The Food
Meritage relies heavily on the local farmers and purveyors to shape its menu as well as the culinary expertise of Executive Chef Josh Thomsen to create dishes that are exciting and satisfying. His extensive experience and passion for local fare is showcased throughout Meritage’s breakfast, dinner and bar menus which offer small and large portions encouraging diners to explore and share. For Thomsen, “It is about letting the ingredients shine on the menu creating a sense of freshness and seasonality that makes every meal at Meritage unique.”
Dinner highlights include Castroville Artichoke Soup with crispy prosciutto and roasted tomatoes on the light white’s category, the Cider Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly with Brussels sprouts, black-eyed peas and pickled onion on the Spicy Earthy Reds category and the Northern California Lamb Loin with chickpea fries, slow roasted ratatouille and basil infused olive oil on the Robust Red Category. Indulgent desserts include the Tcho “Pier 17” chocolate tasting, the Frog Hollow Farm’s Market tart tartin and a tasting trio of local artisan cheeses.
The Vineyard to Table Menu, conceived by Executive Chef Josh Thomsen, is our way of showing off the devotion our wine friends have to their craft; by not only featuring their wines, but also their talents in growing a variety of foods. The menu, changed every other week, showcases four such pairings.
The “Sips & Bites” bar menu features playful and comforting dishes like Kobe Beef Mini Burgers with all the fixings on a toasted sesame seed bun and Mini Bay Shrimp Tacos with “Old Bay” aioli. Breakfast specialties include Lemon Soufflé Pancakes with Watsonville raspberries and Vermont maple syrup; Tahitian Vanilla Bean Brioche French Toast with orange butter and passion fruit syrup and “Salmon & Eggs” (smoked salmon-Yukon gold potato hash), two farm fresh eggs and hollandaise. On Saturday, an a la carte Brunch Menu is served and in the tradition of the Claremont, a Sunday brunch buffet is also offered at Meritage inviting guests to spend the day enjoying great food with family and friends in a fantastic setting.
