44 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY: ANNIE BARNETT / COURTESY OF SINGLETHREAD - ERIC WOLFINGER {due west} and thin slices of A5 wagyu beef—all raw and ready to add to the simmering donabe atop a portable burner. Sommelier James Spain, who predicted I’d want my glass of crisp Cobb riesling followed by something red, appears with a delightful bottle of Reeve pinot noir from its Kiser Vineyard Suitcase Block. Stewed strawberries provide a tangy-sweet contrast to an ethereal chocolatey concoction with black sesame. It’s the first time SingleThread has served a chocolate dessert, the fruit of a new relationship with Lydgate Farms in Hawaii. Magically, four hours have slipped by. We feel full, yet somehow virtuous from eating all those vegetables. In the morning, we head to the rooftop, where our al fresco Japanese and English breakfasts are just as beautifully plated as our dinner. After checking out, we point the car toward Dry Creek Road and make a leisurely loop past SingleThread’s farm, crossing Lambert Bridge before heading home. As we pass acres of bright, leafy grape vines soaking up the sun, we share the small container of housemade yogurt sherbet marbled with strawberries from our room’s freezer. It tastes like spring. of wine-tasting and sightseeing, and describing the experience as “almost Japanese-style.” Almost Japanese-style is a good way to describe a lot of things at SingleThread, from the pottery of the place settings and harmonious interiors to the ingredients and underlying philosophy. It’s not billed as a Japanese restaurant, but for anyone accustomed to kaiseki dining, the seasonal menu of small, intricately prepared dishes is going to feel very familiar. Our donabe meal starts with an abridged version of the restaurant’s hassun, an artful array of small bites, including a tiny, briny firefly squid, a refreshing silken tofu topped with paper-thin zucchini and sparkling orange trout roe, and a scallop-topped shrimp tamago. Next is a course of shima-aji, pressed sushi made with striped jack, garnished with a deepfried cherry blossom. For the shabu-shabu main course, a handmade clay donabe pot arrives, filled with steaming liquid. Sauces and side dishes are aesthetically arranged, and a small end table is pressed into service. Natalie brings a large platter brimming with freshly picked farm vegetables, foraged mushrooms, housemade tofu Inn Crowd Scoring a table at SingleThread can be tricky. If you book a room at SingleThread Inn, you’re guaranteed a table for two at the restaurant. farm fresh singlethreadfarms.com
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