On Wednesday in the middle of our week at Naramata each year, we go to a winery for lunch. We have been to a couple of different ones over the years, this year we decided to try a new restaurant that had just opened. The Vanilla Pod situated at Poplar Grove Winery.
The winery moved to its new spectacular location and beautifully simple building last year, and the Vanilla Pod restaurant moved from Summerland very recently. We got a large table outside on the extensive deck, which fortunatly was shaded by a large canopy as it was a warm sunny day.
There was a large dark cloud threatening to disturb our alfresco lunch, but for some reason it turned south and we avoided the storm that it undoubtly was carrying.
To start Connie, Nancy and I chose a garbanzo bean salad to share.
This was light and tasty with the beans and tossed with a little spinach, onion, tomato and fresh herbs. The dressing was light and did not overwhelm the fresh ingredients.
For a main course I ordered the vegeterian flat bread (pizza)
The base of this was wonderful thin and crunchy but with a softness in the middle. The bread was covered in a tomato and olive tapinade then artichoke hearts and a little brie. It was as good as any pizza I have had.
Nancy ordered the seafood pizza.
Nancy and I swapped a couple of pieces each, and the base of this was equally wonderful. There were large juicy prawns olive oil and purple basil. this was wonderful in it's simplicity and something that I would like to try making.
Nicholas ordered one of the sandwiches and the potato and chirozo soup.
He enjoyed his sandwich and the soup was wonderful. Though it was hot afternoon the soup was a popular order and it really was a very good potato soup. We had two bottles of Poplar Grove wines with the meal, which were very good, but I do object to paying twice the price for a bottle, than if I bought it in the tasting room mere steps away. I understand charging a corkage fee of a few dollars for serving it in the restaurant, but I was not happy about paying double.
Having said that it was a wonderful lunch and the food was better than any that I have had at other Okanagan wineries, and setting was breathtaking.
As was the storm that fortunately passed us by.
To start Connie, Nancy and I chose a garbanzo bean salad to share.
For a main course I ordered the vegeterian flat bread (pizza)
The base of this was wonderful thin and crunchy but with a softness in the middle. The bread was covered in a tomato and olive tapinade then artichoke hearts and a little brie. It was as good as any pizza I have had.
Nancy ordered the seafood pizza.
Nancy and I swapped a couple of pieces each, and the base of this was equally wonderful. There were large juicy prawns olive oil and purple basil. this was wonderful in it's simplicity and something that I would like to try making.
Nicholas ordered one of the sandwiches and the potato and chirozo soup.
He enjoyed his sandwich and the soup was wonderful. Though it was hot afternoon the soup was a popular order and it really was a very good potato soup. We had two bottles of Poplar Grove wines with the meal, which were very good, but I do object to paying twice the price for a bottle, than if I bought it in the tasting room mere steps away. I understand charging a corkage fee of a few dollars for serving it in the restaurant, but I was not happy about paying double.
Having said that it was a wonderful lunch and the food was better than any that I have had at other Okanagan wineries, and setting was breathtaking.
As was the storm that fortunately passed us by.
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