Harbor House is undoubtedly one of my very favorite restaurants and so we try and visit often.  It’s been several months and a different season so it’s fun to see what’s new on the menu.  Staying at the Harbor House is the best way to go – the view is beautiful as is the property and they’ve been working on upgrades to the rooms and bathrooms.   Their ranch/farm is in full production which along with other local fisherman and ranchers give them access to top quality ingredients. The food has a purity to it without 25 ingredients on each dish and smears, foams and unnecessary green garnishes.   Sommelier Jason Chin has taken over the wine program and will find you a fine wine in your price range to go with the tasting menu.  As they require a 2 night stay you can look forward to another Harbor House meal in a few days!  Hope you’ll go and tell them Frankie sent you.

Set-up

Food

After a warm wet cloth to ready yourself, the meal starts with a Savory infusion of sea vegetables.  It’s a golden, warm glass of lovliness.

 

Chilled vegetables with cow parsnip oil vary with what’s in season.  I should have taken interior photos with each of the vegetables cooked individually to optimum tenderness and cut into fun shapes.  Simplicity can be elegant and delicious.

 

Cured rockfish was topped with asparagus and cherry leaves.  The asparagus were under a layer of cherry leaf gel.  The fish melted-in-your-mouth and the gel seemed to intensify the flavor of the asparagus.  Alongside was a bowl of chrysanthemum and turnip greens.  A nice contrast.

 

Chef Will brought out the Dungeness crab course.  Some of the Fort Bragg crab was poached in sea water and added to custard with oxalis.  A broth was made from the shells and the claws were baked in the ashes.  It was tender and sweet. The broth was divine and the total essence of crab.

 

Red abalone was with koshihikari rice and hon tsai tai (Asian leafy green with tiny yellow flowers in the cabbage family).  The poached abalone had a sea vegetable vinaigrette which was amazing.  The bowl had rice with the sauce of the abalone offal.  Some housemade pickles were on the side, which provide a sharpness for the flavors..

 

Jaclyn Bisantz presented the Black cod smoked over bay laurel with green garlic and whey.  The fish was from Ft. Bragg and was placed on a dish with radish, choi sum, nettles and green garlic.  A sauce of garlic, oil and whey completed the stunning dish.  I love this fish. (On a side note, Jaclyn and her team represented the USA in a worldwide competition of Young Chefs and Young Servers , where she won first place!)

 

Seeded sourdough with cultured yellowfoot butter was next.  The bread included sesame seeds and was topped with quinoa and yellowfoot was a mushroom incorporated into the butter.  Both were excellent.

 

Barbecued kohlrabi was with speckled pea miso.  The kohlrabi was cooked 7 hours and then dressed with the miso sauce.  It was fantastic.

 

Devil’s Gulch squab, Type 70 broccoli and jus was the last savory plate.  The squab was from Petaluma and cooked with a super hot oil to crisp the skin.  Under a brassica leaf was a sausage made from the trimmings.  It was cooked nicely rare and both meat variations had lovely flavor.

 

Makrut lime leaf, passionfruit and verbena made up the first dessert.  The lime was in a custard with the lemon verbena in a sorbet.  It was light and refreshing.

 

Eucalyptus bavarois, bearss lime and spruce was the second dessert.  A toasted buckwheat cake was on the bottom topped the eucalyptus cream and decorated with elderflower.  It was okay with limited sweetness.

 

Last treats were an Infusion of Douglas fir with grilled honey and sweet herbs, Choux, grilled miso and apple cider, Candy cap mushroom macaron (pretty good), Walnut lace cookie with oolong (a favorite), Lemon verbena and marigold, Umeboshi caramel (my favorite), Groundcherry and Canelé.