Marjorie S.
Yelp
Apparantly Homestead is the third eatery at this address, the first being our long-time favorite, Ibiza Tapas Wine Bar. We mised owner, Juan's Farm to Table transition from Ibiza, which closed before we had the chance to try it.
So not knowing the new Homestead was not the Farm to Table we expected, but a brand new owner/chef, Jeremey Werther venture of American/Italian/ and yes, tapas--known these days as small plates.
So, we were game. It was my birthday. I had requested Juan's place, and was fine trying out Jeremy's place.
The menu is inviting, and I had decided on the kale salad, but was early on warned by our server, Kyrie, that some menu items weren't available since it was Sunday and they are closed on Monday so when they run out, they don't want to replenish. Of course, one of the unavailable items was the kale salad.
Okay, so I ordered the daily stuffed pasta special, which was a pureed carrot and turkey in a kind-of rectangular ravioli shape with, amazingly, rhubarb and tiny purple grapes adorning the plate, along with some shredded pieces of turkey. The flavor was excellent, and the rhubarb and grapes an inventive, creative touch.
My husband ordered the ricotta pasta balls with spicy Italian sausage and a very good pasta sauce.
Both entrees were served in bowls, and were a modest portion size for the full-sized entree section. The seemed in between a small plate and full entree size. Certainly we had nothing left over.
We ordered the blueberry-topped cheesecake for dessert and it was creamy and delicious.
So why am I not raving about the place? It is hard to put my finger on. Our server didn't seem very enthusiastic about serving. She was competent enough, but with only a couple of other tables filled at this early Sunday evening hour, we had the impression she was not a open to much verbal exchange. It wasn't unfriendly, but far from friendly. It was off-putting.
I asked about the restaurant history and asked about Juan and she said he is not participating anymore. I asked if it was now owned by Jeremy, and she said a hearty yes to that. Again, she didn't really want to chat.
Let's just say the food is fresh, creative and well-prepared, the value is there, the open kitchen a plus, and the menu selection quite pleasant. The service seems a bit stiff, and it did make us feel less than special. Maybe I am more sensitive about it being a birthday meal, maybe I miss the warm reception we always had from Juan. I think it deserves a second try. I still give it 4 stars.