Harvest seasonal specials 2015

Following the first bitter snowfall of the season, my inevitable craving for warm comfort food led me on a long quest which ended at Harvest, a lucky find buried on a lone road deep in Central Solon.

Their seasonal menu is known to be as fresh as it gets, serving up vegetables, fruits and dairy products “from the farm to your table” (Harvest’s motto).

The first thing I noticed when I walked into Harvest was its unique quaintness and warm homey feel. The restaurant was decorated with wheat bundles and small decorative hay bales. It had a particular ambiance which made me feel like I had just walked into a cozy little den. I was then greeted by a friendly hostess who immediately seated us.

Our waiter soon came over and introduced himself and recited the seasonal specials in great detail; he clearly knew the menu inside and out and had a passion for the food that he served.

My family and I ordered the cheese plate and the baby kale salad as appetizers. We could smell the pungent cheese plate before it even arrived at the table, but boy was the sharp smell a small compromise for the extravagant display of six different cheeses, including a variety of crackers and breads, garnished with purple grapes and green parsley.

The baked brie oozed as we sliced the crackers through it, and the fresh mozzarella melted in our mouths.

The baby kale salad, on the other hand, was a light blend of kale and arugula, but topped off with hearty almonds and smoky roasted tomatoes, which returned the needed warmth to the dish as we   watched the snowfall in the window beside us.

The minutes between finishing our appetizers and waiting for our entrees were filled with anticipation and salivation, as we thought we could smell our meals being cooked in the kitchen across the room. Never before had any restaurant been so accommodating with my family’s dietary restrictions of gluten allergies and veganism (and of course a little bit of pickiness from my little sisters).

When our waiter came out with two full trays of steaming plates and bowls, my entire family perked up a bit and tried not to devour each dish like animals; although I will admit, it was a difficult task.

Each dish had a unique smell, taste and display, and no two bowls contained a flavor even within the same realm of the bowl beside it.

My entrée was the Cleveland Glazed Tofu, which included purple sticky rice and a sub of butternut squash instead of the tomatoes (which I requested). Harvest’s tofu dish impressed me, a vegetarian who know knows her tofu. It was moist and flavorful and seared to perfection so the outside was crunchy. The bed of purple rice on which the tofu laid was cooked to perfection, not too pasty, but not too tough. It soaked up all the sweet curry sauce that it was cooked in and I was left wanting more.

The only flaw to this dish was the butternut squash. It was a little hard and probably could have used a few more minutes in the oven. It was also significantly under flavored, and even its natural sweetness couldn’t pull through to save the bland flavor. Regardless, this was a mild imperfection to the exceptional totality of the dish.

Following the trend of slight flavor mishaps, the side of garlic Parmesan risotto that the tofu dish came with was extremely over-salted. Parmesan is naturally salty, but on top of that there was some kind of added cheese sauce which contained salt, and even more salt, it seemed, as a garnish to top off the dish. We actually ended up having to send it back.

On the other hand, the asparagus mascarpone ravioli was absolute perfection in a bowl. I have no criticism for this mouth watering dish, and in fact, I even ordered another half-size and brought it to school for lunch the next day. The thick, chewy pasta shell  housed the smooth, creamy inner filling. The mascarpone cream was a perfect mix of gooey cheese and sweet, chunky asparagus. Each heavenly bite melted on my tongue, and I was left wanting more.

Finally, it was time for dessert. After my sister won the rock paper scissors contest, we ordered her pick of bread pudding. I know I said that the anticipation before our meals came out was unbeatable, but I change my mind. The moments before the bread pudding arrived at the table were filled with a suspense that cannot be topped.

The steaming sticky bread pudding made the entire room smell of vanilla and spice. As we pierced the crunchy outer bread crust with our forks, the sweet pudding dribbled down the side of the bowl. The bread chunks were hearty and thick, but had absorbed the pudding and became sweet little sponges. The homemade whipped cream was thick and sweet to top off the dreamy dessert.  

Overall, I give Harvest an “A”. While there were a couple of blunders, there were many memorable aspects which belittled the minor mistakes, such as the distinct ambiance and one-of-a-kind dishes. I would go back without question any day of the week.