Jason's mom and stepdad celebrated their 10th anniversary this year in grand fashion - we all went to Death Valley in February for a remarriage ceremony and had a wonderful time.
Jason continued the celebration last week by taking them (and me) to the Olema Inn near Point Reyes. We both have spent a good deal of time in the Point Reyes / Tomales Bay area, and were very excited to share it with Jim and Cassandra.
Upon booking rooms at The Olema Inn, we were told that we should consider making reservations in the dining room downstairs, "Especially Monday nights," said the woman on the other end of the line. Monday nights? Who needs to make a reservation anywhere on Monday nights?
The Olema Inn dining room is an elegant, comfortable setting. The main dining area looks out on to a lawn and garden. There is a small bar that serves beer, wine, and shoju mixed drinks. Wednesday through Sunday, the dining menu is divided into salads, small plates, and entrees.
Monday night is considered "Locals Night" at the Olema Inn, and the general vibe is much more casual. The menu on Monday nights focuses on small plates only. The staff greeted many people by name - and it was clear that we were some of the only tourists there. Diners greeted each other, dressed in everything from shorts and flip-flops to nicer dinner attire. A live band, The Pink Sabbath, played lively music and added to the spirit of the at-capacity room.
The Olema Inn focuses on a seasonal and mainly organic menu. Reading through the list of offerings, I noticed the names of many familiar farms. The chef, Ed Vigil, has been with the Olema Inn since 2002.
Some of the dishes that we tried that evening included:
Star Route Farms Little Gem Salad, Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese Vinaigrette, Popovers, Bing Cherries. Very good, very nicely dressed. There were about 3 or 4 bitesized popovers on the plate.
Fish and Chips. Jason's step-dad, Jim, is a Brit and had his eye on this dish from the second he sat down. When the waiter told us that we should consider having two dishes each and sharing, Jim replied, "Ok, we'll have ten fish and chips". We actually ended up ordering three orders of this - so that Jim and Jason could each have their own. It was an excellent rendition of fish and chips. I don't remember exactly what fish it was, but the batter was light and crispy. Nice thin fries on the side.
Bellwether Farms Ricotta Gnocchi, Pine nuts, Sage Brown Butter, Lobster Mushrooms and Black-Eyed Peas. I really enjoyed this dish. It was one of my very favorites of the week. The fresh black-eyed peas were fantastic, and the rest of the dish really melded together. I ate every single bean off this plate.
Seared scallops on a bed of mixed fresh beans. This had cranberry beans, and others in the medley. Well executed.
In addition to these dishes, we had several others which escape me - I didn't take notes specific to this meal. A couple of steak dishes, another salad, and several desserts including house-made ice creams, a peach crumble, and a trifle.
This was the first night in a fantastic four days that we spent at the Olema Inn, and I think that it was the best meal. The other meals were excellent, but there is something special about locals night at the Olema Inn.
Photo credit: The Olema Inn
