DINING AT RED RABBIT FARM
Greeting! Today we will be dining at Red Rabbit Farm. Every Sunday during the summer season internationally acclaimed Chef Christina Orchid invites guests to the Farm-To-Table dinners she hosts. After 30 years as the Chef/Owner of a beloved Orcas Island institution, Christine’s Restaurant in Eastsound, Christine sold her restaurant and planned to retire. It wasn’t long before she started cooking again, but this time her patrons would be dining at Red Rabbit Farm, her home.
A dirt road delivers diners to Chef Christina’s historic farm and orchard, which is located in beautiful West Sound on Orcas Island. Quaint Red Rabbit Farm signs lead to an open grass field where guests park and then traverse the pretty grounds to where a true feast will soon be served.
We passed old farm implements and a shimmering pond as we made our way to the open air cookhouse and barn where dinner is both prepared and served.
Forty five privileged diners partake in a multi-course, robust meal, prepared with ingredients sourced almost exclusively from local, Orcas Island farmers and Red Rabbit Farm’s own organic vegetable & herb garden.
The style is simple yet sumptuous. Guests are seated at one long, artfully set table where food will be served on large platters and passed family style.
Brad and I found our seats next to strangers that would soon become friends, finding mutuality in a shared passion for good food. The intimate and welcoming setting had us sharing bottles of BYOB wine as we enjoyed convivial conversation and excitement over the much anticipated meal that we were about to enjoy together.
People come from far and wide to experience Christina Orchard’s cuisine. Over the past 3o years she has garnered what amounts to a near cult following of loyal patrons that are made up of both local islanders and foodies who make a pilgrimage to Red Rabbit Farm from far away locals. In fact, Fodor’s listed Red Rabbit Farm Dinners as one of “The World’s Most Unique Dining Experiences”.
Our table mates were a couple from Texas who come here year after year, and another couple from Montana who were both chefs themselves. They considered Chef Christina to be the “Alice Waters of the Pacific Northwest” and were almost giddy with excitement about finally getting to experience her food.
The meal that evening began with oysters on the half shell gathered from the nearby shore that very day.
There was a rocket salad with shaved island pecorino, the rocket (arugula) having been harvested from the garden only hours before. We dined on farm-fresh cauliflower and squash, smashed very-new potatoes with garlic and kale, wild rice with fried onions, and a ziti pasta made with 4 locally produced cheeses. The 2 entrees were Baker River salmon with a creamy fresh basil sauce and island-raised leg of lamb with a delicious sumac aioli.
The dessert, a blueberry crumble with freshly whipped cream showcased the local berries the island is famous for.
Red Rabbit Farm also sells small batch preserves, made with fruits and vegetables from local farmers and from their own backyard. We met Chef Christina’s husband Bruce Orchard the previous day at the Orcas Island Farmers Market where he was giving tastings and selling a large array of her preserves.
After dinner we left the open-air dining room for a stroll around the grounds that have beautiful views of West Sound Marina. Here we saw the organic garden and greenhouse that helped provide the meal we had just consumed.
And we strolled past the adorable chicken coop that provides eggs for Chef Christina’s creations.
It was truly a night to be remembered. You can make your reservations for dinner at Red Rabbit Farm by clicking here. They also host weddings, receptions, private dinners and reunions, and have a catering business as well. You can order Christina’s Cookbook like I did by clicking here.
You might also enjoy these posts about Orcas Island:
- A Weekend On Orcas Island
- A Visit To Beautiful Orcas Island Part 2
- Dining At The Acclaimed Hogstone’s Wood Oven
- The Prettiest Vacation Rental Cottage I’ve Ever Seen
- Cocktails With Donkeys
So there you have it: DINING AT RED RABBIT FARM
Thanks so much for dropping in!
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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. All photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission. This post contains affiliate links that help to make this blog possible.
