66 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM happy free spirit.” Bistro Vida upholds a traditional European atmosphere with rich red paint and a parklet enrobed in crimson curtains, while Loretta exudes dark feminine flair with black and burgundy tilework, moody floral wallpaper and bold glass bubble chandeliers. The cocktails, garnished with marigolds and hibiscus flowers, rival their surroundings with eye-catching presentation. On the Grateful Dead-themed menu, drinks range from Brokedown Palace, made with gin, grapefruit and sherry, to Ali’s personal favorite, Mexicali Blues, with tequila, cucumber, serrano, ginger and lime. Wake Up to Find Out is the bar’s twist on an espresso martini. The reason for this unexpected pairing? The iconic jam band, fronted by Jerry Garcia, played its first gig here— way back when the group called themselves The Warlocks. “It’s not a cookie-cutter place,” notes the owner. And neither is Ali. Originally from Cairo, he lived in the city’s Jewish quarter and attended Catholic school. “I grew up in my mother’s kitchen because I was the youngest,” he says, recalling how she’d have him retrieve ducks and chickens from the roof while preparing dinner. Moving to New York as a teen, Ali lived at Hotel Chelsea for a time. Then he started working at restaurants. Busboy, food runner, waiter, barback, cook, he tried them all. “I know all the aspects of the business ... Every place I learned something,” Ali says. Of course, “Like anybody in this business, you want to own your own place one day.” So when Ali moved out West, it was only a matter of time before he opened his first restaurant. For Ali, it’s never just business. Bar Loretta, like everything he creates, keeps residents in mind. “My first client really is the community,” he affirms. You can be sure that nurturing Menlo Park’s nightlife scene isn’t the first time he’s crafted the culture here. Ali is also the man behind Bon Marché, a midweek European-style farmers market {food coloring}
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