Shelley Taylor

CEDARBROOK GARDEN CAFE

1345 South Sequim Avenue

683.4541

M-Th 10-4

Fri & Sat 10-8

Dinner Fri & Sat 5-8

cedarbrookgardencafe.com



$$ - $$$



The historic Cedarbrook Herb & Lavender Farm (cedarbrooklavender.com) has been around for over forty years here in Sequim.



Perched on a hill, reminiscent of the French countryside, the Farm overlooks the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Mt. Baker.



The Cedarbrook Garden Café has the feel of an airy conservatory.



It's impossible not to enjoy yourself. There's something to delight the eye everywhere you look. (FYI: their websites offer lots of great pictures!)



But enough time spent on a feast for the eyes...let's get on to the feast for your tummy.



I've had dinner here when it was Petals, and lunch when it was Café Provence.



Third time's a charm.



We started dinner with "Trio" from the "Savories" menu; hot baguettes served with hummus (whose secret ingredient is...peanuts!), artichoke lavender tapenade, and their own recipe for pesto. Scrumptious. And the bread, from Pane d'Amore, was just too good. For those who aren't familiar with Pane d'Amore, you're in for a treat.



We couldn't order every appetizer, so we had to pass up the Baked Brie & Lavender Honey, and the Antipasto; a selection of cured meat, cheese, olives, and nuts with a walnut compote.



I filled up on bread...but still managed salad and dinner. And, of course, dessert.



With dinner comes a salad or soup. My friend Judie ordered the soup: smoked chicken with caramelized onions and spinach. Hearty and savory. She likey. Me too. I ordered the Fresh Herb Garden Salad with parmesan vinaigrette and everything was exquisitely fresh, especially the cucumbers and tomatoes.



I had more bread.



The owners, Marcella and Gary Stachurski, take pride in what they serve and want you to know their ingredients are "organic, local, heirloom variety, sustainably harvested wherever possible, right down to our organic herbs and sea salt". All beef is all natural from Oregon.



Now for our main courses.



Greg ordered the Sirloin Burger served with pickle, red onion, and tomato on a panini bun. And nice big fat steak fries.



Judie ordered the Crispy Roasted Chicken with herbed potato salad, roasted asparagus and marsala syrup. She likey that too, and she should know. She cooks: I'm lucky...I eat!



I decided on the Vegetable Napoleon. Wow wow wow! Seasonal roasted veggies (this time including zucchini and asparagus) layered with a ricotta herb and parmesan blend topped with a pesto cream sauce along with roasted garlic potato puree. Is your mouth watering?



Other entrees were Hill's Native Pork Chop, a Flat Iron Steak, and Pacific Halibut with fresh cole slaw and marinated tomato salad on a panini bun. That sounds like a nice choice for a hot summer evening.



Desserts are a head turner. As the Four Layer Chocolate Cake with Cristine's Heavenly Chocolate Ganache was being brought to a neighboring table, one female patron exclaimed, "Oh my gawd...you've got to be kidding!"



I can tell that lady, "No! They were not!" After that recommendation, it was chocolate cake with three forks. The ganache, also used to fill truffles, was the icing on the cake, literally. My oh my.



Then we read the dessert menu again and decided we just had to try Gary's Favorite Bread Pudding topped with Toffee Sauce. Filled with pecans and served warm, the menu sez "mmmmm". I'm sure it's what they serve in Shangri La (a mythical place where desserts have no calories).



Other desserts include specially made ice creams: lemon lavender, white chocolate chocolate chip lavender, and creamy vanilla bean with a shot of lavender syrup.



Wines served are from Olympic Cellars, Camaradarie Cellars, and Lost Mountain.



Cedarbrook Café offers a variety of beverages to go with your meal. Of course there's espresso, latte, and cappuccino; but the orange bliss mocha with a twist of fresh orange sounds delightful. Or try their lavender lemonade or lavender and cranberry spritzers. Next time I'll have to try the Perfect Nut Latte with almond and hazelnut syrups and steamed almond milk.



For visiting grandkids, they have special children's menus, one for boys with a tractor and one for girls graced by the Cedarbrook Lavender Berry Fairy for coloring. Any kid will sit still for that while wolfing down grilled cheese, noodles with butter and ham, pb&j, or fish and chips.



While you're polishing off the delights before you, your eyes can't help but wander to the outside. The Stachurskis call it "a walk in heaven". I concur.



No picture postcard could do it justice.



The perfect place for weddings - or renewing vows, ("Oh, Greg, what are you doing in October?"). You can stay overnight in their vacation rental, or attend community events such as High Tea, concerts, and spinning demos.



You can stroll the grounds, and find a lovely plant for your home garden for memory's sake. The 100 year old Bell House is now a seasonal gift shop, but even if the House isn't open, the gift shop inside the Café is just simply a treat. I don't know who their buyer is, but every item for sale is just perfect. Next time I need to buy a gift...I know where I'm going!



And I'll make sure I come hungry so I can savor a divine meal before I shop.