sonoma’s farmhouse inn
September 5, 2008
If the words from farm to table mean anything to you, this would be the place that feels like it epitomizes that phrase. Set amidst an actual farm, the charm of this restaurant and inn is inspiring. Though Farmhouse Inn is about 20 minutes from Healdsburg, where we were staying, it was well worth the drive. My friend, Danny, who grew up in Santa Rosa, recommended a handful of places to me, this being one at the top of his list. The other one was John Ash & Co. at Vintner’s Inn. I was told it was a great place for a dusk dinner setting on what they call the sun porch. Hmm next time.
All the people we met while in Sonoma would ask us where we had eaten or where we were planning to eat during our visit. It was like a rite of passage to see whether we were worthy of food small talk. And every time we passed the test with flying colors and a bit of surprise, with locals and visitors alike. Talk about caché. When we said we were headed to Cyrus and had been to Farmhouse Inn, we got small rounds of applause. One wine pourer at Rosenblum Cellars even told us we ‘weren’t messing around and went straight to the top’.
Once you’re in, you are in. People would start telling us their favorite spots to grab a sandwich (Oakville Grocery), the best fries, Manzanita, and how they got reservations at all their places they were headed to. They also would tell us their opinion on places we were wondering about, like Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen, which we seemed to bypass every time we left our hotel, to eat elsewhere. I still would like to try it. There were some good brunch items and the Monday-Thursday, prix fixe menu 3 course meal for $34 bucks was very enticing, but we also bypassed it on Monday, the only hole in our itinerary for a Monday lunch and headed to Yountville for Bouchon. I am very glad we did. Besides, we ain’t in Sonoma to save money. I had recently tried the Bouchon in Vegas last month and found it disappointing. The one in Yountville was much, much better. I did talk to our server / bartender for a bit and he did confirm that Thomas Keller is opening a 200+ seating size Bouchon in Beverly Hills, near Rodeo Drive, for Fall 2009. whoopee. I don’t have to dream about the braised veal pavé I had and not know when I will have it again.
What we ordered as a group of four off their Summer menu:
3 Starters to share:
Local Bluefin Tuna Ceviche
Vietnamese style Mendocino sea palm fronds, Sungold tomatoes, watermelon
Carappacio of American Buffalo
roasted chanterelle mushroom and palm heart salad, wild arugula, frisee, Tuscan Olive oil
Bellwether Farms Ricotta Stuffed Tempura Squash Blossoms
Carappacio of local heirloom tomatoes, garden basil pesto
4 Entrées we ordered:
Wild Alaskan Halibut
garden ratatouille, rock shrimp sungold tomato white corn salad
Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit… (get it? 3 ways!)
applewood smoked bacon wrapped loin, roasted rack, confit leg, whole grain mustard sauce, Yukon potato
Grilled Pork Rib Chop
Mission fig-eggplant jam, roasted cippollinis, arugula potato purée
Duo of Beef
zinfandel glazed short rib, seared rare Mishima Ranch wagyu sirlon, truffled potato purée, summer corn flan
Dessert to share:
Bittersweet Chocolate Fudge Cake
mint chocolate chip ice cream, cocoa nib soil, Valhrona chocolate sauce
The ones in bold were my preferred starters though the buffalo needed a bit more salt and I was not aware that we had some maldon sea salt on our table as many restaurants do not put it on the table as this could be seen as an insult to the chef. Whatever. Anyways, I really have never had buffalo and it was a very lean version of a tender beef. Not gamey at all. The roasted chanterelles really made the earthy flavor pop. Of course, imitation is the largest form of flattery and I will be attempting to make something similar with watermelon and tuna very soon.
The Duo of Beef was the entrée I piggily ordered. It was a bit more in cost (about 12 bucks more which I of course offered to pay the difference). I was not going to let politesse hold me back from what I wanted. I had no doubt the short ribs would be good, since it’s kinda hard to mess those up, but the wagyu I requested rare to medium rare since it’s such a shame to overcook good qualilty meat. Besides, I was even confused when she asked me how I wanted the steak cooked since it said ’seared’ on the menu. This dish is definitely dreamy. Every single component I took a bite of melted in my mouth. Ah the wonders of butter. I hope to have this dish again in my lifetime. The sauces were perfect and the smooth, silky textures of the truffled potato and the flan were impeccable. I reluctantly shared my dish so everyone could have a taste of heaven, though I was so content with it that I really was not experiencing any food envy whatsoever. I cherished this rare moment in silence. Just writing about it is making my mouth water.
We had some help with our wine pairings. The sommelier was super friendly, not condescending at all. Every fine restaurant in the region will have a binder of wine choices that are totally overwhelming to the unknowing wineo. She helped us pick a nice red wine that would also go with fish if we were to carry it into our entrée course. We wanted to pick out regional wines as opposed to going across the Atlantic. Our first bottle was a Pinot Noir which I forgot the name of and our second was a zinfandel, Neyers, 2005, Tofanelli Vineyard from Napa. We did not finish this bottle and corked it up and finished it at Bouchon a couple days later. She was also super helpful in giving us a map of the 3 valleys we were in, and highlighting her top winery picks to visit. I love going right to the experts.
There are so many choices, one place to start is to see what has a Michelin Star. Or two. Michelin stars are not automatically awarded year after year. They must prove themselves every year.The price point of the one Michelin star restaurants in Sonoma wine country are the same as a wannabe French Bistro in LA that serves mediocrity at best. You know who you are. I’m ashamed at times to see what a lame food town I reside in, but out of necessity came my desire to learn how to make the foods I adore.
********************
Farmhouse Inn- Russian River Valley
7871 River Road
Forestville, CA
1.800.464.6642 phone
If the words from farm to table mean anything to you, this would be the place that feels like it epitomizes that phrase. Set amidst an actual farm, the charm of this restaurant and inn is inspiring. Though Farmhouse Inn is about 20 minutes from Healdsburg, where we were staying, it was well worth the drive. My friend, Danny, who grew up in Santa Rosa, recommended a handful of places to me, this being one at the top of his list. The other one was John Ash & Co. at Vintner’s Inn. I was told it was a great place for a dusk dinner setting on what they call the sun porch. Hmm next time.
All the people we met while in Sonoma would ask us where we had eaten or where we were planning to eat during our visit. It was like a rite of passage to see whether we were worthy of food small talk. And every time we passed the test with flying colors and a bit of surprise, with locals and visitors alike. Talk about caché. When we said we were headed to Cyrus and had been to Farmhouse Inn, we got small rounds of applause. One wine pourer at Rosenblum Cellars even told us we ‘weren’t messing around and went straight to the top’.
Once you’re in, you are in. People would start telling us their favorite spots to grab a sandwich (Oakville Grocery), the best fries, Manzanita, and how they got reservations at all their places they were headed to. They also would tell us their opinion on places we were wondering about, like Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen, which we seemed to bypass every time we left our hotel, to eat elsewhere. I still would like to try it. There were some good brunch items and the Monday-Thursday, prix fixe menu 3 course meal for $34 bucks was very enticing, but we also bypassed it on Monday, the only hole in our itinerary for a Monday lunch and headed to Yountville for Bouchon. I am very glad we did. Besides, we ain’t in Sonoma to save money. I had recently tried the Bouchon in Vegas last month and found it disappointing. The one in Yountville was much, much better. I did talk to our server / bartender for a bit and he did confirm that Thomas Keller is opening a 200+ seating size Bouchon in Beverly Hills, near Rodeo Drive, for Fall 2009. whoopee. I don’t have to dream about the braised veal pavé I had and not know when I will have it again.
What we ordered as a group of four off their Summer menu:
3 Starters to share:
Local Bluefin Tuna Ceviche
Vietnamese style Mendocino sea palm fronds, Sungold tomatoes, watermelon
Carappacio of American Buffalo
roasted chanterelle mushroom and palm heart salad, wild arugula, frisee, Tuscan Olive oil
Bellwether Farms Ricotta Stuffed Tempura Squash Blossoms
Carappacio of local heirloom tomatoes, garden basil pesto
4 Entrées we ordered:
Wild Alaskan Halibut
garden ratatouille, rock shrimp sungold tomato white corn salad
Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit… (get it? 3 ways!)
applewood smoked bacon wrapped loin, roasted rack, confit leg, whole grain mustard sauce, Yukon potato
Grilled Pork Rib Chop
Mission fig-eggplant jam, roasted cippollinis, arugula potato purée
Duo of Beef
zinfandel glazed short rib, seared rare Mishima Ranch wagyu sirlon, truffled potato purée, summer corn flan
Dessert to share:
Bittersweet Chocolate Fudge Cake
mint chocolate chip ice cream, cocoa nib soil, Valhrona chocolate sauce
The ones in bold were my preferred starters though the buffalo needed a bit more salt and I was not aware that we had some maldon sea salt on our table as many restaurants do not put it on the table as this could be seen as an insult to the chef. Whatever. Anyways, I really have never had buffalo and it was a very lean version of a tender beef. Not gamey at all. The roasted chanterelles really made the earthy flavor pop. Of course, imitation is the largest form of flattery and I will be attempting to make something similar with watermelon and tuna very soon.
The Duo of Beef was the entrée I piggily ordered. It was a bit more in cost (about 12 bucks more which I of course offered to pay the difference). I was not going to let politesse hold me back from what I wanted. I had no doubt the short ribs would be good, since it’s kinda hard to mess those up, but the wagyu I requested rare to medium rare since it’s such a shame to overcook good qualilty meat. Besides, I was even confused when she asked me how I wanted the steak cooked since it said ’seared’ on the menu. This dish is definitely dreamy. Every single component I took a bite of melted in my mouth. Ah the wonders of butter. I hope to have this dish again in my lifetime. The sauces were perfect and the smooth, silky textures of the truffled potato and the flan were impeccable. I reluctantly shared my dish so everyone could have a taste of heaven, though I was so content with it that I really was not experiencing any food envy whatsoever. I cherished this rare moment in silence. Just writing about it is making my mouth water.
We had some help with our wine pairings. The sommelier was super friendly, not condescending at all. Every fine restaurant in the region will have a binder of wine choices that are totally overwhelming to the unknowing wineo. She helped us pick a nice red wine that would also go with fish if we were to carry it into our entrée course. We wanted to pick out regional wines as opposed to going across the Atlantic. Our first bottle was a Pinot Noir which I forgot the name of and our second was a zinfandel, Neyers, 2005, Tofanelli Vineyard from Napa. We did not finish this bottle and corked it up and finished it at Bouchon a couple days later. She was also super helpful in giving us a map of the 3 valleys we were in, and highlighting her top winery picks to visit. I love going right to the experts.
There are so many choices, one place to start is to see what has a Michelin Star. Or two. Michelin stars are not automatically awarded year after year. They must prove themselves every year.The price point of the one Michelin star restaurants in Sonoma wine country are the same as a wannabe French Bistro in LA that serves mediocrity at best. You know who you are. I’m ashamed at times to see what a lame food town I reside in, but out of necessity came my desire to learn how to make the foods I adore.
********************
Farmhouse Inn- Russian River Valley
7871 River Road
Forestville, CA
1.800.464.6642 phone
Leave a Comment