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Finch Offers Global Cuisine in a Charming Setting . #&*,. ),% )!-( . When you walk into Finch, a new restaurant in Wildomar, you will feel that you are being welcomed into the charming but stylish home of good friends or family members. The dining room is spacious with chic yet comfy furnishings. The flowered wallpaper reminds me of my grandmother’s dining room, but it works surprisingly well with the upscale vibe. When we recently visited for lunch, a fashion photographer was taking pho ,-(. #'+*,. -'&), .(-&%*#(*,%-#(.+& tos of stunning women who looked right *'&).%"-.) ,-(.) . '* +($. * -(,.+,. '$ at home with the restaurant as a back ) ,. -!- #'* drop. We love Finch’s eclectic ambiance. I was particularly enamored with the glowing pink neon sign saying “Sipping Bubbly. Feeling Lovely.� Finch was founded and is owned by Julian and Jill Nelson, entrepreneurial restauranteurs who also own popular Blackbird Tavern, which has been thriving in Old Town Temecula for the past five years, but Julian emphasizes that Finch is a different kind of dining establishment that has been created to serve the growing community of Wildomar and surrounding areas. Managing restaurants is a natural for Julian who grew up loving cooking. He recalls happily going to the butcher, the deli, and the bakery with his mother when his friends were outside playing. Almost every morning when he was a boy, he would prepare French toast from scratch. Now he has not only brought his appreciation of good food to his restaurants, but he loves cooking at home with his two small daughters Jill Nelson is also very involved in running the restaurant since she manages human resources and handles the books. The name, Finch, a bird that is found in almost every country in the world, reflects the restaurant’s global cuisine. The appealing menu is clean, diverse, and features locally harvested ingredients. Julian has an artist’s approach to dish creation. He typically brings dish concepts to Chef Robert Bogart who develops the dish. They both consider food an art form that should appeal to all the senses. We had the opportunity to talk with Chef Bogart who moved to the Temecula Valley area about a year and a half ago from Denver where he was the Executive Chef at the Ritz Carlton. Before that, he attended the Scottsdale Culinary Institute (formerly Cordon Bleu) for some formal training and then worked at the well-known Mansion Restaurant in Dallas with celebrated chef Dean Fearing. A highlight of his culinary career was meeting Julia Child in Dallas. Her advice to Chef Robert was to “keep cook-
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ing.� Fortunately, he has done just that. Chef Robert first started working as the Sous Chef at Blackbird Tavern and then moved to Finch to help launch the new restaurant. He says, “I fell in love with Julian’s vision of approaching food creatively and artistically. I am big on techniques and execution. I believe that each step in food preparation really matters. So, Julian and I work well together.� If the food we tasted is any indication, this collaboration is highly successful and results in some outstanding, imaginative dishes. We started our tasting experience with the best beet salad I have ever tasted (and I order beet salads frequently in restaurants). It featured both purple and gold beets, house-made mozzarella, fresh basil, and a savory, creative truffle and shallot vinaigrette. The salad presentation with lovely edible flowers was a work of art in itself.
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For an appetizer, we tried delicious hoisin barbecued glazed pork ribs topped with crushed cashews, fresh cilantro, and sesame seeds. These ribs were tender and uniquely flavored with an Asian flair. Next, we eagerly bit into a wild boar sloppy joe topped with a sunny side up egg and crispy shallots. I was hesitant about the wild boar until I tasted it. Served on a fresh potato bun with Fresno chili aioli, the boar was full of flavor and bold without being overpowering or gamey, much tastier than $ % ! $ #% ! " #%" % " % $ ! %! $ % ! " ! "#$ traditional sloppy joes #!% $"#$% " "# $ %" # # % $ made with hamburger. For dessert, we were enthralled with the luscious bread pudding made from cinnamon rolls and brioche.
Bierling has helped Julian concoct a variety of creative craft cocktails. The beer and wine lists are tempting, particularly the list of esoteric beers for, as Julian says, “the beer geeks.� A Happy Hour menu features shareable small dishes for only $6, house wines for $6, beer on tap for $5, and well cocktails, also for $5. Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Every detail at Finch is designed to delight and please guests. We were impressed that the background music is all on vinyl and records are changed all the time. Customers are even donating their old records to the restaurant. A $% $## % %# "#%! %"% " % # % nice outdoor patio has gor !! geous views of the surrounding hills. It’s the perfect place to savor a cocktail and a small plate, while watching the sunset. You can even bring your dog.
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There are so many other enticing dishes on the Finch menu, many with an international twist, including a house-made squid ink linguini with shrimp and chorizo; Atlantic oven roasted salmon with a maple glaze; Harissa chicken (oven roasted with mushrooms, leeks and garlic scented potatoes); chopped Thai chicken salad; Peruvian fries (topped with braised short ribs); and a fried fish “sammich.� I can see a lot of visits to Finch in our future. Vegetables are a primary focus at Finch and many dishes on the menu are vegetarian. Other dishes can be adapted for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets. Finch also has an appealing children’s menu called “Little Birds.� Little kids can enjoy chicken nuggets that have been freshly cooked and there is a “Finch Newton,� a fig sandwich with peanut dip. Chocolate Chip French Toast also looks wonderful. Most children’s dishes come with fruit, carrots or fries. The cocktail and beverage menu is also extensive and innovative. Experienced bartender Andrew
Julian has brought together a team that obviously works well together with the common goal of pleasing customers and bringing them back again and again. Sarah Inlow is the restaurant’s manager who came to Finch after 15 years as a manager at California Pizza Kitchen. She brings her valuable corporate experience to this boutique restaurant and says she enjoys the opportunity to work in this exciting new venture. Julian says, “We want to make eating out fun. Our vision is to create a relaxing place for friends and family to gather and enjoy delicious, creative dishes.� Finch is located at 32395 Clinton Keith Rd. in Wildomar. It is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Weekend brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are encouraged on weekends and can be made online or by calling 951-678-2050. $% # !! % "# !% % $ $ #% ! %" #$ !! %! %$ $ %
Photographs by Todd Montgomery