Frankie, my husband and I are regulars here.  You can see numerous meals at Harbor House Inn’s 2 Michelin stars restaurant by clicking here for one in 2025, 2024, 2023 or 2022.   Our last visit I didn’t write up since we were there with friends but this time I found some changes to the dining plan and a lot of new dishes, so I’ll have another post in a few days picturing our second fabulous meal with great Chef Matt Kammerer and his entire team.  I was cautious as there were several new staff members but rest assured they were all first rate and the food was hitting an all time high.  The ranch/farm that is associated with the restaurant is responsible for wonderful produce on the menu and Chef Kammerer has made connections with several local fishermen who bring them seafood.  It can be a creative scramble when what they planned for is not available but the team is up for the challenge and the diner would never know the difference.   Honestly if you haven’t been you really need to get there.  It’s hands down my favorite spot in this country with the small 25 seat dining room overlooking the ocean and the purest of flavors being served for some exquisite eating.  I don’t usually glow so much and I am not on their payroll but these past two meals varied greatly with each being tremendous.  Hope it you go you’ll tell them Frankie sent you – they are all fans of hers, even making a bed of fresh flowers for her each night.

Set-up

 

Food

You now start the meal in the den or deck depending on the weather and enjoy some treats while discussing drink options with knowledable sommelier Todd Brinkman.   Snacks included tonight were celtuce topped with egg yolk, raw mackerel, kohlrabi wrapped around foraged herbs and warm nori broth.    All were very nice and varied from each other.

 

A selection of chilled vegetables, fruits, gels and herbs was the opening plate in the dining room.   Highlights included the cucamelon, purple potato, grilled zucchini, grilled broccoli, and glazed walnut.  So many flavors, textures all at their peak of ripeness and filled with taste.

 

Raw Yellowtail from the Bay area was with shiso, yellow cherry tomatoes dusted with lime, grated purple daikon, and salt from the bay.  You could mix and match flavor combinations with the fish the salt and daikon or dip in shiso liquid- a recommendation.  The fish was great but oh those peeled cherry tomatoes sent me soaring.  Absolutely delicious.

 

Shiitake mushroom were on chawanmushi with some grilled on the side.  The gel on the top of the custard was made from the poaching liquid and the grilled mushrooms were brushed with miso.   The smooth custard was perfect to blend with these very savory mushrooms.  Grilling brought out a different side of them which I liked just as much.

 

Slow grilled red abalone was with grilled lettuce in a spicy mustard sauce.  On the side was Koshihikari rice mixed with the abalone liver and offal, and pickles.  The chewy yet tender ablaone was perfect with the greens and nicely accented by the pickles (triangle shaped pieces).  I loved the new rice preparation where the sauce is mixed in with the great rice.  Another terrific course.

 

Confit Pinto Gold potatoes were cooked in ash and sand and then placed on salted zucchini and squash blossom with a potato sauce.  If you’ve ever had potatoes freshly dug from the garden than you know the exquisite taste and texture of these.  This was divine.

 

Knight’s Valley wagyu was very rare, thin sliced, and sandwiched with grilled cucumber.  Ponzu and groundcherry made a sauce under it and King  trumpet mushrooms were on the side.  The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender whose flavor was matched by the grilled cucumber.   The meaty mushrooms were a perfect accompaniment.

 

Bread service inclued a slice of sourdough, a layered croissant-like roll, porcini cultured butter and olive oil.   The layers of buttery goodness in the roll needed no additional seasoning.  It was flakey and delicious on its own.  The whole wheat bread was a fun dense dark sourdough with a crisp crust and was nicely adorned by the mushroom butter or fruity olive oil.

 

Devil’s Gulch squab was plated with spring onion, ice plant and wild blackberry jus.  The whole bird was brought out first and then taken to the kitchen to be sliced. The tender, tasty meat was cooked a beautiful rare and accented nicely with the deeply flavored jus.  The onion was lovely and fresh.  I found the ice plant to have a citrusy flavor.

 

Fig leaf custard and lemon verbena ice were layered with apricot fruit and accented with herb leaves.  It was cool and refreshing.

 

Goat’s milk ice cream topped with strawberry sauce, honeycomb and bee pollen crunch was presented alongside a fresh strawberry decorated with carrot sugar.  The dense, smooth ice cream was lovely and the sauce really rocked.  Its intense strawberry flavor was divine.  Both had some hyssop somewhere but it all spoke strawberry to me.

 

Infusion of Douglas Fir and tea companions including verbena gels, candy cap mushroom macarons, canele, a cookie and caramel was the final course.  There was also a lemon verbena chiffon cake topped with yuzu curd and cream.  With the tea was an herb bundle to dip in honey to flavor your infusion.  The fir tea was not for me but I loved its companions.