Stephen Shelton of The Lexington House in Los Gatos says deciding to go to a takeout model for “The Lex” caused them to shift a bit in thinking about their offerings.
Given that The Lex’s crew is now looking at feeding an entire family, rather than just groups of adults out socializing or celebrating, they had to be creative.
“We wanted to do what was familiar to people and extend that to families, and especially kids,” Shelton says. “So, we’ve added some fun stuff, like Taco Tuesday.”
At the same time, they didn’t want to sacrifice their carefully built reputation for creative, high-end food. Says Shelton, “While we tuned our menu to appeal to a broader range of ages and tastes, we also are doing what we always have done. The Lexington way is to use only quality locally sourced food. We felt it important to maintain our image of quality food and service, along with our whimsical way, just in a to-go version.”
Look for the #StayHome pickup menu on their website, which features burger night on Mondays, chicken dinner on Thursdays and comfort foods on Fridays. The specials change frequently, but regulars are likely to find favorites like mushroom faro bowl served with mushroom confit and chermoula.
The Lex’s takeout offerings include adult beverages, like the popular “From Flowers comes Honey” cocktail, made from gin, lemon juice, Kina Aperitif and honey shrub. Shelton says this is a fan favorite gin-based cocktail that travels well. Also on the to-go menu is the “Professional,” built upon bourbon, sweet vermouth, green Chartreuse and bitters.
Note that cocktails can only be purchased along with a meal. You can also toss a bottle of Sonoma Distilling Company’s cask-strength rye ($75) into your to-go box. Made with cherry wood-smoked grains, only 115 bottles were produced.
The Lex’s chicken dinners are meant to serve three to four people and are offered each Thursday.
“We change up the style each week, but the idea is to offer something that is again familiar, appeals to the kids, but done with integrity, creativity and supports local farms.”
Their favorite dessert right now is something meant to appeal to the whole family: a polenta pound cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, something that travels well as a to-go dessert.
The items The Lex has chosen to feature reflect the restaurant’s effort to not be so stressed about the current predicament.
“This is not the best situation, but at least we have quality food options and are able to still support those businesses in our community we admire and value,” Shelton says. “Again, we are trying to do what we can to survive this crisis, make a little money, but also support our local farmers and those who are philanthropic and who support us.”
The Lexington, at 40 N. Santa Cruz is open for takeout 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Sidecar selling groceries
Sidecar Modern Tavern at 25 E. Main St. in Los Gatos is now open on Wednesdays and Thursdays only for preordered meals, cocktails and even groceries. Proprietor Adam Chick says Sidecar is offering fresh produce and meats provided by his suppliers, like Del Monte and Green Leaf.
“This project has been in the works since the shelter in place started,” Chick says. “People don’t want to risk waiting in line, shopping for items that might be out of stock, and increasing their risk of catching the virus. We want to provide an opportunity to restock your fridge without the risk of going to the grocery store.”
Fresh grocery items available include boxes of organic vegetables (subject to change, but can include onion, carrots, celery, broccolini, fennel, mushroom, potatoes and cucumber) and organic fruit (can include orange, grapefruit, lemons, grapes, apple and blackberries), both $25 per box. Large baguettes and a dozen organic eggs cost $5, a half-gallon of milk $6. Two 10-oz. New York steaks are $20, and four uncooked 6-oz chicken breasts are $12.
Meals are available for two persons for $60, and four people for $120. The family meals include a choice of lamb sliders or homemade gnocchi, vegetable soup or citrus salad, and chicken wings, fries and chocolate chip cookies. Items can be ordered a la carte as well.
All items are 20 percent off the usual menu prices. Bottles of wine are 50 percent off list, so you can score Ramey chardonnay for $35 and locally grown Gali rosé for $25. Mason jar drinks like the John Wick, made with Bulleit bourbon, Pedro X sherry, Carpano Antica (vermouth) and Averna amaro, are $24 per two-person serving.
“We want to help the community and help reduce the risk of spreading the virus, plus we understand that people are putting their lives at stake during this time,” Chick says. “There are a lot of people on the front lines out there that deserve recognition. We want to minimize risk, so we are currently open only two days per week. We’re doing a small part to help.”
Sidecar hours are Wednesday and Thursday, noon-6 p.m. Order online at https://www.sidecar7.com or by phone at 408-399-5180. Orders must be in by 6 p.m. on Monday, although the website does state, “Late orders & drive/walk-ups welcome, subject to availability.”
