My boyfriend and I had a weekend getaway at Santa Ynez Valley for wineries/vineyard hopping. Locate at north of Santa Barbara county, the area got a lot more well known due to the movie Sideway. We had dinner at The Ballard Inn Restaurant. The Inn is very charming, we didn’t have the budget to stay there though. ^^;; The big fireplace between the lobby and restaurant is inviting and romantic. One of the more fine-dining places in Santa Ynez, the Ballard Inn Restaurant features a French-Asian fusion menu.
Pan Seared Foie Gras with Mango Salsa and Port Reduction. The foie gras is quite small in size and was just a tad little overcook for my taste, though the sauce is excellent. I got the Australian Rack of Lamb with Caramelized-Scallion Polenta Cake and Tomato-Red Pepper Coulis $27. This is really good! The meat was cooked perfectly medium rare with a subtle touch of five spice powder, a Chinese spice that usually used with beef. The dish succeed a good combine of classic French and Chinese flavor and cooking method. I always find French-Asian an interesting combine. Usually the fusion is between French with Japanese, so I was delighted to taste a French dish that’s fused with Chinese ingredients successfully.
Jon got the Roasted Duck Breast with Sweet Potato Purée and Balsamic Reduction $25. Very nice. I love the sweet potato puree. The dish goes really well with the really amazing Pinot Noir the server recommended us. It’s from a local winery Ken Brown. Too bad they don’t have a tasting room at their Winery, thought you can taste their wine at the The Ballard Inn’s tasting room.
The fireplace and the sofa look very welcoming! Drooling over the duck~~, just like how I drooled over the screen watching Sideways…