The Farm Cafe
- January 23, 2008
- Rated 3 of 5 by
azsunluvr from Mesa, Arizona
http://thefarmcafe.net/
My meat-eating brother and I were to take a Vegan friend out to dinner for her birthday. She thought the organic/vegetarian Farm Cafe would be a good compromise. Not exactly a compromise in our eyes, but we did enjoy it and I can give it a positive review.
The Farm Cafe is housed in a renovated cottage. As a result, the atmosphere is cozy & romantic, with only about 15 tables. Candlelight is the only light available at the tables, making it a little difficult for old eyes to read the menu.
Always crowded, we were lucky to arrive before 7pm on this Wednesday night and find 3 stools at the bar. We waited about 20 minutes for a table. Other who arrived after us had to crowd into the tiny foyer or outside on the chilly porch to wait their turn.
We ordered some edamame while at the bar and enjoyed the fresh, warm soy beans while waiting. Specials change frequently and your favorite dish is not guaranteed to be on the menu the next time you dine.
At the table we each started with a salad. One ordered just a green salad ($5) with organic greens and a vinaigrette dressing. Another ordered the Pear Arugula Salad with candied walnuts in a vinaigrette. I ordered a salad with greens, fennel, cranberries and oranges. All were very fresh and delicious.
Our vegan friend order the Herb Crusted Tofu with Mushrooms Marsala. It comes with garlic mashed potatoes and is very impressive in presentation. She adored it! My brother and I could only find the Wild Mushroom Gnocchi even remotely interesting. It was actually very good, sauteed in butter, garlic, white wine, herbs and mushrooms. A small piece of french bread was served on the side.
If the gnocchi had not been an option, there were several items on the appetizer menu that I would have been happy to eat. One was a baked brie served with bread rounds. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? The Sauteed Mushrooms with Herbs also sounded quite good.
For dessert, we shared the chocolate souffle cooled with a scoop of coffee ice cream. Heavenly!
From journal Sightseeing Salem, Silverton, Sublimity & Beyond