Across the street from where Sir Francis Drake Blvd. meets Highway 1 is the Farm House Restaurant, Bar & Deli. Not to be confused with The Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant in Forestville, this casual eatery was established in 1865, and is adjacent to the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge in Olema. Proprietors Jeff and Nancy Harriman (who also own Petaluma’s McNear’s restaurant and Mystic Theatre) have created a relaxing spot for everything from stopping for a drink and some fresh oysters, to enjoying a meal or even staying the night at the well-appointed lodge, which is a bed and breakfast with beautiful grounds that are a popular spot for weddings. The restaurant feels like a house, with a dining area that’s separated into smaller rooms, a large bar and lounge, a banquet room and an outside patio for warm weather dining.
Wendy and I started with strawberry lemon drops (fresh and sweet). Following those, we had Sauvignon Blanc and a half-dozen Marin Miyagi oysters with a cucumber mignonette.
From the “cheese snacks” section of the extensive menu (something for everyone, without a doubt), we chose the baked Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam triple cream cheese with portabella mushrooms; plump, brandy-soaked cranberries; walnuts and a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette. The cheese was melted over mixed greens and served cold, and the dish as a whole was fun to eat with all its textures and the play between sweet, earthy and salty.
Next we ordered coconut prawn skewers. The coconut in the batter was grated thick, and the sauce had sweet and spicy Thai elements. After that came some cups of soup. Wendy had New England clam chowder, while I went for the white bean, ham and vegetable. Both were of the stick-to-your-gut comfort food variety.
We ordered our entrées from chef Gary King’s daily specials menu, which mostly featured seafood but also had a choice of Kurobuta Loin (pork raised similar to Kobe beef). I went for the bacon-crusted Pt. Reyes halibut, which was coated with pureed applewood-smoked bacon. It was a thick filet, much like Alaskan halibut, infused with the bacon’s flavor and topped with homemade mango salsa that added a sweet, cool edge to the earthy dish. Jasmine rice and vegetables rounded out the selection.
Wendy chose the blackened wild king salmon (traditional blackening spices but with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg), which came with mashed sweet potatoes, vegetables and a house tartar sauce. Both items were generous portions, and we paired them with some Greg Norman Pinot Noir (cherry, vanilla, cola, well-balanced).
For dessert, we enjoyed the homemade berry crisp, which came with fresh blueberries and strawberries, and was served hot and topped with crispy oats and a scoop of Three Twins organic vanilla ice cream—a classic American finish.
