Richard R.
Yelp
FARM-TO-TABLE EVENT review
I've been married to the same AMAZING woman since 1998, and for more than 21 years I've wanted to take her to a farm for a meal AND a vineyard to taste wine. Oddly we are not wine drinkers, it's just one of those things that looked so cool and romantic it became a bucket list honey-do item!
I am a husband that is always on the lookout for something that might bring a smile to the face of my bride or our seedlings. When I came across Chattooga Belle Farm during a hike earlier in the year, I was intrigued by their mention of their annual Farm-to-Table wine event. Not only could I kill two birds with one stone, it is also partly to benefit the local youth. If you know us, giving back to the community and charitable work is near and dear to our hearts. So this event was special to us in a great many ways!
Adding to its specialness was the fact that two other couples joined us for the 2-hour drive from our home. Each of us was excited to have a kid free elegant adult evening doing something a little different than our norms.
THE EXPERIENCE
The evening began @ 5pm with a beautifully arranged buffet of appetizers which included a DELICIOUS smoked trout dip, cheddar grit cakes, and a wonderfully flavorful pimento cheese that I couldn't stop eating! A perfectly sweet pepper jelly also kept me coming back to the table along with a butternut squash hummus, dried fruits and tasty charcuterie meats. Also set up around the pavilion were four wine stations with an array of flavors and unlimited refills! My favorites were the sweeter white wines.
At 6pm the owners took time to thank everyone for coming and gave a brief tour of the vineyards for those who were interested in the products they grow, which also include an apple/peach orchard and a berry patch! Other amenities include a 3.5 mile hiking trail around the property, hayrides, disc golf, campsites, tiny home rentals, a lake/dam, distillery, ancient homestead and garden area.
MENTAL SIDENOTE: Wifey-boo-thang showed great interest in the tiny homes for rent. Considering all the nearby waterfalls, maybe a weekend getaway is in order in the coming year.
[ SALAD ] ~ Around 6:30pm the Harvest Salad arrived with a basket of complimentary bread and butter. The bread was not warm and the butter was so cold it was impossible to spread. For the life of me I don't understand why so many food places serve cold butter for things like rolls and pancakes. Don't they know it is meant to be spread? I was not a fan of the salad. Something about it was too bitter. I was also not a fan of any of the wine pairings for each course of the meal. I'm not a true wine lover and red wines are my least favorite.
[ MAIN COURSE ] ~ Roasted Duck with a peach glaze topping served on a bed of Hoppin' John (a white rice, onion, bacon & black-eyed peas mix) with a side of steamed spinach and caramelized butternut squash. Sounded awesome and in truth, some of the more roasted parts of the duck were delicious, other parts were too fatty and some offerings at our table seemed downright undercooked. In our party of six, only two of us ate the duck. The others really didn't like it.
[ DESSERT ] ~ A baked apple with the center cored out & filled with "buttermilk pie" and drenched in a Carolina Spice caramel sauce and garnished with two flat and delicious pie crust leaves. AWESOME!!!
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OTHER NOTES: Really liked the thick goldware utensils and burlap tablecloth, but wife disliked the curtain bathroom stalls.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall we had a blast! It was an experience that was fun and exciting despite some of the food dislikes. The scenery, the comradery, the enjoyment of meeting new people and the appetizers were all 5-star!
Some of the white wines were great while the reds were not to my liking, but I don't have a connoisseurs palate, so my opinion of the wine doesn't matter much. The duck, however, could have used a lot more finessing. I thought the flavor of the well roasted parts was tasty, but too much of it seemed undercooked. I'm not versed in duck, so that very well could be normal. All I know is I didn't like parts of it and many at my table felt the same. Duck has such a specific following that I'm surprised it was used as the main course.
I'd likely return for next years Farm-to-Table event if the menu sounds more interesting, because I realized even before sampling the food that much of it was not part of my usual diet. I've only had duck 2 or 3 other times in my 50 year life, most recently at an Asian restaurant and it was delicious (but also fatty). As for this event, the main course was "meh" 2 stars. The wine, 3 stars and everything else (including appetizers) 5 stars. 3.5 stars overall rounded up.
PS - We will definitely be back to try those tiny home rentals someday. I bet that would be a fun weekend experience for the bride and I.
2019/119