2006-12-04-disappointed-by-the-herbfarm.html

---
layout: post
title: "Disappointed by the Herbfarm"
permalink: disappointed-by-the-herbfarm.html
categories: [food, seattle, herbfarm]
---
<p>After reading various <a href="http://www.zagat.com/verticals/PropertyDetails.aspx?VID=8&amp;R=35874">glowing</a> <a href="http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/11346838/">reviews</a>, the wife and I decided to splurge and make reservations at the <a href="http://www.herbfarm.com/">Herbfarm</a> for my birthday.  The meal had some moments, but it was a rare disappointment compared to our other fine dining experiences.</p>

<p>The first blemish appeared right at the start of the meal where the proprietors introduced the kitchen staff &#8212; at length and <em>ad nauseum</em> &#8212; followed by an explanation of how to find their gift shop, that the stemware on the table was available for purchase, all about the bed and breakfast suites, and on and on and on, oh and did they mention how to find the gift shop...  The only thing not explicitly for sale were the waitstaff, although I have to admit that we didn't ask.  We've eaten at plenty of good restaurants run by reputedly great chefs, but the informercial cum dinner theatre was out of place and uncalled for to the point that we wondered if we'd accidentally signed up for some kind of timeshare sales pitch.  A port flight served on a piece of paper explaining the different vintages included the price in large type on one corner, continuing the evening's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnie_Pearl">Minnie Pearl</a> theme...</p>

<p>The other two things that stuck out like a sore thumb were a couple of the courses.  Partridge served with one course was dry, and a cr&egrave;me br&ucirc;l&eacute;e served as part of dessert was a drink instead of a custard.  That was the first partridge that I've had, so maybe they're all dry (then why eat them...?); but the unset cr&egrave;me br&ucirc;l&eacute; is unforgivable.  Whoever prepared it would have been able to tell that the custard wasn't set when they took it out of the oven or when they caramelized the sugar for the crust.</p>

<p>At least I always have good company.</p>