Eylan
Indian Food Meets Serious Wine in Menlo Park
Menlo Park · Menlo Park · Asian, Indian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 12, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
A wine list at an Indian restaurant that earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in its first year? That gets our attention immediately. Eylan isn't playing it safe — there's a named sommelier, Alex James Doughty, steering the ship, and the France and California focus signals someone made deliberate choices here rather than just calling a distributor and saying 'send the usual.'
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans into two proven pillars — French classics and California heavyweights — which tracks for a Peninsula clientele that knows what it wants and has the budget to get it. You'll find Château Margaux and Domaine Leroy sitting alongside Ridge Monte Bello and Kistler, which tells you Doughty is building for both old-world loyalists and California devotees. The presence of Screaming Eagle and Sassicaia suggests trophy-bottle territory is well covered, though the list's overall size remains modest rather than encyclopedic. What's here is curated with intention; what's missing is the eclectic depth that would push this into true destination-list status.
By the Glass
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but with a credentialed sommelier running the program and a Wednesday half-price wine night, there's clearly an active, rotating approach to pours rather than a static laminated card. We'd expect the glass program to reflect the same France-and-California focus as the bottle list — ask Doughty what's open.
Kistler Vine Hill Chardonnay 2021 — $145
Kistler Vine Hill is one of California's benchmark Chardonnays — allocation-only, hard to find retail — and $145 at a restaurant with this level of curation is reasonable for what's in the glass. It's the pick that actually makes sense with Eylan's menu.
Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 2019
Most people scan past a 'Bourgogne Rouge' on a list and assume entry-level filler. When that Bourgogne Rouge is Leroy, you stop scrolling. At $95 it's the most accessible entry point into one of Burgundy's most revered producers — and it'll hold its own against the spiced lamb preparations on the menu.
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
At $2,850 a bottle, Screaming Eagle is a status purchase, not a dining experience. The trophy-wine markup is real, the bottle will be fine, but you're not here to flex — you're here to eat tandoori lamb chops. Save it for the cellar flex at home.
Ridge Monte Bello 2018 + Tandoori Lamb Chops
Monte Bello's structured tannins and earthy, almost old-world character hold up beautifully against the char and spice of the tandoor. It's California Cabernet that actually has the backbone to stand next to bold flavors without getting steamrolled.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — easily the best time to work through the France and California selections without the full bottle markup sting.
🎲 The Bottom Line
An Indian restaurant with a Wine Spectator award, a real sommelier, and a Wednesday half-price wine night is exactly the kind of place Raging Wine exists to find. The markups skew steep on the headline bottles, but the program has genuine intention behind it — and that makes all the difference.
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