From The Farmhouse to Table

http://thefarmhouse.com

This is one of many beautiful, historic Pennsylvania farmhouses, but in its recent years this quaint homestead has been given a new life as one of the most wonderful restaurants in the Lehigh Valley. 

I have been wanting to go to The Farmhouse for over a year since a group of friends went last year and told me I absolutely had to try it. The Farmhouse is proud of its locally sourced ingredients and seasonal menu. My friend and roommate Karlee has been many times and decided to take me there for my birthday dinner.

Because The Farmhouse was at one time a home, the interior ambiance is balances classy with comfortable in a charming way. We were seated at a round table in what was probably originally the drawing room, near two enchanting old windows, teal-washed walls, and pretty little paintings. The living room and another set of spaces near the rear of the building had their own colorations and ambiance as well. The basement hosts a lounge and bar area that is also very simply elegant and looks like a cozy place to spend one of these chilly December evenings. From what I gather, it is a good place to sample from The Farmhouse's extensive beer and wine lists.

I started the evening with a glass of red wine that I enjoyed very much: the Lemberger 2009 from the Lehigh Valley's own Vynecrest. Sweet yet not too sweet, dark but not smoky, and not too many tannins. Find this wine and others on their website: http://www.vynecrest.com/

Next, of course, came the appetizers. The small plate Sea Bass Ceviche served over seaweed salad & toasted macadamia nuts was phenomenal. I am a fan of ceviche and find myself ordering it somewhat frequently, in part because I enjoy how much variety there is. 

I have never tried a sea bass ceviche and certainly never had one that involved seaweed salad, so I was impressed by how well the seaweed salad contributed a slightly tart, bitter flavor to the seabass, a role typically reserved for red onions and citrus flavors in a standard ceviche. It was presented with a few sauces and also came with cute little toastlets. Very, very happy with that appetizer.

For the entree, I ordered the Pan Roasted New Jersey Pheasant, served over a warm organic wild rice salad, seasonal vegetables, and morello cherry sauce. It had caught my attention when I was looking at the menu, partially because Pheasant is somewhat rare to find on a menu. I enjoy ordering things that I can't get everywhere. 

The pheasant wasn't life-changing; pheasant is a difficult bird to do well. It's a gamey meat, a little tougher, and there's gristle. Consequently, my dish had some excellent bites when it included the best parts of the meat, but others were not as good. 

That being said, if they bottled the morello cherry sauce, I would stock it in my pantry. As I said to my friends when I finished the dish, I felt like I had a love affair with my entree. At first, I wasn't entirely impressed, but some bites of the best of the pheasant meat were absolutely wonderful, and I'm sure that's why it does still deserve a spot on the menu.

My friend Karlee has been to The Farmhouse three times to order the Roasted Black Sea Bass (with pancetta, beluga lentils, seasonal vegetables, and a hazelnut sage vinaigrette) while it's been on the menu because she loves it so much. I had a bite and was thoroughly impressed. Perfect consistency, a very clean palate of flavors and a few that I couldn't quite identify (probably the hazelnut, I love it when that happens), and a very complimentary use of the lentil, which I don't think is the easiest flavor to showcase.

I was visually stalking a couple who sat at the table near us when we arrived because the porkchop that was brought out to the gentleman looked fabulous and I was at that time deciding between the pheasant and porkchop. He enjoyed it, and our waitress said it was one of her favorites, so perhaps I'll have to return to try, although I don't have long because it's the tail end of this seasons' menu. Perhaps I'll have to live vicariously through my dining neighbor forever.

And finally, dessert. The Chai Cheesecake with cinnamon whipped cream was calling my name and I would be willing to say it's one of the best desserts I've ever had. The slightly tart cheesecake flavor combined with the chai spice was brilliant. I would stop by to order this dessert on a whim.

Overall, a wonderful evening appreciating the good things in life. Karlee knows me well enough to know that any restaurant in an architecturally interesting place, a comfortable charm, and a menu with fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients will make me a happy birthday girl.

For their photo gallery, menus, and a little history: http://thefarmhouse.com