I was asked to help organize our team holiday party this year so I jumped at the chance to eat well on the company budget - best of all, the party happened to coincide with my birthday. Fabulous food shared with friends (well co-workers really) with no guilt over the expense. After failing to get a response from anyone at Volterra for several weeks, I e-mailed Harvest Vine and got a response from Carolin Messier, co-owner and pastry chef that very day. The cellar was the perfect sized venue for our group of 20. Overwhelmed by the numerous menu choices we let their chefs do most of the choosing. We picked a few items that we absolutely wanted while she worked with the chef to fill in some seasonally fresh items. Our meal lasted 3 hours and everything was perfectly paced. We never felt rushed nor were we ever left wondering when the next dish would come. We had 5 different shared tapas, a choice of entree for everyone that just needs their own plate of something, a shared cheese course followed by a plate of 3 very generously portioned "mini" desserts for everyone - I loved that I didn't have to choose just one dessert. Service was excellent, the presentation impressed everyone and the whole room fell silent as everyone savored their entree. I can't recommend this place highly enough.
Here was our menu:
Cured Meats
Beet Salad - red and yellow beets dressed with a vinegrette - delightful presentation
Crab Salad
Sauteed Mushrooms with garlic and sherry - this my my favorite tapa - warm and flavorful
Pan Seared Duck Breasts in sherry sauce
Choice of:
Grilled Venison
Chicken in Saffron Almond Sauce
Salt Cod
Cheese Course with 5 different cheeses and quince paste
Dessert - I'm so glad none of us had to choose
Pumpkin Flan
A yummy cream puff filled with ice cream
Chocolate torte
My favorite was the flan - smooth and creamy
