80 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} Seeking an out-of-thisworld meal? Take a seat at a space-themed dinner, where a rocketship rises from the center of the table and waiters in navy NASA jackets serve up a five-course tasting menu, ferrying over pan-seared scallops and herb-crusted racks of lamb. As for dessert? Cookies decorated like Mercury, Jupiter and Earth with an ice cream moon on a dish glittering with silver stars. After the meal, migrate outside for cocktails and views through the UNISTELLAR, a smart telescope linked to an app that repositions itself based on what star or planet you select. It’s all part of the immersive NASA Dining Experience at Roger, a restaurant within Mountain View’s Ameswell Hotel. Both the hotel and restaurant are flight-themed, inspired by their proximity to the NASA Ames Research Center a mile away. Roger doesn’t treat its menu like an afterthought with a captive audience, but instead makes itself a refuge for travelers and a gathering place for locals who come for comedy nights, jazz brunches and other events. The executive chef here shares Ameswell’s same trajectory of reaching for the stars. “I was fortunate in life, in that I've always had a passion,” reflects chef Chad Bayless. “I've always had something that's motivating me.” Early in life, that was judo. Competing internationally, Chad set his sights on the Olympics. But when an
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