GARDEN PARTY

CULINARY GARDEN AT THE JW MARRIOTT, ANAHEIM RESORT

We’re rooting for these Anaheim eateries, whose chefs cultivate meals according to California’s Farm to Fork tradition: sourcing ingredients from in-house gardens and local farms for dishes as

fresh as it gets. | By ALIESE MUHONEN

JW MARRIOTT, ANAHEIM RESORT

Led by executive chef Adam Haverland, the Marriott features inventive dishes and drinks enhanced with herbs, fruits, and vegetables grown in the hotel’s open-air garden on the second floor. Basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, strawberries, jalapenos, lavender and others all make their way into the menus at the hotel’s three restaurants: Parkestry, an 11th floor seed-to-table bar and lounge, Italian chophouse Tocca Ferro, and Citriculture, a bar and lounge inspired by Anaheim’s historic citrus industry. 1775 S Clementine St, Anaheim, 714-294-7800, marriott.com

THE RANCH RESTAURANT & SALOON

While it may be best known for its extensive wine cellar (with over 14,000 foreign and domestic bottles), the restaurant’s acclaimed seasonal menu is driven by organically-grown produce from its private, 2-acre farm in the Santa Ana mountains. Year-round plantings include artichokes, watermelons, 90 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, and six kinds of pumpkins in Fall 2021. Fresh herbs, berries, and citrus are also infused in creative cocktails. 1025 E Ball Rd #101A, Anaheim, 714-817-4200, theranch.com

POPPY & SEED

NEW TO THE SCENE: Poppy & Seed

 Executive chef Michael Reed and his wife and coowner Kwini Reed opened the unique concept – housed in a 1,650-square-foot greenhouse – in May of 2021. For ingredients, the Reeds pull from both the restaurant’s on-site raised planter beds and those at their own home, and frequent local farmer’s markets. We chatted with Michael about the restaurant’s garden to table methods and new offerings to enjoy in 2022.

Getting growing

“One of the things we wanted to do was grow unique herbs and vegetables that you can’t necessarily find at the farmer’s market, like mizunas, or rare herbs like (verbena varieties) pineapple, mint or lemon. They really give a little extra culinary edge. With this space, we could have landscaped, and it would look pretty but not serve a purpose. Everything we’re growing is something we use in a dish, and almost every dish has some kind of ingredient from the garden.”

It’s a process

“We collaborate for each menu with Ashley Irene (garden consultant and founder of culinary gardening company Heirloom Potager), focusing on what’s coming up, what fashion to use it in, and praying for good weather! You have to be patient sometimes. In winter (the number of plants) is on the lower side, mostly bitter greens, squashes, with probably like 20-30 different plants; in the summertime we’re pulling from the house and garden 50-75 plants.”

Most interesting dish?

“We started off strong with the rosewood Wagyu hanger steak with preserved sweet cherry tomatoes and fingerling potatoes. It had mint from the garden, blood sorrel, mustard – basically all the garnishes were from the garden. Customers loved the squash blossoms for dessert – we grew squash blossoms in the garden, and were filling them with an herb and ricotta cheese, then drizzling with truffle honey.”

New in 2022

“We soft launched it, but we really are having fun with the chef tasting menu; we get to play with all of the new seasonal ingredients. It’s a fixed course menu with wine pairings that’s reasonably priced, an elevated experience without pretentiousness. If people want to explore and are open to something new, they’ll be surprised by vegetables they haven’t heard of or had before.” 350 S Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim, 714-603-7130, poppyandseedoc.com