Red Hills Provincial Dining

My husband and I went here for his birthday. The service was excellent and I loved the cozy atmosphere, beautiful gardens, and leaded glass windows. However, when a table of 6 boisterous people were seated right next to us (so close, I could hear every word they were saying) it really annoyed me becasue the rest of the restaurant was empty except for one other table! We tried to ignore them and have a nice romantic dinner out, but this other party was too close to us and we were jammed in the corner on a cushioned bench by the fireplace which was making my legs fall asleep because the bench was very shallow in depth. My food was somewhat bland (I had the halibut) but my husband absolutely adored his pasta dish with pork. The wine choices were great. All and all, it was decent food, with great service, but I really expected a fabulous night out when dropping $125 for dinner. Maybe next time we'll have to ask for a better table if we decide to go back. Right now the memory of that obnoxious table next to us, is still too hard to bear.

My husband brought me to Red Hills after years of driving past thinking that I couldn't wait to try it, especially after all the great things I'd heard. And although I've only been once, our meal was everything (and more) I expected. Because we were going in celebration of our anniversary, my husband called ahead to ensure they had my favorite bottle of sparkling wine (Argyle, of course) and to verify that they allowed us to bring our own bottle of Pinot Noir (yes on both counts). Not only did they accomodate us, but they expertly served our wine at the perfect temperature. I could go on about the knowlegable, gracious service, but then there wouldn't be enough space left to rave about our meals or the comfort of the dining room. The restaurant is housed in a delightful craftsman-style home that makes anyone who visits feel like they've just sat down at a friend's well dressed kitchen table. Then came the bread. My husband is a bread-lover and knows good bread. He said the bread was fabulous (it had a crisp,crunchy, light brown crust and spongy, light texture like a ciabatta). I'm not sure if it's made in the kitchen at Red Hills, but regardless, it was very good. I chose the seared duck breast with polenta and it was amazing. The skin was crisp and provided a perfect textural contrast to the richness of the duck breast and creaminess of the polenta. My husband had an expertly prepared steak that had a similar melt-in-your mouth quality. The only let-down of the evening was that they didn't have the rose or lavender ice cream I had heard so much about, so we opted to forgo dessert. Maybe next time... and hopefully I won't have to wait as long for my next visit. I'm already looking forward to it.

Anniversary Dinner was wonderful: Absolutely wonderful little restaurant. Nancy, the owner-head chef- does a wonderful job. Food was out of this world. Great service, very pleasant surrounding--located in an old, refurbished home. For that special dinner--try it you will like it. About 8 miles north of McMinnville, OR on SR99W.