Farmer’sTable:AWelcomeEditionto
LaMesaDiningScene
March30,2017
LaMesahaslongbeenoverlookedbycitydwellersandnorthcountyresidents.Located
nearElCajonontheI-8corridor,thislittletownisstartingtolook,well,different.
Justninemileseastofdowntown,LaMesaisauniqueneighborhoodwithitsown
character.Moreruralandsmall-towninnature,thecityhasbeengoingthrougha
revitalization.Asrentskyrocketsacrossthecityandresidentsandbusinessesfromother
areasseekalessexpensiveplacetocallhome,LaMesahasseenaboom.Thecityis
hometo58,769residentsasof2014,thatnumberisup7%since2000.
Asthepopulationexpands,sodoestheneedforgreatdiningdestinations.
Iftheareaisnewtoyou,headeastonthe8orthe125andexitSpringStreettowardsLa
MesaBoulevard.Attheintersectionofthesestreetsyou’llfindasmalldowntown
shoppingareawithtonsofcharacter.Thereareavarietyofshops,barsandrestaurants
tovisit.AfewnewadditionstotheneighborhoodincludeBlvdNoodles,BO-beau
kitchen+garden,Sheldon’sServiceStationandFarmer’sTable.
ForthistriptoLaMesa,wehadtheopportunitytotryFarmer’sTable,andweurgeyou
todothesame.Enterthespaciousrestaurantonthecornerandyou’llbegreetedby
friendlystaffandawarmenvironment.Rustic-but-trendydecorationsadornthespace
andrangefromluggageinsidethewelcomeboothtothetractorinthemaindining
room.80%ofallmaterialsusedindecoratingthespacewasreclaimed,includingthe
benchesandtablesmadefromoldcarparts,tires,andvintagesuitcases.Sitoutsideon
thepatiooraroundtheindoor-outdoorbararea.Heaterswillkeepyouwarmonthose
coolevenings,sodon’tworryaboutbeingcold.
Farmer’sTablebringstogetherfresh,localflavorsanduniquedishes.Theyuselocally
sourcedorganicingredients,whichthemanagerexplained,meansthattheyknowtheir
suppliersverywell.Thefreshnessiningredientsisimmediatelyapparent,thatis,ifyou
ordersomethingfresh.
WestartedwiththeBisonTartare(abest-sellerattheirsisterrestaurantFarmer’s
Bottega),whichwasservedwithageneroushelpingofavocado,formedintoabeautiful
round,toppedwithbisonandtheunexpectedflavorsofmangoandpomegranate.The
surprisewasasmallquaileggnestledtothesideofthedish,allowingthedinertodrop
theeggontothemicrogreensandwatchtheyolkcascadeontotheitemsbelow.Itwasa
beautifulthingtobehold.
Fortheappetizer,wealsoorderedtheGrilledOctopus.Nota“normal”selectionfor
some,butworthatry.Octopuscanbenotoriouslydifficulttocook,andcanendup
rubberyandunappetizingifdonewrong.Somethingthatcangowrongsoeasilywas
doneveryrightatFarmer’sTable.Servedwithwatercress,radish,fingerlingpotatoes
andleeks,theplatewasgarnishedwithabeautifulpinkflower(differentthanpictured
below).Theflowermadethepurplehuesintheoctopusstandout.Itwasoneofthe
mostbeautifullyplateddishesI’vehadinawhile.
AlongsideappetizersmydinnerguestandIhadafewcocktails.Throughoutthemealwe
hadaBarnyardMule(Woodfordbourbon,gingerbeer,limejuice,bitterswithfreshblue
berries),TheFarmHand(Hendrick’sgin,St.Germain,lemonjuice,simplesyrup,
cucumberandblackpepper)andaPinata(Milagrotequilablanc,bloodorange,jalapeno
simplesyrup,limejuicewithatajinrim).
Thecocktailssoundeddelicious.Inpractice,
theymayneedalittlefine-tuning.Farmer’s
Tablehasn’tbeenopenforlong,sowehope
they’llmakesomechanges.TheBarnyard
Mulewassurprisinglysweet,butdrinkable.
TheFarmHandwasabitheavyonthegin
(althoughagreatchoiceofgin),couldhave
usedalittlemoreSt.Germain,andwould
havebenefittedgreatlyfrommuddlingthe
cucumber.
Thestand-outcocktailwasdefinitelythe
Pinata(orisitPiñata?Notquitesure).Itwas
afreshtakeonastandardmargarita.Mixin
bloodorangeinsteadoftriplesec,use
jalapenosyruptoaddsomesubtleheat,and
garnishwithaTajinrim.Thehurricaneglass
(nottheglasspictured)andstrawmadeit
difficulttoenjoytheTajinrim,butitwas
tasty.
Thebeerlistisalsoprettygood.Withgo-tos
PinataCocktail
likeKarlStrauss’AuroraHoppyalis,Ale
Smith’s.394,andAlpine’sDuet,youcan’tgowrong.They’vegotbeersfromSanDiego
favoriteslikeBallastPoint,ModernTimes,MotherEarthandStone,sothereshouldbe
somethingforeveryone.
Aftersomehelpfulsuggestionsfromthewaiter,wesettledonourdinnerselectionsof
DuckGnocchiandaBlackTrufflePizza.Theduckwascookedbeautifullyandthegnocchi
waslightandfluffy.Afavoriteamongdinersaccordingtothewaiter,itwasverygood.
TheBlackTrufflePizzaisanewadditiontothemenu,andwasverytastyaswell.The
crustwascrisp,withsomedeliciousblackenedbitstogiveitarusticflavor.Thetruffle
flavorwaspronouncedbutnotoverwhelming.Itwasgreatleft-overthenextdaytoo.
Speakingofleftovers–youwillverylikelyleavehomewithsomethingtonoshon
tomorrow.Whiletheentreesareabitsteeplypricedbetween$20and$30(pizzasare
morereasonable),youshouldbeabletogetadinnerandlunchoutofit,especiallyif
youorderanapp,bruschettaorsalad.
Themealleftusquitefull,butwhatwouldarestaurantreviewbewithoutdessert?My
friendsknowmeasasuckerforbreadpudding,soIhadtogivetheirdailyselectiona
try.That’stakingonefortheSDEntertainerteam.Dessertselectionsincludeadaily
breadpudding,pannacotta,lavacakeorlemoncellocake.Thedailybreadpuddingwasa
peach-variety,toppedwithicecream.Again,portionswerelarge,soit’seasilyshared.It
wasn’ttoosweetandfinishedthemealoffbeautifully.
Farmer’sTableisopenforbreakfast,lunch
anddinner,soifyou’reintheneighborhood
stopby.Ifyou’renot,youmaywantto
ventureouttoLaMesatotryforyourself.If
you’rethereforbreakfastandwanta
challenge,checkouttheirinsanebloody
marry–servedinapitcherwithanentire
roastedchickenontop.
AlbertoMorrealeandVincenzoLoversoare
co-ownersofFarmer’sTable.Albertoco-owns
thehighlysuccessfulHillcrestandLiberty
StationFigTreeCafélocationsandisthe
ownerofFarmer’sBottegainMissionHills.
Vincenzoholdsanextensivepedigree,having
previouslyopenedHillcrest’sFreshCatchFish
Market&Grillandiscurrentlyservingasthe
ownerofSanDiegoDiningGroup,which
operatesGreystoneTheSteakhouse,Osetra
TheFishhouse,andOsteriaPanevino.
Location:8141LaMesaBlvd,LaMesa,CA91941
Hours:Breakfast/Lunch8a.m.–3p.m.daily;M–Thurs4:30p.m.–10p.m.,Fri–
Sun4:30p.m.–11p.m.
www.farmerstablelamesa.com
AllphotoscourtesyofFarmer’sTable.