Botanist’s Jeff Savage and True Laurel’s Nicolas Torres collaborated on a welcome cocktail called California Gleanin’, a refreshing, beguiling beverage crafted with Spanish white vermouth, foraged black sage tonic, finger lime, and Glendalough Wild Gin.

Their two-part amuse bouche began with whipped scrambled eggs seasoned with bacon, maple, and hot sauce, topped with chives.

Our amusement continued with broiled local oysters garnished with redwood tip glaçage (glaze) and melting lardo (cured pork fat).

The dinner’s “Harvest” course presented creamy BC sea urchin atop pommes dauphine with chorizo and chives.

The “Hunt” involved a creative two-part duck presentation, beginning with rosy, fat-rimmed duck breast served on a pancake with strawberry mostarda, exquisite shaved strawberries and coriander flowers.

Longtime Slim Jim spokesman Macho Man Randy Savage would no doubt break down a door to eat this delectable duck “Slim Jim” with raspberry, which joined duck liver mousse with wild fennel pollen and blackberry gelée as we continued the “Hunt.”

Fresh “Catch” paired sweet shelled Dungeness crab meat with sweet corn foam, koji, fermented habanero and decorative flowers.

A “Hook” reeled in luscious pan-seared sablefish (black cod) accompanied with crispy skin, sofrito, epazote and smoked buttermilk.

I’d gladly “Graze” with Wagyu ribeye anytime, particularly when the famously marbled meat gets treated with such a light touch and plated with powerfully flavorful seared sungold tomatoes, oxtail, tomato “raisins,” basil, and shishitos that provided vivid balance.

Botanist’s talented Executive Pastry Chef, Kate Siegel, contributed to the night’s “Sweet Remedy,” Figs Foster with toasted fig leaf. Our parting gift from the dinner consisted of an almond shortbread cookie inspired by Chef Laguna’s grandma and a Lazy Bear pin.

On August 31, Botanist Head Bartender Jeff Savage welcomed True Laurel Bar Director Nicolas Torres and a trusted colleague for cocktails from both bars. They share a similar commitment to crafting seasonal cocktails with local ingredients and deft techniques.

In The Pines, Under The Palms riffed on the Martinez, but unlike that classic cocktail that features gin, vermouth, and maraschino liqueur, this striking version also incorporated toasted coconut rye, arak and California redwood.

Love Below combined Solera rum, dry vermouth, lovage, a brilliant indigo kumquat tomato (a cherry tomato hybrid, not a kumquat), citrus, and tequila. As Torres said regarding tequila use “A quarter ounce per drink. It’s really there to support the rum.”

The Free Spirit menu section featured non-alcoholic cocktails, which are increasingly popular these days in cities across the U.S. and Canada. Botanist takes NA seriously. Heartwood was true to the region, combining cedar, smoked alder, and birch sap.