Besides looking forward to several days of great wine tasting, we always anticipate some tasty meals when we visit Walla Walla, Wash. Following our first visit to Whitehouse-Crawford late last fall and being enormously impressed, we knew we wanted to return there in May for Spring Release weekend and share the experience with some of our wine friends from Portland. Knowing how popular this fine-dining restaurant is, we got our reservations in at least a month in advance of our visit. We allowed ourselves a few hours to rest up after our day of visiting wineries all over the valley before we arrived at the historic brick building for our feast.
I wrote about our first experience there in a blog last fall (which you can revisit here), where I shared photos and the history of the building itself. The food and the service seem to be consistently top-notch, with the menu changing often to allow the chefs to draw upon the regional, seasonal bounty. One of the items I can’t get enough of in the spring is asparagus, and the locally grown spears in Walla Walla show up everywhere — and certainly starred or played a supporting role in several dishes that night.
I started with the Walla Walla asparagus salad featuring local spring greens, radishes, pinenuts, mint, local Monteillet goat cheese and a light and lovely sesame-lemon vinaigrette. Harry enjoyed the shrimp ravioli with tender and fresh English peas. Our friends Jim and Amber shared a fabulous warm spinach salad with smoked trout, bacon and grilled sweet onions.
Though we’d brought two red wines to drink with dinner, that didn’t prevent us from selecting entrées all across the board. Whitehouse-Crawford is justifiably know for its Painted Hills beef tenderloin served with creamy mashed potatoes, mushrooms and a red wine reduction sauce three days in the making, and Harry quickly opted for that. Both Jim and Amber chose the Alaskan halibut served with asparagus on a bed of white rice in a vermouth cream sauce. I decided to try something completely different and ordered the Japanese-style fried chicken with a Napa cabbage-kohlrabi slaw and tofu sauce. The (thankfully) boneless chicken was moist and tender inside its crispy, light shell, and the slaw provided a tangy, crunchy counterpoint.
We left room for dessert; Whitehouse-Crawford always has unique and flavorful homemade ice creams and sorbets as well as at least four or five baked good options. Another spring favorite of mine, rhubarb, made my choice of dessert easy: the rhubarb custard cake featured honey-roasted rhubarb, pomegranate molasses and a scoop of a sinfully creamy buttermilk lemon ice cream sitting atop the moist, light wedge of cake.
Our friends have become fans of the restaurant as well, and we’re already planning to get our reservations in early for our next trip to Walla Walla.
— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
May 2, 2024Don’t Miss This Year’s Newport Beach Wine Festival at Balboa Bay Resort
Newport Beach, California, is the place to be over Memorial Day weekend when the 19th Annual Newport Beach Wine Festival kicks off on the grounds of Balboa Bay Resort. Over the course of three days, guests to ticketed events will enjoy live music and exceptional wines, some of which can be savored during the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brunch and the Justin Winery Limited Release Wine Dinner.
Sponsored Content
Tips to Plan a Destination Event Worth the Trip
Corporate events can often feel … too corporate. Where to go to get the team out of the office environment to bond and think outside the box? Starting with an unconventional, unique space to make them feel like the all-stars they are will get the juices flowing and make your LinkedIn profile glow.
Daily
May 2, 2024Book Your Next Corporate Getaway or Meeting at Famous Kentucky Distillery
It’s one of the most famous and best-selling bourbon brands in the world: Jim Beam. Today, the iconic brand features four distilleries across Kentucky, including James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont.
Daily
May 2, 2024Hotel AKA Washington Circle Opens in Washington, D.C.
Hotel AKA Washington Circle debuted on May 1 in Washington, D.C.’s, trendy Foggy Bottom/West End neighborhood. The 151-room property marks the third AKA property in the Washington, D.C., area.
Sponsored Content
Travel Tips to Help Protect Your Health and Your Trip
Five Tips to Help Minimize Potential Travel Problems
Leisure Lifestyle 2024
May 2, 2024Get to Know Michael Dorf, CEO and Founder of City Winery
THE BASICS
La Coralina Island House Review
eFlyer Reviews
May 1, 2024eFlyer Deals
May 1, 2024Suite Upgrades with Silversea on Select Voyages
Silversea reintroduces its highly anticipated Suite Upgrades promotion in time for May 2024–2026 sailings.
Sponsored Content
Welcome to Wyndham Monterrey Ambassador Centro
Wyndham Monterrey Ambassador Centro, operated by Aimbridge LATAM, opened its doors, welcoming guests to one of the most iconic and traditional properties in Monterrey, Nuevo León. Boasting 229 rooms and suites, the hotel, part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, is ready for discerning travelers. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is the largest hotel franchise company in the world with approximately 9,100 hotels in more than 95 countries.
eFlyer Deals
May 1, 2024Treat Mom to the Best Mother’s Day at SLS Beverly Hills
SLS Beverly Hills’ new Mom Squad Staycaction offer is one you won’t want to miss. Indulge in an unforgettable Mother’s Day weekend with this limited-time offer.
ShareThis