On the property of the People's Light & Theater, the Farmhouse Bistro's brick walkway will beckon you as you nose about the grounds before or after a show. A good example of a casual upscale atmosphere, it gets points for no tv and simple decor. However, there was nothing plant-based on the menu for us (and we are not interested in making special requests or going "off-menu"). Even the salad had bacon. I mean, a vegan version of the Betty Crocker cookbook just came out, so it is not like one or two things in a French country style of cooking cannot be offered. The tiny bar right inside the front door is cozy, and the thing that impressed me was the extremely cool glassware, each glass with a collection of nubs and antler-like things poking out near the bottom. Even the sparking wine flutes had this. Do these make the glasses easier to hold onto after a few? The crowd was rather refined, so such a need to quell rowdiness is not likely. I love glasses and enjoy seeing something different like this. Nice wine list and good cocktail know-how.
Sunday - March 11, 2012 - 6:30PM I stumbled across this restaurant while checking the upcoming shows at People's Light & Theater (PLT) in Malvern Pa. The Farmhouse Bistro is located on the premises with PLT. My son accompanied me to the restaurant. The restaurant appears to have many levels and rooms. A birthday party was underway in an adjacent room with the doors closed for privacy. The room where we dined was fairly small and could comfortably accommodate about 20 diners. My son and I were the sole diners. The dining room displayed pictures of PLT performers in various poses. The room was fairly stark but, well maintained. I had the House salad (Local baby greens with grape tomato, red onion, and cucumber, with raspberry vinaigrette dressing, Farmhouse Crab Cakes (Pistachio panko-crusted jumbo lump crab, served with fresh dill, lemon zest, lemon thyme aioli, basmati rice pilaf and vegetable medley) and Honey Crisp Apple Tart Tatin ( Caramelized apple tart served with vanilla ice cream and caramel lattice). My son had a salad and Shrimp scampi. In short, we enjoyed our experience and will return.
(4)
Zach S.
My girlfriend and I decided to go to The Farmhouse for Valentine's day dinner. We had the Prix Fixe valentine's day menu deal. It was 50 bucks a person for dinner featuring a starting salad, an entree, and a desert. Let's start with the positives: 1. The restaurant was very quiet and intimate. I liked this. We could easily talk to each other and hear each other. 2. The decor was nice. 3. The bread was good. The negatives: The service was slow. I get that it's valentine's day and there are tons of people there, but when you only have 4 different salads and 4 different entrees, your job's pretty easy. Maybe they needed more waiters for the number of tables they had? Either way the service wasn't that good. Also when my steak came out they forgot my steak knife, the guy went back to get one, and I ended up waiting 5 minutes to get it and flagging down someone else to go get it for me. Also we only got one water refill the whole meal. The steak: My girlfriend got the surf and turf, I got the turf (a filet mignon). I ordered my steak medium rare, received medium well. Hers was the same. With how long it took to get it, we decided the better of sending it back. The quality of the meat seemed pretty good, however again, it was cooked way beyond what we'd asked for. The desert: We both got chocolate mousse Tira Misu. The mousse had chunks of ice in it, it seemed like it had been frozen, or in chilling it they inadvertently froze it. Also the creamy portion of it was not very flavorful, could you guys maybe have sprung for some fresh vanilla beans? All in all, this is not somewhere I would go back to. Although the people were friendly, the scenery and decor were nice, the reason I go out is the food. And because the food was so far off, and the service was so slow, I won't return.
(2)
Deborah J.
Mediocre food combined with poor service means a very disappointing dining experience. First and last time I will go there.
Don't hesitate. For you years we've skipped this place thinking that it couldn't be good given the captive audience. Tonight we gave it a try and had a very enjoyable meal. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with lovely wood floors and nice linens. They had a beautiful display of forced hyacinths on the mantle and a roaring wood fire. I was pleasantly surprised by the food. I had expected bad country club food and it was nothing like that. I had a nice caesar salad to start and my husband had their daily soup. My son was able to get a sandwich for dinner that was enough food for a tween but only about $10 and they serve it with a salad or fries. I had the cheese plate and that made a wonderful meal. My husband ordered shrimp scampi and it was much better than what I expected though a bit under-seasoned. Still they were very nice shrimp. They offer a wide variety of reasonably priced wines by the glass and you can drop in for a drink before your show though the bar is small. Like another reviewer, I loved the glassware from Wheaton Arts and the service was outstanding. Helpful, attentive, and not at all intrusive. It was truly a lovely evening.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Kimba Z.
On the property of the People's Light & Theater, the Farmhouse Bistro's brick walkway will beckon you as you nose about the grounds before or after a show. A good example of a casual upscale atmosphere, it gets points for no tv and simple decor. However, there was nothing plant-based on the menu for us (and we are not interested in making special requests or going "off-menu"). Even the salad had bacon. I mean, a vegan version of the Betty Crocker cookbook just came out, so it is not like one or two things in a French country style of cooking cannot be offered. The tiny bar right inside the front door is cozy, and the thing that impressed me was the extremely cool glassware, each glass with a collection of nubs and antler-like things poking out near the bottom. Even the sparking wine flutes had this. Do these make the glasses easier to hold onto after a few? The crowd was rather refined, so such a need to quell rowdiness is not likely. I love glasses and enjoy seeing something different like this. Nice wine list and good cocktail know-how.
(3)Nancy I.
I had tickets to People's Light, and thought this would be a fun place to dine. I ordered the $39 pre fixe dinner that offered appetizer, entrée, and dessert./ The hot, homemade rolls were the best part of the meal. After that came the chicken liver pate, which was huge and plentiful, but needed salt. In addition, it was served on a brioche, which seemed strange to me. The brioche was tender and flaky, but so much so that it fell apart when I spread on the pate; I would have preferred a hearty brown bread. ( In fairness, this may be just a personal preference.)/ Then came the pan-fried trout, (needed salt and seasoning) served with couscous (ditto) and very good charred asparagus, tender crisp, just the way I like it. The trout was tender, and cooked well, but there was no sauce, and I found it bland. There was an avocado garnish that was flavorful, but there wasn't enough of it./For dessert, I ordered a salt-caramel pot de crème-very satisfying, but literally only the size of a ping-pong ball./ The waiter did not offer me wine, and I had to ask twice for silverware when my used utensils were taken away. He was pleasant enough, but I can't say I felt well attended. All in all, I was somewhat disappointed. With a little extra oomph and consistency, I would have rated this restaurant as "good," but it just didn't quite make a good rating.
(2)Phil D.
Sunday - March 11, 2012 - 6:30PM I stumbled across this restaurant while checking the upcoming shows at People's Light & Theater (PLT) in Malvern Pa. The Farmhouse Bistro is located on the premises with PLT. My son accompanied me to the restaurant. The restaurant appears to have many levels and rooms. A birthday party was underway in an adjacent room with the doors closed for privacy. The room where we dined was fairly small and could comfortably accommodate about 20 diners. My son and I were the sole diners. The dining room displayed pictures of PLT performers in various poses. The room was fairly stark but, well maintained. I had the House salad (Local baby greens with grape tomato, red onion, and cucumber, with raspberry vinaigrette dressing, Farmhouse Crab Cakes (Pistachio panko-crusted jumbo lump crab, served with fresh dill, lemon zest, lemon thyme aioli, basmati rice pilaf and vegetable medley) and Honey Crisp Apple Tart Tatin ( Caramelized apple tart served with vanilla ice cream and caramel lattice). My son had a salad and Shrimp scampi. In short, we enjoyed our experience and will return.
(4)Zach S.
My girlfriend and I decided to go to The Farmhouse for Valentine's day dinner. We had the Prix Fixe valentine's day menu deal. It was 50 bucks a person for dinner featuring a starting salad, an entree, and a desert. Let's start with the positives: 1. The restaurant was very quiet and intimate. I liked this. We could easily talk to each other and hear each other. 2. The decor was nice. 3. The bread was good. The negatives: The service was slow. I get that it's valentine's day and there are tons of people there, but when you only have 4 different salads and 4 different entrees, your job's pretty easy. Maybe they needed more waiters for the number of tables they had? Either way the service wasn't that good. Also when my steak came out they forgot my steak knife, the guy went back to get one, and I ended up waiting 5 minutes to get it and flagging down someone else to go get it for me. Also we only got one water refill the whole meal. The steak: My girlfriend got the surf and turf, I got the turf (a filet mignon). I ordered my steak medium rare, received medium well. Hers was the same. With how long it took to get it, we decided the better of sending it back. The quality of the meat seemed pretty good, however again, it was cooked way beyond what we'd asked for. The desert: We both got chocolate mousse Tira Misu. The mousse had chunks of ice in it, it seemed like it had been frozen, or in chilling it they inadvertently froze it. Also the creamy portion of it was not very flavorful, could you guys maybe have sprung for some fresh vanilla beans? All in all, this is not somewhere I would go back to. Although the people were friendly, the scenery and decor were nice, the reason I go out is the food. And because the food was so far off, and the service was so slow, I won't return.
(2)Deborah J.
Mediocre food combined with poor service means a very disappointing dining experience. First and last time I will go there.
(1)Mystery D.
Skip it. Tried it twice, here is what happened: VISIT #1 (send directly to restaurant) We came in yesterday for Thanksgiving. We chose your establishment. The Farmhouse looked like it would be perfect. Our experience was memorable all right. We walked in and were on time for our reservation. We walked into the no-one-greets-the-customer-purgatory. We stood for 20 minutes and we might as well have been part of the furniture. Then a young and obviously stressed out server noticed us and said someone would be with us shortly. Then a woman came out from somewhere and did not greet us who had been waiting, but greeted a random female couple who had just walked in and were overheard to say they were way ahead of their reservation and the hostess woman who still hasn't greeted US, seats THEM. They were seated , incidentally, in the lovely room en route to the buffet- in a spacious spot with a pretty view. Meanwhile the hostess and a server start having a conversation about others to be seated and how the table wasn't ready that was for us . And we still stood there like pieces of furniture. Then the hostess quips to the server that it might help if he told her our name and there was this little corrective debate as to our names being up and highlighted on some computer screen. IMHO this is a conversation one has with employees out of the customer view. It achieves nothing to correct staff in front of customers like misbehaving puppies. My better half is irritated enough at this point that I could tell he was almost ready to walk. A service bartender notices us finally and offers us a drink while we waited - you added it to our bill later, which all things considered you could have and should have thrown us at least a small bone for our inconvenience. So after having to hear all this side bar conversation about tired servers, tables not ready, whether or not we were walk ins or had a reservation, we were seated (still without ever really being greeted) While the random female couple who was early for their reservation was seated at a spacious, romantic table with a view, we were seated at a deuce shoved behind a large party in an in between room with a large fireplace. Your salads were good and so was the turkey and desserts, but my boyfriend tried the salmon and the ham (he is not as much of a turkey fanatic as I am). The salmon was dried out and like a hockey puck and the ham was a bit dry looking had no basic condiments even like a grainy mustard available. Our waiter was very nice and obviously so overtaxed (he seemed to be picking up the slack of another waiter who seemed on the verge of a breakdown) - he screwed up the wine I asked for (which I did not send back because you could see how much he was running around in multiple rooms.) So we are 2/3 through our dinner when your staff decides to rearrange and re-purpose the furniture in the room we were in. Noise, wrenching sounds of banging furniture, cutlery, and loud conversations between employees like you did not have two customers there trying to have Thanksgiving dinner. I know people in your industry, and have even photographed and reviewed soft and hard restaurant openings. I do not recall the last time I was so irritated by a restaurant experience, let alone took the time to contact a restaurant post-dining in such a detailed fashion. Part of me feels badly for complaining, yet part of me feels that in this economy if people treat themselves to a night out, especially on a holiday, it doesn't have to be 100%, but it should have been better than what we experienced. No one minds paying for a nice dinner when they feel like their patronage matters. I did not get that feeling. VISIT NUMBER 2 (not sent to restaurant. why bother?) So this past weekend we tried them again. When we arrived, this time we weren't left standing at the hostess station, nor were friends of the hostess/manager who arrived after us, seated before us. We were seated promptly, but rather ironically they seated us at same service marooned table as last time. At first, I must be honest, I had the "do-do-do-do" Déjà vu/Twilight Zone sound in my head. They are still disorganized, but the food was vastly improved over last time. They do not have enough staff on the dining floor, and the staff that is there needs support. They are all nice people. They know the menu. They are articulate and pleasant. But management of the Farmhouse need to buy a clue and support their wait staff. It is not that the restaurant is so huge and cavernous that staff can't cover the floor. There are simply not enough people on the floor.A very mixed menu (I don't find wraps to be a dinner item for example). Hope they decide what they want to be when they grow up before they go out of business
(1)Kate J.
Don't hesitate. For you years we've skipped this place thinking that it couldn't be good given the captive audience. Tonight we gave it a try and had a very enjoyable meal. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with lovely wood floors and nice linens. They had a beautiful display of forced hyacinths on the mantle and a roaring wood fire. I was pleasantly surprised by the food. I had expected bad country club food and it was nothing like that. I had a nice caesar salad to start and my husband had their daily soup. My son was able to get a sandwich for dinner that was enough food for a tween but only about $10 and they serve it with a salad or fries. I had the cheese plate and that made a wonderful meal. My husband ordered shrimp scampi and it was much better than what I expected though a bit under-seasoned. Still they were very nice shrimp. They offer a wide variety of reasonably priced wines by the glass and you can drop in for a drink before your show though the bar is small. Like another reviewer, I loved the glassware from Wheaton Arts and the service was outstanding. Helpful, attentive, and not at all intrusive. It was truly a lovely evening.
(4)