The Farish House

It’s hard to put into words how great this place is. Have you ever been somewhere when everything just feels “right, balanced, happy”? That is Farish House. The cozy, intimate comfort of what used to be Coup des Tartes blended seamlessly with the deep, peaceful, gentle “love” you felt from House of Tricks into one calm, warm, easy spot. Farish House is a real, soul-warming experience across the board. The service, care, comfort, ambience, food, value and clear love they put into everything make Farish House our new favorite place. We walked through the front gate, up onto the front porch and inside where we took one of three small tables in the cozy front salon of this soul-warming 1899 French Bistro. *Food: we started with a bottle of Australian Cab. Shockingly good. And not crazy expensive, especially on Thursday when bottles are 30% off, it was an amazing deal. Turns out, the owner, Greg, was in the wine distribution business for several decades, curating wine programs for top Valley restaurants, so he really knows his stuff and their vast wine selection is amazing. We were offered a basket of truffle popcorn, mmm, salty, crunchy, and rich. We ordered the Chef’s Selection Charcuterie and Warm Noble Baguette & Marinated Olives to get started. Both were beautifully curated, balanced, and incredibly high quality. The flavors and textures blended perfectly. with cheeses broken from large wheels, rather than cut and sliced, house-made pickled grapes, unique and unusual ingredients, smokey meats, compound butters, just awesome! We then moved into one of the cozy dining rooms and ordered the slow roasted Peposo Short Ribs and fingerling potatoes pan fried in duck fat served with Moroccan spiced aioli. Both were rich, warm and delicious. For dessert, and yes we thought we’d explode from all this food, we ordered a massive slice of bread pudding, some of the best I’ve ever had, rich, gooey and incredible. Along with that we ordered a beautiful Espresso Martini and an off-menu banana cream martini. Their drinks are not “poured” or mixed here, they’re balanced and expertly crafted. This is French Bistro comfort food at its finest and it’s unmistakeable. *Service: it just doesn’t get better. Everyone working there is “family”. And that’s how they make you feel; like family, cared for, wanted, welcomed. Service isn’t a choreographed masterpiece, no tuxedos, cloths draped over arms, napkins frantically re-folded when you step away, dishes served and cleared in unison. No, it’s relaxed, warm, friendly, kind, like being at your grandmothers house and knowing you’re surrounded by people who care. Met Greg and Katherine, the owners, and their daughter Alexandra and several other “family” members taking care of us. Their appreciation for your presence is unmistakable. *Ambience: it’s just plain comfy, cozy, easy, relaxed, warm, deep, gentle, worn (in a good way), wise, and calm, that’s the best I can describe it. Hard wood floors, cozy rooms, soft, warm lighting. It’s a non-pretentious, French bistro that feels like the home of a favorite grandma or great aunt living in a warm family cottage in the outskirts of Paris. *Value: it’s perfect. It’s not ridiculously expensive like Kai, Brinkley’s, Cafe Monarch, Christopher’s, or French Laundry where you go, “okay, that was fun but we’ll only do this very occasionally/rarely and it’s probably worth it, but dang that was pricey!” No, Farish House is 100% value to experience, not cheap, but not overpriced, the balance is just right. It’s a place you can go often, and we will. Yes, our meal with apps, drinks and dessert, some on happy hour and the Thursday wine special, was around $200. I’d happily say this experience was worth every penny. *Overall: I can’t recommend Farish House highly enough. The food, ambience, service, quality, and experience were stellar. I wish I could rate them 6 stars instead of just 5. I’ll return often and highly recommend Farish House to everyone. I genuinely hope you enjoy as much as we did!