One of the many wonderful things about Bainbridge Island is the community. Hey Day Farm has successfully captured the spirit of community on Bainbridge Island by hosting Community Dinners on Tuesday nights at their farm located at 4370 Old Mill Road NE. On a recent Tuesday evening, I attended this Community Dinner with my husband. We parked our car and arrived to the scents and sights of a blooming garden with the Inn at the Farm in the background where Tadao Mitsui was preparing the dinner in the kitchen of the Farmhouse. No reservations are taken at the Community Dinners which are offered year-round from 4:30-8:30 p.m.

Upon arrival at around 5:30, we were asked for our name by the chef’s wife Tifanie who wrote it on a list at which time we were directed to the Adirondacks on the lawn where we were permitted to order drinks and bites. We ordered the Paella Bites with our drinks and enjoyed listening to the music as we drank and ate the elegant morsels, making the wait for our seats at the dinner table pleasant and enjoyable. On a busy summer night, expect to wait around 30-45 minutes for a table and allow plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery, as we did. The scents of the garden and the dinner combined with the relaxing melodies combine to soothe the soul and erase any sense of time.

At last, we were taken to our seat at a community table and enjoyed meeting tourists from Texas who were just finishing their dinner and were sharing our table. We ordered the Halibut served with basil couscous, green beans, and pickled pearl onions and the Pork Loin served with Yukon mash and braising greens with bing cherry. While we waited for our dinners, we were served a wonderful homemade bread and veggie spread. The fresh farm to table ingredients were combined by Tadao to create epicurean masterpieces in every dish. For dessert, we ordered the fruit crumble with cream and salted caramel sauce if only to extend the time spent in such a heavenly place.

Upon leaving, we were invited to check out the rooms in the Inn which offer views of the gardens and farms and cozy beds and furniture. Because they are located inside a historical home built in 1897, two of the four rooms share a bathroom across the hall while the other two rooms have bathrooms in the rooms. All the rooms at the Farm House accommodate 2 people and are priced from $179-$199 during the busy season and weekends and $159-$179 during off-peak times.

If there are no rooms in the Farm House available, you can inquire about staying in the Heyday Annex above their Store in Lynwood Center across from the Marketplace and next to the old historical Lynwood Movie Theater. From there, it is only a short drive to the Farm House for dinner.

Come and enjoy some time at Heyday Farm on the sunniest part of Bainbridge Island and immerse yourself in the welcoming arms of the Community with good food and cozy accommodations.

By Guest Blogger Brenda James