will set a new standard for what is defined as contemporary Indian cuisine,” says Thapar, hinting at a yet-to-be-named chef-partner who will design the menu.

Locally, the standard for contemporary Indian fare is already pretty high. Fashionable Indian dining has found a welcome home in the Bay Area, with Michelin-starred destinations like one-star Rasa in Burlingame, two-star Taj Campton Place in San Francisco, and long-running Michelin bib gourmand pick DOSA in San Francisco. More modern Indian hits in SF proper include Rooh and August 1 Five.

Thapar has spent about half her life in India, but now lives near the forthcoming restaurant with her partner, prominent executive Nikesh Arora. She’s hired Thomas Schoos (Morimoto Napa, Tao Restaurant Las Vegas) to design the space: Renderings show elegant details like trendy hanging plants and lush wallpaper. A full bar and cocktails are on the way, too.

Stay tuned for more as Ettan — Sanskrit for “breath” — gives new life to 518 Bryant Street.

• Downtown restaurant blaze shuts streets [Palo Alto Online]