Located in quaint downtown Saratoga, Plumed Horse is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant presents Contemporary California cuisine emphasizing what is fresh, seasonal and sustainably produced.
Plumed Horse had its beginning in 1952 and new owners took it over about nine years ago. A multimillion-dollar redo and a Contemporary California-inspired menu created by Executive Chef/Owner Peter Armellino turned the local restaurant into one of the finest dining destination in Silicon Valley. Since its re-opening, Plumed Horse has been winning a Michelin star every year from 2008 to 2017.
The restaurant have several private dining areas: a 60-seat lounge with a bar and cozy fireplace; a 80-seat main dining room; and a few private dining rooms, including the Chef’s Table which offers an unique behind-the-scenes dining experience.
We had reserved at one of the private dining rooms. The elegant modern interior with soft lighting create a romantic ambience.
Plumed Horse serves à la carte and tasting menus – Chef’s tasting menu priced at $135, and Vegetarian tasting menu priced at $125. There are two wine pairing options, regular pairing for $98 or premium pairing for $225. We decided to go for the Chef’s tasting menu with regular wine pairing.
The meal started with a champagne cart wheeled to the table. We were invited to choose an apéritif from one of the champagne bottles on the cart, priced from $18 to $44 per glass.
An amuse-bouche was served briefly after the champagne cart.
The first course was a tuna-wrapped dutchasparagus top with Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, paired with NV J-M Seleque Champagne Solessence Brut from France.
The second course was ibérico ham salad, paired with 2014 Domaine Berthet-Bondet “Savagnier” from Côtes-du-Jura, France.
Followed by the Asian-inspired Abalone porridge, paired with 2014 Von Holt “Terra Alta Vineyard” Viognier from Clement Hills, California.
So far the first 3 courses were good but didn’t wow me. However, I was impressed with the wine pairing choices. The selected wines paired nicely with each course. The restaurant houses 16,000-plus bottles of wine in a three-story custom glass cellar to accompany Chef Armellino’s cuisine. Its extensive wine selection has been recognized by Wine Spectator magazine.
The foie gras ($35 supplement) was the best dish of the night. Beautifully seared foie gras, nicely crusted outside and soft on the inside, paired perfectly with the 1995er Stephan Ehlen “Erdener Treppchen” Riesling Auslese from Germany.
Next was the fish course – black cod with roasted Brussels sprout and sweet potato purée, paired with the 2012 La Ca Nova Barbaresco from Piedmont, Italy. The cod was cooked nicely with light seasoning to complement the nature flavor.
The final meat course of the night was Australian Kiwani Beef, paired with the 2009 Kathryn Kennedy “Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon from Saratoga, California. The meat was tender, fresh, and perfectly pink but nothing more than that.
Next came the cheese course, paired with the 1998 Blandy’s Malmsey from Madeira, Portugal.
Frozen yogurt with pomegranate jewels was served before the dessert course. It was very refreshing and made a nice palate cleanser to transition to the sweets.
The dessert course was salted caramel mousse, paired with the 2011 Niepoort “LBV” Porto from Portugal. I have a serious sweet tooth so dessert is a big deal for me. I was expecting a great dessert to end the meal on a high note but the dessert was a bit disappointing.
Overall the meal was not bad. The service was great and atmosphere was appealing. I like their private dining rooms and would definitely go back for a family get-together or a special occasion celebration with a large group.
Visited: Dinner | Oct 21, 2016
Plumed Horse
14555 Big Basin Way Saratoga, CA 95070
Phone: (408) 867-4711
Hours: Mon-Sat 5:30pm-10pm; Lounge: Mon-Thur 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-1am
http://plumedhorse.com/
Price: Tasting Menu $135- Vegetarian Tasting Menu $125- Wine Pairing $98- Premium Wine Pairing $250- (as of Oct 2016)
