Plumed Horse

Reviews 4

EL

Elizabeth Tseng

Most people are often surprised that I have not dined at Plumed Horse before. I have been meaning to for a few years now but always decided to skip it because a trusted foodie told me of his bad group dining experience and that the food wasnt very good. Granted that it has been years since the incidence, we both have very similar food preferences and taste so I trusted him. Well, Im now kicking myself for not stopping by sooner. Not only was every dish more delicious than the next, I had to fight the animalistic instinct to lick my plates clean. OK, I might be exaggerating just a bit...but I totally would if no one was watching! Not only was I blown away by the fantastic food, but I now know how to get my foie fix in California! Well the same person who had given them a bad review was with me for dinner and he agrees that Plumed Horse has definitely redeemed themselves after that night. This might now be my favorite restaurant in the South Bay! ***Tip on how to get "free" foie gras** Order the tasting menu (non-vegetarian one, duh) or the wine listed under "Hot Appetizer." The foie is a surprise bonus dish in the tasting menu and the wine is what you pay for and the foie is just a freebie to accompany it. Smoked Tuna Cream Cannoli- Perfect with our glasses of bubbly! Parsnip Soup- A hint of sweetness amongst the rich creaminess of the soup Big Eye Tuna Tartare- Very good. The caviar helps to bring out the flavor of the fish. Black Pepper and Parmesan Souffle, Uni and Dungeness Crab Fondue-I instantly wished that I ordered 3 of these and skip the entree. This was the dish I wanted to drink a gigantic bowl of! Surprise Foie!-This was an awesome freebie! I was so happy to be reunited with my beloved foie gras! Camembert Cheese Fondue, Duck Fat Fingerling Potatoes, Black Truffles-Its really hard to top everything on this menu, but this dish really took the cake. I dont think words can describe the state of Nirvana I experienced. The potatoes tasted like like perfectly cooked duck and had large chunks of black truffles. This is rather big for an appetizer and the starch really filled me up. It is great for sharing. Lobster Risotto with Fresh Shaved BlackTruffles- I didnt like this dish as much as I thought I would because the truffles ended up drowning out the taste of the generous chunks of lobster. There was so much truffle oil and shaved truffles on top! There was also something pungent/sour in the dish that turned me off a bit from this particular dish. Kobe beef with bone marrow- Very yummy but not amazing. Ive had better before at other restaurants. Pork done 5 ways (forgot the name)-Interesting as this included pork belly, a spiced sausage, and 3 others although I cant recall them now. This was probably my least favorite of the night. There were 2 more desserts that I probably blacked out through. I vaguely remember something with caramel and another that had dehydrated port **EDIT** I remember them now :P Vanilla semifreddo, passionfruit & olive oil curd & basil - Pretty good considering that Im not a big fan of passionfruit. Vahlrona Chocolate Mousseline, Port Wine Gele & Whipped Creme Fraiche - A very dense chocolate dessert. I was too distracted with the other dessert to appreciate this one. "Curiously Strong"- Mint mousse, chocolate cookie crumbs that tasted toasted (intentional?), roasted marshmallows, mint. Macarons with Mango jellies- Some of the best macarons Ive had in a long time. The jellies tasted like perfectly ripe mangos. The only thing I could fault them for is upon arrival, there was no one at the front desk to greet us and we stood around in the dark foyer for a while before venturing into the dining room where a very confused maitre d quickly escorted us to an empty table. A little disappointing for a starred restaurant but my dining experience more than made up for it. **Photo Op tip** Drop by the cool, glass, walk-in wine cellar.

JO

Jonas Gebhardt

Yes, this place is outstanding. This restaurant has 1 Michelin star and you really come here to try the tasting menu since this gives you the best of what the chef currently likes to cook. The tasting menu usually has around 8 dishes and even though the portions are small, youll feel actually pretty full at the end of the meal. I love how they bring out the food slowly so that you have enough time to enjoy the atmosphere, the food and the wines. Every plate is prepared with a lot of love for detail. The duck and steak dishes were my favorite. The way it was prepared was very unique and causes an explosion of different tastes in your mouth. The wine parings are spot on. They also have an extensive wine list including some really good German white wines. Service is outstanding. Go the the restroom and rest assured that your table is cleaned up and prepared when you come. The waiter will also be right there to get your chair in place when you return to your table. They know what they are doing and they love their job - this is not fake. If you behave well during the meal and ask for a tour, you may get a tour through the wine cellar and the kitchen and theyll explain the history of the restaurant. Overall and amazing and unique experience.

JE

Jennifer Duarte

We had a phenomenal meal at Plumed Horse. We did the tasting menu with wine pairings; there was not an off note in the meal and the pairings (which included many wonderful local Santa Cruz mountain wines, including an exclusive Plumed Horse wine byTestarossa) were great. We started with the caviar, which was wonderful - they kept bringing out fresh blini and removing the cooling ones. Perhaps the most notable dish was the parmesan soufflé with uni and dungeness crab fondue (also on the a la carte menu) - it was a revelation: if you taste either the soufflé or the fondue alone, they were good; together they went beyond to become something amazing. Yet there were other great dishes: the rabbit loin and rack; the elk, and italian meringue with passion fruit and vanilla semifredde were all notable. Also notable was meeting chef Peter Armellino and talking with him. The interior is rich, modern, and dramatic, and yet feels warm and welcoming. The service was great. Very much a splurge restaurant, *not* a budget place. Worth noting: try and get the kitchen-side table if you have a big enough party.

TI

Timothy Wingerter

First, the stand out items: the wait staff commented that we looked like wed been sitting there for a moment while waiting for the bill and gave us each generous (and complimentary) pours of champagne at the end of the meal. We were also offered several other small chefs items throughout the night which, while not uncommon for restaurants of this caliber, were well received and delightful. Ambiance: we began at the bar with some cocktails, which were a tasty start to the evening. They seated us shortly in the center of the main dining area - things were aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. The wait staff is informed, attentive/speedy, and friendly. Food: Each of us sat down to some delicious bread and a platter of 4 or 5 little amuse bouche items - all of which were phenomenal (the little egg was the most memorable, mmm!). We started the uni/crab soufle - my girlfriend isnt a fan of sea food and found this as thoroughly enjoyable as I did. She had the chicken and I had the antelope (rare) and both were exceptional. Would recommend this place.