When I say the cellar at The Smith Flat House is a goldmine, I’m not speaking in metaphors.

The cellar is an actual converted gold mine, but the gold you find here now is the incredible food coming out of their kitchen.

The atmosphere down in the cellar is warm and inviting, the food excellent, the service friendly and attentive; and the overall mood, pleasantly and reassuringly relaxed.  

For starters, my husband I shared a delectable artisan cheese plate with Parmesan, Gruyère, blue cheese and seasonal fruit. There were so many inviting choices for mains, but as unapologetic carnivores, the venison loin and coffee-rubbed tri-tip specials sounded too good to ignore. After we placed our order, the waiter returned saying they were out of tri-tip but recommended a local leg of lamb. (If you’re a lamb lover this is the same as being told, “We’re out of cake but we do have ice cream.”)

Even though I devoured my venison, I sneaked more than my share of lamb off my husband’s plate. Tender doesn’t begin to describe it; perfectly crusted with just a hint of fresh mint, it oozed that perfect “Sunday roast” flavor. Not that the venison was in any way overshadowed by the lamb—far from it. Cooked to perfection, tender and full of flavor, the rosemary spice rub encrusting the meat accentuated it perfectly. And those creamy, textured-just-so mashed potatoes? Whoa. Just…whoa.

I was determined to try their chocolate avocado mousse so I activated my reserve dessert-stomach (trust me, it’s a thing). In a word: delicious. While not “fluffy” like a traditional mousse, it was remarkably airy, while the avocado gave the chocolate an irresistible tang. Paired with seasonal berries and syrup, this dessert was a real showstopper. Bravo, Smith Flat House! Encore!

The Smith Flat House, 2021 Smith Flat Road, Placerville, 530-621-1003, smithflathouse.wordpress.com.