San Diego Metropolitan Magazine

Farm House Cafe Chef Olivier Biotreau with the escargot risotto and chicken liver mousse starters. (Photo/alandeckerphoto.com)

Farm House Cafe is my favorite type of restaurant: the “ma and pa” kind. It is the size of a shoebox and cute as all get-out. This little gem definitely tops my list of San Diego newbie eateries.

Olivier and Rochelle Bioteau opened Farm House Cafe just a few weeks ago and rarely since has a seat been empty in the tiny dining room. Olivier, who serves as executive chef, is a native of the Loire Valley, France and began his career by attending cooking school at the age of 15.

Rochelle was on opening staff at Il Fornaio Del Mar, worked her way through law school while employed at the original Laurel Restaurant & Bar, and is now a partner at Squires Sherman & Bioteau. I love it: attorney by day, restaurateur by night.

The menu is succinct and offers delicious, rustic country French cuisine. Start with the “Green Garlic Soup” ($7). If only to order one and pass it around the table, do it. It’s topped with Stilton whipped cream and is sublimely decadent.

Speaking of decadent, spoil yourself and splurge on the “Escargot Risotto” ($9), as well as the “Chicken Liver Mousse” ($8) before ordering your entrees. The rich mousse is a perfect contrast of pungent and subtle and is accompanied with house-pickled vegetables, wickedly hot Dijon mustard and toasted baguette slices.

On one visit, I decided to eat “normally” and just popped in for a couple appetizers. I sat at the bar and had the “Roasted Beet Salad” ($9) followed by the “Caramelized Onion Flatbread”($8). Both are on the starters side of the menu, but I left totally happy and fully sated.

The entrée list, although not lengthy, offers a diverse smattering of flavors and tastes. While the “House-Made Fettuccine with Moroccan Lamb Bolognese” ($16), “Pan Seared Scottish Salmon with Lemon Buerre Blanc” ($17) and “Seared Sea Scallops with Pork Belly & Demi-Glace” ($20) all tempted me, as usual I succumbed to the “FHC Hamburger” ($12).

An 8-ounce patty of Meyer Ranch ground beef is perfectly cooked, topped with Tillamook Cheddar cheese, housemade pickled onions and served on a delicious brioche bun. French fries, or excuse me, frites, ride shotgun.

An equally good choice is the “Grilled Flat Iron Steak” ($18). A six-ounce Meyer Ranch flat iron, again perfectly cooked to medium rare is topped with blue cheese butter (what could be better?) and served with scrumptious, golden brown salty frites.

Having earned a degree from Ecole Chocolat in Vancouver, Canada, Olivier is also a Master Chocolatier, so don’t miss the “Chocolate Tasting ”($10). It’s a wonderful assortment of housemade chocolates and the black pepper chocolate is to die for.