One of our favorite things to do during the holidays in Orange County is go to Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar. This time of year, the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations are above and beyond anything you have ever seen.
We were so happy to hear that local farm to fork pioneer Chef Rich Mead was opening Farmhouse last year. Orange County is no stranger to new restaurants and Chef Mead has always been a favorite through the years. With the opening of his restaurant on the seven acres that Roger’s Gardens sits, it was sure to be a hit.
Reservations are a must and you need to plan ahead of time or you will be disappointed if you can’t get in. If you do have to put your name on the wait list, it could be a plus, as it will give you time to wander around the absolutely beautiful grounds and see the festive holiday decorations. Annie and Anya both graciously took care of us and made sure we received an amazing table as well as a visit from Chef Alann Aguinaga, who filled us in on the Farmhouse mission.
The restaurant is known for it’s seasonal and fresh menu, produce from local farms, wine list and signature craft cocktails. In fact, Golden Foodie awarded Farmhouse two awards this year, Chef of the Year to Rich Mead and Best Cocktail in Orange County. We stopped by for lunch a few weeks ago and Chef Alann came thru with some amazing dishes that we thoroughly enjoyed.
The house cured salmon with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, capers, pickled red onions, stone ground mustard and grilled pumpernickel bread was an amazing starter and one of their specialties. The combination was delicious.
One of my favorite salads is the Chopped Grilled Vegetable Salad. The combination of balsamic grilled vegetables, chopped salad, avocado, feta and chicken, shrimp or salmon is the choice for me. All my favorites!
The Asian Chicken Salad is also a famous and popular menu item, with all fresh raw vegetables such a cabbage, red peppers, kumquats, chicken and a special sesame rice vinaigrette.
The lunch menu is very diverse and has something for everyone. Grilled Flatiron Steak Salad, Pomegranate Glazed Salmon Salad, RG Burger, Panko Crusted Icelandic Cod and Farmhouse Vegetable Bowl are some of the popular dishes. The sides sound just as delicious; Blistered Brussel Sprouts, Roasted Cauliflower Steak, Roast Satsumaimo Sweet Potato are a few.
The amazing and unique detail of Farmhouse is there are no walls when looking out of the restaurant, as it is covered, but open to the beautiful gardens. The setting is so unique in California, and is getting a reputation as a place to host special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. After all, it was voted most romantic restaurant.
Dessert was an amazing Apple Cobbler with fresh vanilla bean ice cream…so worth waiting for. Other choices are Flourless Chocolate Cake, Grilled Sweet Potato and Ginger Poundcake, Carrot Cake and more. You literally can’t go wrong.
As we finished, our bill was brought to us in a vintage floral landscape library book. This special touch was really very sweet being that we are in one of the most beautiful landscape nurseries in the country, and one of the most special outdoor restaurants that encourages you to enjoy the surroundings.
We hope you can make it to Farmhouse for a special lunch or dinner…we know you will love the experience.
Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens
2301 San Joaquin Hills Road
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
949.640.1415
info@farmhouserg.com