CENTURY HOUSE TAVERN, WOODSTOCK, SPRING MENU
Malika Bowling American, Dates, Outdoor Dining, Restaurant Reviews, Southern

When you think of fantastic OTP dining, your mind, naturally goes to Roswell, right? Sure they have fantastic restaurants like Table & Main, Osteria Mattone and Foundation Social Eatery. But don’t discount Woodstock. Cause then you’d miss out on Century House Tavern. Located in historic downtown Woodstock, Century House Tavern is located in what was once The Hubbard House, named after the family that lived there for six decades.

Before we talk about the food, let’s talk about the incredible wine list Century House Tavern has. If you are a wine lover, you need to visit and sample some of the unique finds. For whites, the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Gris from Washington were quite pleasant for this non-white wine fan. Then there was the Bordeau blend that we had with our steak. Marvelous! 

 A Foie Gras on brioche paired with Prosecco was a sweet start to our meal. While I enjoy asparagus, I don’t usually get excited about it as a dish, but pairing it with a poached egg and bacon bits? If I could start every day with this for breakfast, I wouldn't mind that a bit. Not sure that I would order this dish during dinner though.

Next up was perfect seared scallops, served over artichokes, English Peas and Fava Beans. Fava Beans are popping up everywhere, have you noticed? The sweetness of the scallops was a terrific pairing with the citrusy Pinot Gris. This light dish is the epitome of spring time food, dare I say spring in a bowl.

I wish I’d paced myself better. The Sous Vide tenderloin didn’t get the justice it deserved with us beginning to get quite full. It was so juicy and flavorful though. and kudos to the staff on the Bordeaux blend it was paired with. And a Creme Caramel for dessert is the perfect sweet ending to share with your sweetie.

This works for a group get together or a date night. Woodstock is lucky to have Century House Tavern as as a break from the other uninspiring restaurants. Beer lover? Not to worry. They have a terrific beer selection, including selections from Reformation Brewery, also located in Woodstock.
Century House Tavern 770.693.4552

HEALTHY EATING WITH CAROLYN O’NEIL

Hyper-local sourcing trending on menus

Posted: 12:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Email

By Carolyn O'Neil - For the AJC

Tender green asparagus spears signal that spring is in full swing on restaurant menus. But when you order a plate of jumbo asparagus topped with a poached egg, bacon lardons and brioche croutons at the Century House Tavern in Woodstock, chef Daniel Porubiansky sends another sign of the times.

He wants you to know that the egg came from a Bantam chicken raised by Tim and Nichelle Stewart of Rockin’ S Farms in Canton. This is more than a focus on locally grown. This is what’s being called hyper-local sourcing. Many people today want to know a heck of a whole lot about where their food is being grown. The National Restaurant Association’s annual round up of top 20 menu trends places hyper-local sourcing at No. 7, ranking higher than demand for sustainable seafood (No. 8) and gluten-free cuisine (No. 12).

Menu with a hyper-local view

The ultimate in hyper-local sourcing is when restaurants grow their own right on the property, either in raised beds, on the roof or as part of the landscaping. A short distance from hectic Los Angeles, Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, is a welcome oceanfront oasis complete with three swimming pools, a spa, a nine-hole golf course and lush landscaping dotted with edible gardens to supply the resort’s chefs with just-picked produce.

When you savor the Meyer lemon cheesecake with strawberry tomato basil salsa on the menu at Terranea’s Mar’sel restaurant, your dinner comes with a taste of the resort’s fresh picks and a view of Catalina Island. While guests sip cocktails and take in the sunset from the cliffs high above the Pacific’s crashing surf, chefs are busy preparing meals made with a hyper-local grocery basket of leeks, eggplant, parsley, basil, citrus and strawberries harvested on the property. It’s good to know all that southern California sunshine benefits the flowers and the food.

Up on the roof

Ahead of the culinary curve, chef Robert Gerstenecker of the Four Seasons Hotel’s Park 75 restaurant in Atlanta added herbs, vegetables and even honeybees to his roof top Terrace Garden a few years ago. The arugula, kale and green beans are ready now, the peppers are flowering and the heirloom tomatoes have just been planted to ripen in time for summer menus ahead. The hotel’s spa has gone hyper-local too. Honey-based skin treatments utilize the sweet stuff from Gerstenecker’s bees buzzing on the fifth floor terrace.

Carolyn O’Neil is a registered dietitian and author of “The Slim Down South Cookbook.” Email her at carolyn@carolynoneil.com.