Since opening The Kitchen at Abeja in 2021, winemakers Amy Alvarez-Wampfler and Dan Wampfler have created a transformative experience that begins the moment guests arrive at the Walla Walla winery to enjoy a prix-fixe menu that highlights current Abeja releases and library wines.
The attention to detail begins the moment diners arrive. Passing through the entry gate into the long tree-lined drive delivers a sense of tranquility, and one can feel as if they’re being transported to a setting where time stands still.
“It’s a very intimate feel. As you enter the restaurant doors, you’re greeted, sit down and receive a surprise amuse-bouche,” Alvarez-Wampfler says. “You have that time to relax and reflect on your experience that is about to happen.”
The dining room accommodates 28 to 32 people. When the weather is suitable, diners may enjoy dining outside on the terrace, which has a view of the garden. A massive open-hearth fireplace crackles in the background during the winter.
Considering the time of year, Executive Chef Jake Crenshaw curates the weekly menus of five or seven courses. “We start with the flavor profiles of the wine and then move onto what products are available that fit within the seasonality and we can source locally,” Crenshaw says. “[We think about] what’s special, new and exciting, and refine all that down to the different menu items.” The local Walla Walla sources for produce include A.R. Teale’s Produce, Dixie Acres Farm and Frog Hollow Farm.
Vacuum sealing and sous vide are two of Crenshaw’s favorite techniques. “Sous vide is great because you can nail the exact temperature that you want on any given meat. But there is a certain component of flavor that gets added with the vacuum sealer,” Crenshaw explains. “Say we’re making our pork belly recipe, we’ll put brine in the package with the pork belly before we seal it. [The vacuum sealer] will pull all the air out of not just the bag, but it’s pulling the air out of the meat. When it seals, all that brine goes into it and changes the flavor profile quite a bit.” Crenshaw also uses the vacuum sealer to extract the air from fruits and vegetables to concentrate or infuse flavors.
Flawless hospitality and presentation are an integral part of the overall experience at Abeja. Flatware and wine glasses are refreshed before each course, and Crenshaw spends considerable time looking for inspiration on how to present each dish. “I’m very visual. I have hundreds of books from renowned chefs. I generally don’t read the recipes,” he says. “I’m looking at different plating styles and how people are presenting things and different seasonally.” The artistic presentation of the food on the plate feeds one’s eyes. The courses are so beautiful to look at that one might be reluctant to take that first bite.
Dishes are meant to be savored and meals can easily last three hours. The timing of the courses arriving is sensed by the servers, so guests never feel hurried or wait excessively for the next dish. “We don’t turn tables,” Alvarez-Wampfler explains. “There’s not another guest coming after you. You can [control the] pace of your dinner because there is no rush to leave.” The generous servings ensure guests won’t feel hungry an hour after returning home. “You’re coming to eat and [drink] and we’re going to fill your bellies, but we’re trying to do more and create a great experience that you will remember,” she says.
The fine dining experience at The Kitchen at Abeja is perfect for special occasions or impulsive splurges. If cost is a barrier, Abeja will be offering a more affordable three-course meal during Walla Walla Restaurant Month in February 2024.
Featured Dish and Wine Pairing
Kaluga Amber Caviar paired with Abeja 2022 Washington State Chardonnay
quail’s egg, kataifi, remoulade, micro pea shoots
When thinking of what dish to pair with the 2022 Washington State Chardonnay, Chef Crenshaw says, “I always think of the fall and winter for caviar.” This course will be featured briefly beginning the week after Thanksgiving. The dish incorporates sustainably farmed Kaluga amber caviar and smoked Arctic char caviar with a trio of hyperlocal soft-boiled quail eggs with creamy yokes. Crenshaw uses kataifi, a Greek pasta with fine strands, to build a crispy nest and presents the dish as a fun play of eggs (three ways) in a nest. A thin layer of remoulade sauce is concealed beneath the eggs and the nest rests on a bed of micro pea shoots. The Chardonnay’s harmony of acidity, butteriness and mushroom undertones balances the salt of the caviar, the fat in the eggs and the touch of sweetness and acidity in the remoulade.
Plan Your Visit
The Kitchen at Abeja in Walla Walla, Washington, is open evenings, by reservation only to inn guests and the public. Seatings are from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
The price for the five-course menu is $135 per person. Wine pairing is available for an additional $55 per person. The price for the seven-course menu is $165 per person. Wine pairing is available for an additional $65 per person.
Non-alcoholic beverages are available and wines are also available by the glass or bottle.
