One of the aspects of Harbor House Restaurant that I haven’t written much about is its status as a sustainable site.  In 2020 they received a Michelin Green Star for their efforts in recycling and local sourcing. Nothing is wasted.  For example, they make their candles from recycled fryer oil and beeswax, they repurpose wine corks for mulch and re-use vegetable rinsing water to water growing plants – and that’s a small accounting of their efforts.  It’s wonderful to think you can come here and have the elegant and sophisticated experience of a 2 Michelin star restaurant and still not leave a huge carbon footprint as a result.  It’s excellent food and the staff is first rate.  Frankie enjoyed visiting with a number of the team during our visit.  Make your reservation for this tasting menu today!

Set-Up

 

Tasting Menu

The menu started with a Savory infusion of sea vegetables.  This dashi broth is to ready your palate.

 

Petrale sole and hyssop were cured on citrus with anise for a mild and smooth end result.  A touch of citrus was in the gel below the fish and was a perfect pairing to start with.

 

Abalone poached in sake was with offal sauce.  Tonight the abalone was chilled and accented with nori and pickled mustard.  You could still see the striations but the chilling seemed to make it sweeter.  Mixed with a pickled flavor it was outstanding.

 

Dungeness crab, dulse, and chopped custard were next.  Tonight the crab body meat was on warm custard and it was a divine combo.   Wakame and cabbage made up the greens.  The leg meat had been painted with crab butter which very much enhanced the flavor.  It was worth getting every bit out of that claw.

 

Sourdough bread and cultured butter, sea lettuce was again the fine crusty bread with a doughy, chewy interior.  We even asked to have some on our breakfast tray rather than the brioche bread – it’s that good.

 

Fried Maitake mushroom came with a mushroom infusion.  On top of that delicious mushroom was red sea urchin cured in sea urchin broth.  The wonderful urchin blended into that crisp mushroom for an explosion of taste and texture in the mouth.  The broth was like a liquid mushroom without the urchin.  Incredible.

 

Sunchoke was poached and fried with a purée of black trumpet mushrooms, a yogurt & sunchoke sauce and turnips.  Tonight I tried the purée on some of the bread and it was great.  The sunchokes were very good and worked well with the turnips too.

 

Skate smoked over bay laurel was on calhikari rice mixed with yellow foot mushrooms and a leek sauce.  The fish was cooked perfectly and again, so very good with the sauce and rice.  Some pickles on the side added that bit of tart and crisp flavor to make it a delightful dish.  A real winner.

 

Devil’s Gulch chicken, was with farm thinnings and jus.  There were pieces of white and dark meat from the  Bresse chicken.  Both were extremely moist but the dark had the skin well crisped.  The breast meat had been braised in butter solids and the thigh had been confited and then grilled.  The bones were used to make the jus.  It had fantastic chicken flavor and was a real treat.

 

Layers of Makrut lime, passionfruit and pineapple sage made up the first dessert.  It was basically the flavors we had last night but seemed more whipped or thickened.  It was totally tasty.

 

Kombu ice cream was topped with matcha sauce.  Chef Matt Kammerer came tableside to whisk the matcha sauce into the desired thickness.   It was a fun sweet treat.

 

Infusion of garden herbs was with grilled honey and lemongrass.  It made a lighter tea than the night before and was quite nice. Treats on the side were the same – Umeboshi caramel, candy cap mushroom macaron, Pâte á Choux, grilled miso and apple cider gel, winter citrus, hojicha – and I enjoyed them all.  You just can’t get a bad meal at this place!

 

Some of the talented kitchen people