Sarah G.
Yelp
We stayed at the Temecula Creek Inn when house-hunting several years ago before we moved to Temecula. So while we had had enjoyed breakfast/brunch at Cork|Fire, we had never been there for dinner. All that was remedied recently when we met up with friends for an evening trifecta of great drinks, great food and great company at Cork|Fire.
Up first, cocktails! The holy hand grenade was delicious, not too sweet and beautifully garnished, and tableside smoking of some old-fashioneds is always fun. While the creamy cider vinaigrette on my Waldorf burrata salad was yummy, I didn't think there was enough "stuff" in the salad (apples, grapes, celery and pecans).
For the main course, the diver scallops with lemon spaetzle was excellent - perfectly seared with an incredible sauce. My husband had the wagyu flat iron steak which was delicious as well.
I rarely order dessert when dining out. I do a LOT of baking at home and have pretty high standards in this regard. But if I see something interesting - like the donut holes - or a lemon dessert, I'm in! Our table had the ricotta donut holes and the berry tart. While I really enjoyed the donut holes (but would ask for extra whiskey caramel sauce next time), my husband wasn't wild about them. You get six large warmed donut holes which have the texture of a cake donut (which I prefer) instead of a lighter yeast donut. The berry tart however, was nothing to write home about. I found the chocolate pastry shell to be way too thick and while I love that they use local berries which were good, the custard was disappointing.
Service was great, ambiance is warm and overall, our cocktails & meals were excellent. So this dinner experience, coupled with several awesome breakfasts and lunches awhile back, merit Cork|Fire a five-star rating in my book!