Flourish Magazine

The perfect light lunch – Blue Barn's Spring salad topped with grilled Atlantic Salmon and a cup of vegetarian minestrone soup on the side. grandmother and where he had worked for a number of years. or you can read the daily fare on blackboards hanging over Proteins include organic meats —turkey from Diestel, Mary's the counter. If this restaurant were a box of Crayola crayons, chicken, Niman Ranch beef and pork, sustainably raised fish or it would be the 64-color deluxe version because there are so wild-caught fish. All the cheeses come from artisan dairies such many different ingredients and combinations to choose from. as Pt. Reyes, Laura Chenel, Gioia, Cabot and Roth Kase. Breads On a recent visit, seasonal soups included vegetarian min- are from venerable Acme, a pioneer in Bay Area bread craft. estrone and a vibrant tomato soup enhanced with just a touch There are Northern California wines and locally brewed, all- of cream ($5.75 for a hearty cup or $7 for a large bowl). The to- natural sodas on the drink menu mato soup was the perfect foil for Blue Barn's signature line-up Then there's the décor. Blue Barn is a bluegrass concert of of complex grilled cheese sandwiches, called Sandos. Of these, rustic imagery. Assorted natural woods are showcased in wall the Provo ($10) was a stunning layered concoction of roasted paneling, benches, on glossy tables, in old-fashioned painted turkey breast, avocado, roma tomato, arugula and thyme aioli chairs with rush seating. The ceiling is so high, even the inside with provolone oozing out like golden lava over crisp griddled feels airy, like a real barn transformed into a restaurant. Pale planks of country levain bread. blue-grey walls pay homage to the changing light outside. With The Rooster yielded a fat ciabatta roll stuffed with chili-lime two types of seating inside and a large outdoor dining patio grilled chicken, Niman bacon, white cheddar, avocado, Roma fronting Town Center's elephant fountain, Blue Barn is visually tomato and chipotle aioli ($10.75). The flavors were rich and striking in every way. varied enough to crow over. Order at the counter. Menus are available on recycled paper, Because the menu is so carefully crafted, there are many options for vegetarian dining. The Buddha, for example ($9) was built around a grilled Portobello mushroom layered with goat cheese, roasted asparagus, pickled onions, watercress and English pea hummus on country levain. Toasted and crusty, the goat cheese was a tangy, melting sauce for the mushroom. Who missed meat? Salads are impressively large, put together with imagination and generous use of all ingredients, not just greens. I loved the Spring, a kaleidoscope of mixed lettuces, arugula, roasted asparagus, fresh shelled assorted beans, blanched snap peas, seasonal fruit, shaved fennel, toasted almonds and feta cheese under just the right amount of strawberry poppy seed vinaigrette Choices abound on Blue Barn's large menu of house specialties. ($10.75). Adding a four-ounce slab of grilled organic salmon SUMMER 2013 • FLOURISH 37

• Cover