The Vegetarian and The Carnivore

Week 3: Quiessence | Slideshow
Week 2: Postino | Slideshow
Week 1: Sweet O | Slideshow

The word quiescent means quiet or tranquil, and that is the exact feeling you have while visiting Quiessence Restaurant and Wine Bar at the Farm at South Mountain.

The natural beauty of the landscape is breathtaking, and the pecan grove shades your walk through the entry-way garden. When you visit Quiessence, you step away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Phoenix and into the peaceful and gorgeous tranquility of the farm, where seemingly fairytales are made.

Although the night air was still warm and dry, we could not resist sitting on the outdoor patio to enjoy the natural beauty of the farm. Our visit was earlier this year, before the hot summer had set in.

To start off the night, we began with a pre-dinner drink and enjoyed our wine throughout the meal. Quiessence offers 18 wines by the glass ($7-$15) and 44 wines by the bottle ($28-$200). Unfortunately, many of the wines that we wanted to try were not available by the glass, although we did enjoy the French Beaujolais ($8) the Washington Chardonnay ($10), the Spanish Atio Albarino ($12) and the California Pinot Noir ($12).

In addition to several wine selections, Quiessence serves ten different beers ($3.75-$8) from Belgium, Holland and the United States.

Once we ordered our first glass of wine, the waiter brought us some freshly baked garlic bread and fresh herb butter that was absolutely delicious. In addition, we were served a delightful, complimentary starter that included fresh peaches, and balsamic marinated beets grown right on the farm.

When the waiter brought us our dinner menus, we immediately noticed the date was printed on top, and sure enough, he let us know that the menu changes daily at Quiessence. While this means that you may not have the opportunity to try the same appetizers and entrees that we did, we can guarantee that the food will be some of the freshest you’ve ever tasted.

Quiessence prides itself on including only the freshest, and highest quality vegetables, meats, and cheeses in its menu selections, many of which are grown at Maya’s Farm on the premises, or in the Phoenix area.

The menu was broken down into three sections, beginnings -- an assortment of salads and appetizers; first plates -- a variety of pastas, meats, and vegetables; and second plates -- larger entrées.

We began with the Shaved Porcini Mushroom Salad with Farm Arugula, Tomatoes, and Parmesan Cheese ($12), and the Pork “Confit” Rillette with Mustard, Pickled Vegetables, and Warm Crostini ($9). The salad was chock full of fresh mushrooms, tomatoes and flavorful arugula, and the pork confit had the perfect blend of spices and the pickled vegetables.

The Farm Greens, Basil, and Arizona Apricot Salad, with Black Mesa Goat Cheese, and Toasted Pistachios ($12) was another excellent salad, and the apricots were wonderful!

Next we tried the New England Halibut Chowder ($9), the House Made Cavatelli with Beef and Tomato Ragu ($15), the Casco Bay “Bouchot” Mussels and Diver Scallops with Celery Broth, White Wine, and Grilled Bread ($16) and the Crispy Fried Squash Blossoms, with Basil Aioli, and Romalino Tomatoes ($12).

The halibut chowder had huge chunks of fresh fish, but the mussels and diver scallops were the carnivore’s favorite! The fried squash blossoms were too bland and disappointing, but the basil aioli sauce was phenomenal!

Although our stomachs were already full of crisp foods from the farm, we excitedly continued with the second plates. Although not advertised on the menu, there is always a vegetarian entrée available, and that night it was Creamy Cheese Polenta served with Fresh Vegetable Ragu (all grown on the farm) ($21)- an excellent choice!

The carnivore tried the Braised Arizona Range Grazed Lamb with Farm Greens and Oregon Porcini Mushrooms ($27) which was a tender and tasty cut of meat. The waiter also suggested the Pan Roasted Copper River Salmon with Baby Summer Squash “Scapece” ($27) a rarity from Alaska, and the Grilled La Belle Farms Quail with Fresh Peaches, Pancetta, and Roasted Sweet Fresno Onions ($32).

Last but not least we opted for some dessert ($8), and while we enjoyed the sweets immensely we found that this was actually the least satisfying part of our meal. The Olive Oil Cake had a zesty lemon twist, but was dry to the taste.

The Chocolate Cake was our favorite option with creamy fudge frosting, and the peach gallette wasn’t far behind with a delightfully sweet finish. Even though dessert was not our favorite part of the meal, plan to fill up on plenty of the garden freshly made appetizers, small plates and entrees that Quiessence excels at.

If you have not yet visited this gem of a restaurant be sure to move it up to the top of your list.

Lauren and Jayant Mahajan, also known as The Vegetarian and The Carnivore, dine at Quiessence.