3 minute read
Chef Jarad Gallagher shares the bold, sophisticated flavors of Spain and Portugal at BROMA.
BROMA Highlights the Flavors of Iberia
BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER
AFTER A CONSISTENT, 8-YEAR, MICHELIN-STAR RUN AT Mountain View’s Chez TJ, chef Jarad Gallagher felt inspired to explore a different menu format. That exploration led to his opening of BROMA, also in Mountain View and located within the Shashi Hotel. The casual-yet-refined, Spanish-Portuguese-focused Mediterranean restaurant takes guests on a culinary exploration through the Iberian Peninsula with the “BROMA Experience,” a 3-course chef’s tasting menu of what the kitchen is inspired to make based on what is available from the farmers’ market that morning.
Gallagher is the force behind BROMA’s culinary inspiration and creative direction. He leads the culinary team in collaboration with executive chef Aubree Arndt, and Justin Rodriguez leads the beverage program and overall restaurant operations. Previous partners at Chez TJ, Gallagher and Rodriguez sought to create a restaurant concept not readily found in the peninsula: a place that offers an elevated tasting menu experience at an accessible price within a scaled-down time frame.
Drawn his entire life to Spain and Portugal, Gallagher infuses BROMA with the spirit of the region he so admires. “When I first traveled through Spain and Portugal, I was in awe of their rich and vibrant cultures,” said Gallagher. “They have a connection to their past that they won’t let the modern world remove from them. They celebrate life over large, shareable meals. There is a deep, sincere passion for their ingredients. I instantly felt inspired by the bold, hearty cuisine and the passion for artistry. My heart is in Spain, my soul is in Portugal, and the incredible food in that region of the world continues to motivate me to cook.”
Diners can expect bold flavors and diverse ingredients at BROMA. Rotating daily, the special, prix fixe menu is an expression of chefs Gallagher and Arndt’s collaborative ingenuity. The à la carte menu features an approachable array of starters, entrées, and desserts designed to delight a variety of palates and dietary preferences. Current à la carte menu highlights include: croquetas de pollo e Manchego with curtido, guajillo chile, and jamón Ibérico; hamachi crudo with plum, bay leaf, kumquat, and avocado; Spanish octopus with corn, tomato, and chili glaze; Alentejo pork cheek and clams with kimchi, potato, and spinach; and Flannery Beef’s dry-aged New York steak with ramps, potato, and fava beans. Desserts include crema catalana with mixed local fruits, and Valrhona Manjari mousse with chili sponge cake, pecans, and sea salt.
The beverage program features playfully curated cocktails based on fresh, seasonal ingredients and house-made bitters and mixers, putting creative spins on mezcal, tequila, and gin-based cocktails made with inventive bitters, fresh fruit mixers, and Spanish ingredients like olive oil and sherry. Highlights include a bespoke gin and tonic with St. George Botanivore, cinchona bark syrup, yuzu, elder flower tincture, and Fever Tree Indian tonic; a classic paloma with blanco tequila “milk punch,” grapefruit, soda, and ginger; a coffee martini with Wheatley vodka with cocoa nib, St. George NOLA coffee liqueur, California sherry, orgeat, and cold brew; and a house Old Fashioned with Woodford Reserve bourbon, house-made orange bitters, and charred cherry wood. Zero-proof house-made sodas include blood orange, grapefruit, and ginger-lime.
With complete control over the interior aspects, Gallagher and his team designed the 13,000-square-foot space with intention. Featuring private rooms, two patios, and imported artwork, the vibe is big, bold, fun, and vibrant. “When people dine at BROMA, I want them to feel transported and inspired, without the unnecessary formality of fine dining,” said Gallagher, who added that broma in Spanish means joke. “At BROMA, we make serious food, but the name is a reminder to my employees not to take themselves too seriously.”
