Of five appetizers we tried, four came off well-nigh perfectly. Smoked Tennessee trout ravioli, garnished with Arkansas caviar and fresh marjoram, were rich with powerful flavors. Crispy smoked quail spring rolls, with their accompaniment of scallion oil, plum wine and veal stock, were a delicious creation worthy of any Asian genius, while the grilled Caribbean blue prawns were tender and succulent and slightly spicy with their macadamia barbecue sauce. Corn and crawfish chowder was smooth and slightly earthy. Sounds good, but the roasting process, perhaps not the best treatment for the fragile creatures, made the scallops taste like overcooked oysters.
Farmer handles fish inventively without being fussy.
A flawless and flavorful piece of braised sea bass came to the table with just tender baby vegetables and a simple but delicious citrus jus . Roasted halibut, slightly crisp on the outside and delicate within, was given a slight Mediterranean cast with its accompanying tomatoes, saffron and fennel. Rack of lamb, served at the requested medium rare, provided ripe and earthy flavors with its rosemary-garlic pan sauce. Filet of beef, a gratifyingly hefty and rare portion, was probably the best piece of beef I have had in the city this year, made richer and more intense, but not overpowering, with a mushroom and black truffle-madeira sauce. I did enjoy a terrific pasta from the menu, though, the fettucine with shrimp, scallops and sun-dried tomatoes in a pesto cream sauce that exhibited a light touch appropriate for midday.