This restaurant is located in Wake Forest, NC
I have had the distinct pleasure of dining at Farm Table half a dozen times since last summer. Each time the menu is as fresh and delightful as the local, in season items used to craft each selection.
While many restaurants will have a standard selection of appetizers and then a range of difficult to choose from entrees, Farm Table has thoughtfully applied their creative approach to include small plates such a pork meatballs with risotto, which I enjoyed recently along with perfectly seared scallops.
The risotto was perfectly toothy and yet had a delightful creamy texture. The flavoring was rich and full, but not heavy handed and commanding. It was the ideal accompaniment to the three pork meatballs which were so delightfully seasoned, I think the local pig that was used likely was smiling from Heaven that such pleasure was brought forth with each bite. Tender, but still firm and an incredible exterior that was one moment of heat away from an actual seared crust, the timing to remove from the heat was incredible. And not a happy accident, a dining companion had chosen the same small plate and hers were equally phenomenal.
Onto the scallops. I do believe that if there is a restaurant beyond the Pearly Gates, they are seeking how to replicate these spectacularly seared, buttery shellfish delights. They are lightly seasoned to bring out the unique sweetness of the scallop and seared on one side to give that amazing caramelized richness with each bite. Served over a bed of slightly wilted arugula dotted with toasted hazelnuts, each bite was a superb symphony of everything that is right with exceptionally crafted food. Sweet, salty, savory and just the right amount of bite. Scallops would leap from the ocean and into the pan if they knew their destiny would be Farm Table.
Service--which can sometimes be lacking in establishments with such amazing food, is absolutely on par with the food. Folksy, each server is attired in a T that evokes thoughts of Etsy with casual jeans or khakis to complete the outfit. Oversized flour cloth 'aprons' tied at the waist complete the look. Each time I have been there I have had a different server and while I tend to request a favorite upon a return, I am so delighted with new discoveries that I am seated in whichever section they so choose at the hostess desk.
The interior ambiance is very much 'we remodeled our family estate barn' feeling and delightfully so. Mismatched distressed tables of various sizes, cozy banquettes and chairs that look acquired over time, not at a single rush through the flea market. Even the geranium scented soap in the bathroom leaves you with a delightful fragrance that evokes an time where there is no rush, there is no hurry, just simply being and enjoying.
Dessert, how can we not mention dessert. The signature treat is a chocolate bourbon pecan pie with fresh, house made whipped cream. The filling is not overly firm, but neither is it runny. It is the perfectly set pecan pie so many Southern women hoped for over the last several centuries...done to perfection each time. The chocolate is an enchanting addition, not a cloying competitor for sugary excellence and the pecans...oh the pecans. They are plump and moist and toasted for a rich flavor and happily ensconced in that delightful pie filling. The crust is a marvelously well done, fluted edge that stands on its own. Flaky, yes, but without being a crumbly mess at the touch of a fork. Be sure to dip a bit of the pie from your fork into the whipped cream, a perfectly unsweetened delight to counterbalance any propensity to be too sweet from the pie. While that has been what I have ordered in the past, they were featuring white wedding cake this past Sunday and having not had a wedding to attend in the past year, the hankering for that light and sweet treat got the better of me and my dining companion. Very pretty in the presentation atop a rustic cutting board board dusted with confectioners sugar and set at an angle to a dollop of whipped cream. Several layers of a moist vanilla cake with a perfect buttercream filling between each and then an artistic icing around the exterior. Served with edible silver dragees and white sugar pearls, it was very good, however I'll return to my beloved pie next time. Unless there is creme brulee of course, one must never pass up a chance to try a brulee!
Please do not come here if you are looking for pedantic, manufactured menu items from Olive Garden or Red Lobster. This is not the place for gorging oneself on an epically large serving of thoughtlessly prepared food on a menu that changes once a year. Please also do not come if you are going to check your watch and have to be done quickly.
Farm Table is the ideal place to come and enjoy a meal over the course of an afternoon or evening, laughing and sharing conversation with your dining companions, hearing interesting facts on the local food sources and menu offerings from the staff and being able to peacefully linger with coffee or tea, sad to think your time there is coming to an end.
This is truly an amazing treasure hidden in the forests of Wake and should be frequented anytime an exceptional dining experience is desired.
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