December Dinner at Farm Spirit

On December 16, we decided to celebrate our dating anniversary (hey, fair to celebrate both the dating and wedding anniversary right, especially if you dated a while before you got married, right…) at one of our favorite restaurants in Portland, and definitely the best vegan restaurant we’ve ever been to Farm Spirit. We opted for the later 7:45 seating instead of the earlier Friday seating which was a more convenient time for us to get there after work and because for the slightly higher price there may be additional courses at this grand tasting dinner.
Farm Spirit Wine Reserve Wine Flight, Wine Flight, or Housemade Beverage Flight - purchase before you arrive when making your reservations, or when you arrive, or order a la carte Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from.
Farm Spirit, besides being completely vegan, also is almost completely local in serving Cascadian cuisine. Almost all their ingredients are sourced from within 105 miles except for those that would be extremely difficult, such as enough all natural wine for the wine list, and spices. They are very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from – many were crafted with local materials by local vendors.
Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from. Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from.

They pick up ingredients directly from the farm several times a week and know the stories of the people and ingredients that appear before you on every plate as a guest. The multiple checks a week into what is fresh also means the menu is continually changing and evolving. They also strive towards zero waste, and look for ways to use every part of an ingredient, so during the meal you can hear how different parts were utilized across your dishes.
Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from. Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from.
Farm Spirit is reservations only, paid online with a set date and time before ahead so they know exactly how many guests will arrive at the set group seating time, and they serve everything simultaneously, cooking and plating before you as you sit at a counter watching them. They have dinner service only, Wednesday through Saturday with two seatings available: 5:15 PM/5:30 PM or 7:45 PM. The ticket price varies depending on day and seating and already includes gratuity.

When making the reservation you can pre-purchase a regular or reserve wine pairing or housemade non-alcoholic pairing, or purchase the flights when you arrive or order the beverages as la carte. I highly recommend a pairing –  all the wines are all natural, and the non-alcoholic beverages have never disappointed on their tastyness (hello melon thyme shrub!) .
Farm Spirit Wine Reserve Wine Flight, Wine Flight, or Housemade Beverage Flight - purchase before you arrive when making your reservations, or when you arrive, or order a la carte

Here is a look at what our dinner in December offered.

  1. Each setting started off with a Seeded Rye bread accompanied by a vegan butter made from fresh pressed heritage seed canola oil with aquaphaba (chickpea juice)
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: each setting started off with a Seeded Rye bread accompanied by a vegan butter made from fresh pressed heritage seed canola oil with aquaphaba (chickpea juice)
  2. Cured Carrot with Aleppo Pepper Emulsion, a vegan sausage that had the perfect texture imitating charcuterie, created with purple carrots cured in sugar salt solution, then dehydrated, chopped up and then compressed and sliced into these. The Aleppo Pepper Emulsion offered creaminess while the spiciness was a nice extra bite.
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Cured Carrot with Aleppo Pepper Emulsion, a vegan sausage that had the perfect texture imitating charcuterie, created with purple carrots cured in sugar salt solution, then dehydrated, chopped up and then compressed and sliced into these. Served with an Aleppo Pepper Emulsion for a nice spicy bite. Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Cured Carrot with Aleppo Pepper Emulsion, a vegan sausage that had the perfect texture imitating charcuterie, created with purple carrots cured in sugar salt solution, then dehydrated, chopped up and then compressed and sliced into these. Served with an Aleppo Pepper Emulsion for a nice spicy bite.
  3. Cabbage Taco with wild shimeji mushrooms and cauliflower puree, I could have eaten half a dozen of these they were soooo good and felt so decadant.
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Cabbage Taco with wild shimeji mushrooms and cauliflower puree Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Cabbage Taco with wild shimeji mushrooms and cauliflower puree
  4. This snack is a Fried Kalette with Hazelnut Yogurt with allium. A kalette is a cross between brussel sprouts and kale.
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: This snack is a fried kalette with hazelnut yogurt with allium. A kalette is a cross between brussel sprouts and kale.
  5. Red Beet Braised Radicchio, bitter radicchio braised with warm spices and beet juice
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Red Beet Braised Radicchio, bitter radicchio braised with warm spices and beet juice Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Red Beet Braised Radicchio, bitter radicchio braised with warm spices and beet juice
  6. Shredded brussels sprouts with celeriac puree, Meyer Lemon and Oregon Black Truffles
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Shredded brussels sprouts with celeriac puree, Meyer Lemon and Oregon Black Truffles Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Shredded brussels sprouts with celeriac puree, Meyer Lemon and Oregon Black Truffles
  7. Carrots and Apricot. Peeled and carefully rolled, cooked sous vide and seared Carrots, preserved in bay leaf and rosemary Apricot, finished with Meyer Lemon leaf oil and frilly mustard
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Peeled and carefully rolled, cooked sous vide and seared Carrots, preserved in bay leaf and rosemary Apricot, finished with Meyer Lemon leaf oil and frilly mustard Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Peeled and carefully rolled, cooked sous vide and seared Carrots, preserved in bay leaf and rosemary Apricot, finished with Meyer Lemon leaf oil and frilly mustard
  8. Sprouted Farro, Leeks, Smoke dish, the farro is cooked with sage and smoked leek and presented with sexy smoke
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Sprouted Farro, Leeks, Smoke dish, the farro is cooked with sage and smoked leek and presented with sexy smoke Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Cured Carrot with Aleppo Pepper Emulsion, a vegan sausage that had the perfect texture imitating charcuterie, created with purple carrots cured in sugar salt solution, then dehydrated, chopped up and then compressed and sliced into these. Served with an Aleppo Pepper Emulsion for a nice spicy bite.

    A video posted by Pechluck Laskey (@pechluck) on

  9. Kohlrabi Fritter with sunflower yogurt, they use Greenwillow Grains, wild fermented broth is utilized to make the sunflower milk used to make the yogurt
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Kohlrabi Fritter with sunflower yogurt, they use Greenwillow Grains, wild fermented broth is utilized to make the sunflower milk used to make the yogurt Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Kohlrabi Fritter with sunflower yogurt, they use Greenwillow Grains, wild fermented broth is utilized to make the sunflower milk used to make the yogurt Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Kohlrabi Fritter with sunflower yogurt, they use Greenwillow Grains, wild fermented broth is utilized to make the sunflower milk used to make the yogurt Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Kohlrabi Fritter with sunflower yogurt, they use Greenwillow Grains, wild fermented broth is utilized to make the sunflower milk used to make the yogurt
  10. Sunchoke Veloute with caramelized sunchoke dumpling, garnished with chrysanthemum and with ash made with the pits of the Meyer Lemon used in other dishes previously
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Sunchoke Veloute with caramelized sunchoke dumpling, chrysanthemum and ash made with the pits of the Meyer Lemon used in other dishes previously Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Sunchoke Veloute with caramelized sunchoke dumpling, chrysanthemum and ash made with the pits of the Meyer Lemon used in other dishes previously
    I was just loving these bowls, which have these great indentations on both sides that make it easy to carry it in one hand
    Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from. I was just loving these bowls, which have these great indentations on both sides that make it easy to carry it in one han Farm Spirit is very conscientious and thoughtful in creating an experience via the food and the environment to support and celebrate local vendors. This is down to the counter that you are eating upon, the shelves you see before you, and the ceramic dishes you eat from. I was just loving these bowls, which have these great indentations on both sides that make it easy to carry it in one han
  11. Pan roasted Abalone mushroom with potato puree, red onion sauce, and watercress. This final savory dish was almost like steak and potatoes, vegan style, surprisingly meaty thanks to the thickness and texture of that mushroom and other flavors on the plate.
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Pan roasted Abalone mushroom with potato puree, red onion sauce, and watercress. Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Pan roasted Abalone mushroom with potato puree, red onion sauce, and watercress.
  12. Palate cleansing course of Raspberry Kefir in the signature Drink Me bottles. I’ve known about this presentation for a while since I’m a social media fan, and I love how it incorporates Rico’s gifts in making homemade beverags into the meal even for those who don’t know to opt into the non-alcoholic pairings.
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Palate cleansing course of raspberry kefir Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Palate cleansing course of raspberry kefir
  13. Dessert 1`of 2, Cultured hazelnut that is vegan but goes through the same process like cheesemaking, here with leek ash, and served with smoked beet juice, hazelnut crumble, and flax cracker
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Dessert 1`of 2, this is the Cultured hazelnut that is vegan but goes through the same process like cheesemaking, here with leek ash, and served with smoked beet juice, hazelnut crumble, and flax cracker Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Dessert 1`of 2, this is the Cultured hazelnut that is vegan but goes through the same process like cheesemaking, here with leek ash, and served with smoked beet juice, hazelnut crumble, and flax cracker
  14. Parsnip cake with pepita ice cream and huckleberry powder, chestnut, preserved blackberry
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: Parsnip cake with pepita ice cream and huckleberry powder, chestnut, preserved blackberry
  15. The end of the meal is really the last course, but in case you wanted more in a few hours, or for breakfast the next morning, they package up a little vegan bread – here it was Beet Fennel bread that I enjoyed with green tea at home the next morning
    Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: at the end of the dinner they gift you a little bread that you can enjoy the next morning, this one is Beet Fennel that I had the next morning with green tea Farm Spirit 7:45 PM seating on December 16th dinner: at the end of the dinner they gift you a little bread that you can enjoy the next morning, this one is Beet Fennel that I had the next morning with green tea

I would recommend Farm Spirit to anyone and everyone, vegan or not. It’s an amazing atmosphere of supporting and celebrating local, food that would be at home in a white tablecloth fancy restaurant and plated like art, but with a casual cool grooves playlist on the stereo and the chefs amiably chatting up and sharing stories and asking about you like everyone here are new friends at a low key dinner party. They already have seating reservations up for Valentine’s if you’re looking for an excellent date night or check out their calendar for other convenient dinner seatings in January and February for you.

What caught your eye from this December Dinner at Farm Spirit I shared? Have you heard of or been to Farm Spirit? What vegan restaurants do you know of and recommend?

 

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Comments

  1. I am a HUGE fan of Farm Spirit! I wish I could dine there once a month. They have such a great way of using ingredients that I would never think of on my own, and I love how little bites can taste and feel so filling. The menu you enjoyed looks delicious! And I love that you celebrate your dating anniversary!

  2. I keep reading about the awesomeness of Farm Spirit, but have yet to take the plunge. Your review and this meal are very persuasive though – everything looks so delicious! We definitely need to make a date. (Speaking of which, YES! It is perfectly acceptable to celebrate the anniversary of your first date!)

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