It is that time of year, where my beautiful wife and I choose a unique restaurant for our anniversary dinner. This year The Herbfarm came highly recommended and did not disappoint! I apologize for the length of this review but we embarked on a 9 course (more like 13) and nearly 5 hour gustatory expedition through the culinary Northwest. Our legendary dining journey was in the hands of the young chef Chris Weber who thrilled us all through the night. The evening started after arriving at a cute little eclectic cottage-like edifice surrounded by greenery, gardens, and fountains. Immediately upon entering it is like walking into a foyer straight out of Harry Potter meets speakeasy with an enormous fireplace centerpiece and 1920s decor abutting a famous 25,000 bottle cellar topped by a loft culinary library.
After a wonderfully orchestrated tour through the gardens including tastings and smelling of the night's herbs led by Carrie Van Dyck, one of the owners, we were seated in a magical dining space complete with eclectic decor.
The staff were among the best we have ever encountered, each congratulated us on our 3rd anniversary, would add other congratulations to Emily on finishing her residency, and seemed genuinely excited about our trip to Alaska. They were all extremely professional and even more attentive. Our table was set up with multiple wine glasses, a beautifully folded napkin with a sprig of rosemary, a framed personalized note to us, all in an elegant farmhouse theme. 
We enjoyed our meal while the enchanting Spanish guitar soloist Patricio Contreras strummed in the background. 
But now on to the food... beginning straight out of the gate; a chive cracker topped with Montana Paddlefish Caviar, crispy stuffed zucchini blossom with marjoram, a Dayliliy salad with lovage Douglas Fir switchel aperitif, and seared albacore tuna with a garlic, tarragon, and chicory puff pastry. 
The clash of lite and springy with savory and earthy became harmony! We knew from this early salvo that we were in for a treat. Next came Herbfarm's own 'box of grain' featuring a sourdough wheat loaf and wild morel mushroom roll accompanied with chervil-chive-nasturtium herb butter both milled and baked in-house. After tearing into each flaky, aromatic piece we could only say aloud, "good bake,that!" 
Continuing on, was a truly inspired dish; carrot custard topped with buttery dungeness crab, red and white currants, and lemon thyme. I have not had carrot custard but my taste buds danced as the sweet and subtle custard mixed with the succulent crab and lemon thyme. The texture itself was flawless. 
Following that masterful dish, came today's just-dug Austrian crescent potatoes in aged butter with summer chanterelles, sage, and honeycomb. After reviewing prior menus, potatoes are a specialty of Chef Weber and his passion came through in spades. A perfect marriage of sweet and salty using a mushroom mitigator, ingenious!
A surprisingly flavorful 5 hour wood-roasted-until-transparent cabbage and basil with thyme sauce set us up for the main entre. Chef Weber himself came to our table to introduce us to his pride entre; grilled Pacific Rogue Wagyu beef and a housemade sausage amidst apricots, turnips, and drizzled with a spicy oregano sauce. At first bite of this immaculately prepared jubilation of flavor we threw up our hands in surrender to the pure gustatory joy we were experiencing. In my notes I wrote the word, "perfection!" After such an inspired course we took a break and strolled out through the gardens with our wine to feed their pigs. Yep! They have pigs that consume/recycle all of the uneaten foods. 
We walked together holding hands through their gardens under the moonlight laughing and recounting our favorite parts. Upon our return, sommelier Bruce Archtermann had selected some truly special sweet wines to accompany our cheese plate. I would love to describe in detail how each course was paired expertly with its own Northwest wine but it would make this already lengthy epic tale even longer. Regardless, the wine and food enhanced each other for a spectacular explosion of flavors as we dined. We sipped our special wines while enjoying a perfect pairing with Tieton sheep-goat cheese, Montmorency pie cherries, onion, and fennel reminiscent of wine and cheese tastings in Napa/Sonoma. 
This was replaced with warm peaches and their juices in an espresso cup with Sampson estates hazelnut wine zabaglione. The creamy and nutty flavors juxtaposed over sweet juicy peaches were tantalizing. Nearing the end, we had raspberry sorbet covered in a rose geranium cream next to a sweet wild birch syrup tart. My only critic of the night was the tart. In an ocean of powerhouse flavors it fell flat. But it was instantly redeemed with our final course of lavender madeline, angelica macaron, and a mint brownie, that may have ruined me for all other brownies, paired with an extremely sweet malted barley drink that was like drinking straight caramel. Whew! I know it was a lot but this is a MUST! The extravagant and imaginative food was matched only by the experience with the staff, and the Herbfarm itself. This was the BEST restaurant we have been to in the last 5 years, easily 5 stars! Whether you are in Washington or not, get a table at this once in a lifetime dining foray!
The clash of lite and springy with savory and earthy became harmony! We knew from this early salvo that we were in for a treat. Next came Herbfarm's own 'box of grain' featuring a sourdough wheat loaf and wild morel mushroom roll accompanied with chervil-chive-nasturtium herb butter both milled and baked in-house. After tearing into each flaky, aromatic piece we could only say aloud, "good bake,that!" 
Continuing on, was a truly inspired dish; carrot custard topped with buttery dungeness crab, red and white currants, and lemon thyme. I have not had carrot custard but my taste buds danced as the sweet and subtle custard mixed with the succulent crab and lemon thyme. The texture itself was flawless. 
Following that masterful dish, came today's just-dug Austrian crescent potatoes in aged butter with summer chanterelles, sage, and honeycomb. After reviewing prior menus, potatoes are a specialty of Chef Weber and his passion came through in spades. A perfect marriage of sweet and salty using a mushroom mitigator, ingenious!
A surprisingly flavorful 5 hour wood-roasted-until-transparent cabbage and basil with thyme sauce set us up for the main entre. Chef Weber himself came to our table to introduce us to his pride entre; grilled Pacific Rogue Wagyu beef and a housemade sausage amidst apricots, turnips, and drizzled with a spicy oregano sauce. At first bite of this immaculately prepared jubilation of flavor we threw up our hands in surrender to the pure gustatory joy we were experiencing. In my notes I wrote the word, "perfection!" After such an inspired course we took a break and strolled out through the gardens with our wine to feed their pigs. Yep! They have pigs that consume/recycle all of the uneaten foods. 
We walked together holding hands through their gardens under the moonlight laughing and recounting our favorite parts. Upon our return, sommelier Bruce Archtermann had selected some truly special sweet wines to accompany our cheese plate. I would love to describe in detail how each course was paired expertly with its own Northwest wine but it would make this already lengthy epic tale even longer. Regardless, the wine and food enhanced each other for a spectacular explosion of flavors as we dined. We sipped our special wines while enjoying a perfect pairing with Tieton sheep-goat cheese, Montmorency pie cherries, onion, and fennel reminiscent of wine and cheese tastings in Napa/Sonoma. 
This was replaced with warm peaches and their juices in an espresso cup with Sampson estates hazelnut wine zabaglione. The creamy and nutty flavors juxtaposed over sweet juicy peaches were tantalizing. Nearing the end, we had raspberry sorbet covered in a rose geranium cream next to a sweet wild birch syrup tart. My only critic of the night was the tart. In an ocean of powerhouse flavors it fell flat. But it was instantly redeemed with our final course of lavender madeline, angelica macaron, and a mint brownie, that may have ruined me for all other brownies, paired with an extremely sweet malted barley drink that was like drinking straight caramel. Whew! I know it was a lot but this is a MUST! The extravagant and imaginative food was matched only by the experience with the staff, and the Herbfarm itself. This was the BEST restaurant we have been to in the last 5 years, easily 5 stars! Whether you are in Washington or not, get a table at this once in a lifetime dining foray!
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