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The Herbfarm

Regional and Seasonal with a Backyard Touch

By Mina Williams

There’s simply an excitement in the air every evening at The Herbfarm. Almost everyone there is celebrating something – a birthday, an anniversary, a new job – and that celebration is dished up in a dinner party format.

Proximity or distance, or underperforming stocks, may be the reason why we Seattleites often are remiss of revisiting what clearly is one of the nation’s top 50 eateries. Some argue that the fix prix formula of the nine-course extravaganza and communal tables undermine the accessibility of The Herbfarm on a more regular basis. I suggest that these two "downfalls" contribute significantly to the charm of the evening, an evening I only recommend to those who understand that an evening of eating is entertainment enough for the night…no other distractions, please.

The Herbfarm has some strict "rules." First, be prompt. You don’t want to miss the welcoming beverage infused with the herb de jour and you don’t want to miss co-owner Carrie Van Dyck’s introduction to the establishment tracing its roots back to the early 1970s when Lola Zimmerman offered up chives for sale in a roadside wheelbarrow in Fall City. Wear sensible shoes, not only to wander the bi-level restaurant and its wine library housing 2,200 different wines, 17,000 bottles. You are invited to tour The Herbfarm’s exhibition herb garden on the grounds of Willow’s Lodge. Over hazelnut shell paths Carrie unlocks the wonders of flowers and herbs, giving you a hint of the treats to come at your table. On the evening we visited we were treated to an introduction to day lilies – edible petals, who knew? All explorations end up with Hamlet the Pig, yes a pig.

Don’t let the size of the gardens concern you. The Herbfarm’s actual herb farm lies less that a mile to the south of the restaurant where multi acres are cultivated by the staff to produce a variety and selection of flavors Chef Jerry Traunfeld marries with his seasonal menus.

Comfortably back inside The Herbfarm the dinner party begins. Place cards, personalized notations of special celebrations, flickering candles, the lilt of live classical guitar music, and glistening stemware each add to the table appointments that continually punctuate the distinctive qualities of the evening ahead.

If you are in the mood for a intimate tet a tet, The Herbfarm will not be your cup of sauterne. Once you glance over the dining room, you notice that tables for four, eight and even ten are the de reguior. Single diners welcome, this is a dinner party with backbone. No vapid conversation as the restaurant’s other host, Ron Zimmerman, begins his segment of the evening by talking about the food. He describes why the menu was selected, where the ingredients came from, how the herbs used in the dishes enhance the flavors and lays out the litany of wines that will be enjoyed with each course.

Thankfully, dinner "programs" are situated at each place serving as crib notes for diners who were too dazzled by the fixtures and furnishings or by the herb enhanced sparkling wine poured and individualized once you are seated.

Chef Traunfeld approaches his menus with a purpose, looking at the reason for the season. The "Indian Summer" menu we enjoyed started off with flat oysters with bay-creamed salsify; Montana Paddlefish cavier and chive tart and sea scallop with matsutake and chervil salad, served with 1998 Argyle Oregon Brut. The opening course was tomato, fennel and Dungeness crab consommé served with 2001 Amity Vineyards Pinot Blanc. The fish course was a slow-roasted King salmon served on a warm salad of cucumber, radish, pea sprouts and basil paired with a 2002 Chinook Rosé of Cabernet Franc. Then came a Delicata squash ravioli with chanterelles, grilled figs, glazed shallots and fried sage served with a 2002 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, Cold Creek Vineyard. An intermetzo of concord grape and rosemary sorbet refreshed the palate to prepare for the next onslaught of food including a thyme-grilled squab with wild huckleberry sauce served with confit-stuffed Savoy cabbage, golden beets, Dragon Tongue and Fillet Beans with fingerling potatoes paired with a 2000 Woodward Canyon Walla Walla Merlot. Then came grill nectarines served with Point Reyes Blue Cheese, hazelnuts and a spice bread to prepare for the following assortment of sweets: tomato and cinnamon basil sundae; plum, lavender and walnut tart; and apple soufflé with orange thyme custard sauce.

Enough! Enough?...out comes the assortment of coffees, five the night of our visit, along with a myriad of herbal infusions, green and black teas.

The meal being complete, it is then taken over the top with some small treats, homemade lavender marshmallow, lemon geranium-chocolate truffle, spearmint dark chocolate leaf, blackberry-rose geranium jelly, chocolate hazelnut macaroon. So small and simply too delicious, you just have to tuck them away for future use. These bite sized bundles are paired in-house with a vintage 1916 Barbeito Malvazia Madeira.

All the while, we chatted away with a delightful couple from Portland visiting the area to celebrate the occasion of their anniversary while they played a few rounds of golf. The freely poured wine serves to loosen the lips, encouraging even the most shy to commune with their tablemates.

Close to the conclusion of the evening, Carrie makes a thinly-veiled attempt to let diners know that the "gift shop" is open. Several of the table appointments are offered for sale, a lovely and tangible remembrance of a special evening.

For those who just can’t stand for the evening to end, The Herbfarm has two romantic suites across the driveway in the Willows Lodge. Decorated by Carrie and Ron, each command sweeping territorial views – Mt. Rainier included on a good day – and enough detailed touches to keep your eyes wandering.

During the economic haydays of the last decade, reservations at The Herbfarm were only open to those who could plan six-or-so months ahead, the new economy enables those who plan within a week to ability to enjoy the dinner party extravaganza at The Herbfarm. As an added treat Carrie and Ron have opened up their restaurant to host private luncheon affairs.

Yes, The Herbfarm is a once-in-a-lifetime indulgence….but twice is nice too.

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