The Inn has made a major commitment to the organic movement and has a one acre organic farm of heirloom season vegetables, a berry patch, an orchard, an herb garden and an organic hybrid heirloom rose garden. All organic meats, poultry, eggs and dairy products are sourced from local purveyors.
Our stay was on a Sunday and Monday, so we were able to enjoy the Sunday Brunch and our dinners were to be a “box” dinner as the restaurant is only open Thursday to Sunday. Meals can be served anywhere on the property; your casita, the dining room or around the pool.
Brunch
Brunch is served in the elegant dining room with pitched ceilings and dark wood beams. French doors open to a patio with views of the rolling pastures. A grand 1760 fireplace from France’s Loire Valley region anchors the room and designer “Ritz” lamps at each table deliver an inviting and elegant glow. Custom-made leather and richly upholstered chairs provide a rustic touch, as does the handsome bar, handcrafted from alder and mahogany. By the way, you won’t want to miss the candied spiced pecans served at the bar.
The meal started with warm pastries and fresh fruit; cheese and regular croissants, chocolate and banana muffins, blueberry and cranberry muffins, a pluot and nectarine coffeecake and a fresh melon salad with vanilla syrup. Next up a succulent blue crab salad with an apricot puree over micro greens accompanied with a decanted, chilled and delicious Kerpen, Riesling, Kabinett, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany 2005. A mixed berry sorbet cleansed the palette and we were on to a poached Maine lobster & truffle risotto (the chef came out and shaved the truffles onto the dish) served with fava beans and a pan seared wild striped bass with an organic tomato salad and balsamic glaze. Dessert was unusual but amazing caramelized onion beignets with warm NY maple syrup and macerated and whole raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries on a toasted pound cake with vanilla Chantilly.
Dinner
We didn’t expect much for our “box” dinner but boy were we surprised. It arrived at our door in an elegant picnic basket with table and silver ware, small brown take-out boxes and a cooler with Voss water. The meal was warm sliced filet of beef with a pasta salad, a green salad, veggie chips, warm bread knots, a cheese course of brie, blue and parmesan cheeses with crisps and a fig tapenade. Served with a bottle of Domaine Calvet Thunevin and a Volnay Les Aussy, it was quite an unexpected treat. Dessert was individual carrot cakes with a vanilla bean cream cheese icing and a carrot juice dip. This is living…
Our “box” dinner the second night was equally as good with a terrific lobster roll with huge chunks of lobster mixed with celery and cucumber in a spiced mayo served on a house made ciabatta roll, salads, a cheese course and an amazing crunchy, woodsie cole slaw.
Breakfast
A soft knock on our door alerted us to the arrival of our breakfast the next morning, set out on our patio. Fresh squeezed OJ, delicious coffee, sliced smoked salmon, ruby red grapefruit, fresh muffins on hot stones and yogurt and homemade granola was the perfect way to begin our day.
The wine list is the best I have seen in some time because of its depth and approachability. The pricing is unbelievably fair and should be a primer for others. Working your way through this list during a weekend, is reason alone to come here. The 8,000 bottle wine list is a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner and has the most extensive ½ bottle, large bottle and sweet wine collection I have seen. The list is available on their site, so I won’t take time or space here to highlight specific items, but you have to see it to appreciate it.
Seasonal three course meal $75, $85 with wine. Eight course, $115, with wine $125. Chef’s Grand Collection eight course tasting menu, $135, $145 with wine. Brunch $59.
WHAT OTHERS SAY…
Forbes 5 Star