Angel L.
Yelp
BF and I picked Farmhouse Tavern having heard great things about the food, and because anywhere that has some $100 monstrous dish of beef mentioned in the reviews seems like an interesting spot.
We come in a bit early from our reserved time, but that's no problem and we are seated right away. The kitchen is an open kitchen, and I did notice that the lighting from the kitchen is not very flattering - it's the kind of bright office lighting that's a bit too harsh for ambiance.
The seating is a combination of mismatched old-fashioned wooden chairs and long booth seating with cool cushions. The menu is displayed on chalkboard, so we spend a bit of time gazing, picking, squinting, choosing, etc. I'm not a big fan of the entrees being on the chalkboard like that - they're 2 words, like "Beef Sirloin" or "Braised Lamb", and says nothing of the flavour.
Our server, Richard, is a hearty guy - jokes about why it took us so long to give them a try! He makes some recommendations and we end up ordering the Ploughman's Platter ($23), Bone Marrow ($11) and Braised Lamb ($23), For drinks, BF got a local brew called Beau __________ (pretty good!) and I chose a red Cab.
The Platter was interesting - there's pickled veggies, cheeses, toasted bread, smoked salmon and a big roasted duck leg. All in all delicious, especially the duck leg, but it seemed a little mixed up - I suppose they have their own interpretation of "charcuterie", but there were no cured meats, and the salmon was a surprise. The Bone Marrow was good - one big bone, lots of marrow to go around, topped with tomatoes and seasoning. Last, the braised lamb was a BIG surprise. We pictured a lambshank, braised on some veggies, or rice, or something. It's like a crabcake - braised lamb on the inside, then coated and fried. Sitting on a bed of celery pureed sauce. Tasted good and I liked it, but BF was a little dubious.
Overall, service was good - Richard came back frequently to check on us, see if we liked the food. With the Yelp check-in, you also get 1 free refill of your alcoholic drink. I didn't like my red wine too much, but Richard graciously offered to refill it with something more to my taste.
Great meal, and Yelpers, remember to check in!