Stephanie Hunt
Google
10 stars, DO NOT MISS. Without exaggeration, the best sandwich I’ve ever had *in my life*, and overall a lovely experience tucked inside The West Marin Culture Shop (look for the big red barn).
I ordered directly from the Farmer’s (Ex) Wife herself, Kendra, who is warm, lovely and a culinary genius. When I asked about adding protein to the Fruit & Blue, she spoke of how she loves combining flavor profiles (sweet, savory) and recommended adding the roasted fennel sausage. Let me tell you… this sandwich is the stuff of dreams. Pear, apples, the most plump raspberries and blackberries, apricot jam… so many fresh fruits, I lost track. Melted together with salty cheddar, goat cheese, and add in the savory sausage, on perfectly grilled sourdough. OMG.
As if this sandwich was not enough, she served it with a generously sized salad of again, the freshest ingredients imaginable. You might think ‘oh, sometimes places will throw some lettuce/ cherry tomatoes on the side and call that a salad’. NOT HERE! Fresh greens, piled high with beets, cabbage, tomatoes and cukes, apples and pears, snap peas that looked as it they’d just been plucked from the vine… all bursting with color and almost too beautiful to eat.
Lastly, the fermented strawberry soda was the perfect pairing. Sweetened only with honey, perfectly fizzy… I almost always avoid soda otherwise because it’s usually terrible for you, but this was such a treat.
In conclusion: We live in a time when many businesses use the term “fresh, seasonal ingredients“ as a marketing grab. By contrast, eating here feels like a hug. Because only someone who actually cares about you and is thinking about your wellbeing would put in the effort and creativity to source and serve you a product this fresh, this beautiful, this *delicious* and wonderfully nourishing. As someone who loves cheesy, salty comfort food because I’m human, but also tries to eat in a way that will give me energy and not make me feel awful, and knowing how nearly impossible it can be to find options that check both those boxes… I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate this.
Did I mention drinks are by default served in reusable glass jars, and everything else is compostable? The care for the Earth comes through here too.
I was visiting from NYC (where we’re surrounded by worldclass food, but nothing like this!), otherwise I would have lunch here multiple times per week. Instead I will have to look forward to my next trip the the Bay Area - or then again, maybe move there for this reason.😂 If you think that’s a crazy thing to say - have lunch here and report back!
