The Garden Cafe Savour In The Garden

This is part of the Kingsbrae Garden but you don't need to pay for the garden to eat here. Make sure to reserve as it gets busy, even in September as we found out although we were able to sit outside and enjoy the late Summer sun. The food is very good with both a normal and special menu depending on what is available. Our meals were a good size for lunch and we skipped dessert as some of what we wanted was sold out.

This restaurant has the most amazing food. We visited for dinner and then went back for lunch, and planned to go back for dinner again except, they had a wedding and the restaurant was closed. To the food: we started with the Herbs and Lettuce salad. While this may not sound like much from the description on the menu, the salad was amazing. The plate was abundantly filled with fresh assortment of lettuce, and drizzled with the most delicious Fermented honey lemon vinaigrette (has a beautiful floral finish). Then I had the Chicken Ballotine. OMG!!! If you like (or like me, LOVE) mushrooms, you must have this dish! I didn’t quite lick the plate clean, but I did ask for a spoon so I could get as much from the plate as possible, while remaining civilized! (Pictures attached) My husband had the Lobster Thermadore, and he loved it as well. It was fresh and lighter than it may sound like from the menu. The lobster was the star, and he raves about it still, days later. What is an amazing dinner without fabulous end? We share the creme brûlée and this time I did take my finger and run it around the dish so as the get every morsel. The chef prepared everything with such detail, and every ingredient in every dish sings…sometimes loud, and sometimes softly! I am a serious foodie, with a pretty sophisticated palate, so when I tell you the food is spectacular, know that I don’t give this credit often. Actually, I am not sure I have ever had a better dinner. It was amazing! Now I must also say that our service was great. Our server was friendly, helpful and enjoyable. She took in all our comments and questions…what is the herb, how is it prepared? The other server than came by was also very friendly and helpful. What a great experience! Finally, the people sitting next to us ordered the same mains as us,(40 minutes later) and their response the their meals (mmmmmmm, wow, oh my, that’s amazing)made us smile. We started a conversation with them over the wonderful meal and agreed with me that the chicken Ballotine was orgasmic!

On the positive side, the atmosphere and service were great. However, I ordered an appetizer of crab cake and crab leg for $18.00. The single crab cake was smaller than a golf ball and the single crab leg was only about 4 inches long. While it was delicious, it was certainly not worth $18.00 for the amount. I ordered the Lobster Thermador $39.00). I have had Lobster Thermador many times at other restaurants and usually the lobster is at least 1 1/2 lbs and they give you both sides. At the Garden Cafe the serving was 1/2 of a canner lobster 1/2-3/4 lb) which meant maybe 2 oz. of meat and it came with couse-couse which was tasteless. Certainly not worth the cost for the amount. Wine was $10 a glass. My wife ordered the mussels as an appetizer and, for once, the serving size was huge. I ordered the cheesecake $13,00) for dessert. It was literally a sliver. The widest point was maybe an inch. Our meal came to $182.85 plus tip and I was still starving at the end of it. I cannot recommend this restaurant and will not return.

My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful lunch today. He had a club sandwich and I had the grilled Caesar salad. We both agreed that they were each the best we had ever had. I loved the little bits of fresh herbs carefully tucked throughout my salad! For dessert, he had the tiramisu and I had the crème brulée. Both excellent. Fabulous service. Lovely ambiance. Would highly recommend.

The most inhospitable and hateful manager I’ve ever had the displeasure to meet!We will definitely not go back.