Nestled right on Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida is the adorable Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen. They were the gracious host for the Central Florida Food Bloggers meetup on Wednesday, January 29, 2014. The meetup wasn’t just about Barnie’s fresh roasted coffee from Kenya or the Turkish mocha, it was about their latest local farm fresh dinner choices.
We kicked off the evening with a spiced apple sparkler made with apple juice, creme de cassis, dry sparkling wine, and pinch of cinnamon. The apple juice and cinnamon were frozen into a ice cube mold overnight.
Next we sampled a few first bites. My favorite was the scallop and blood orange served on a single spoon for easy sampling.
Seared scallop with yuzu braised fennel, watercress, blood oranges, and pistachio.
A few other first included the Tuna Carpaccio and Wild Mushroom Tart. I’m not the biggest fish and mushroom fan, but I heard great things from other tasters.
Tuna Carpaccio: Sliced fennel, arugula, radish, and black olives.
Wild Mushroom Tart: Hen-of-the-woods mushrooms in a rich truffle scented custard, baked in a flaky crust.
Next was time to dig into a few unique dinner choices. My favorite was the herb crusted lamb loin.
Herb crushed lamb loin: Seared lamb loin with a cassoulet of beans, heirloom carrots, and preserved lemon.
Buttermilk poached chicken breast with a saffron farro “risotto”, sauce romensco, and charred green tomatoes.
Harvest moon roasted vegetables with roasted baby carrots, caramelized sunchokes, watermelon radishes, mushrooms, and potatoes that are finished with a warm sunchoke cream.
Assorted desserts were served along with coffee to end a great tasting.
Don’t forget to grab of bag of fresh ground coffee to take home to enjoy a cup on your own or share with friends.
The kitchen staff was amazing all night long; showcasing their abundant talent and creativity.
I can’t wait to go back to Barnie’s to try their breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner on Park Ave in Winter Park, Florida. For their entire menus, hours, and location: http://barniescoffeekitchen.com/barnies-coffee-shops
Sketches from the evening
