The REAL Farm to Table Culinary Experience in Oceanside, California

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In the past couple of years, I've been hearing and seeing the phrase "Farm-To-Table" used a lot. When an establishment says that their menu items are "Farm-To-Table", that means that the produce is coming directly from a locally sourced farm. Oceanside is really bursting into the culinary scene and before I stopped by three amazing restaurants that were using local produce, I went straight to the source: Cyclops Farms.

CYCLOPS FARM + www.thetravelpockets.com

Cyclops Farms

Just a few miles inland from the Oceanside beaches is a two and a half acre urban farm run by farmer Luke Girling. Luke is a true local and grew up in O'Side. After graduating from The Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Program in Santa Cruz, California, he returned to O'Side and began his journey in farming.

 
CYCLOPS FARMS + www.thetravelpockets.com
 

When I asked Luke how he found land to farm on, I was fascinated by his story. He had been searching for land to start his farming project and when he came across this one in a residential area, he knocked on the owner's door and proposed his vision.

CYCLOPS FARM + www.thetravelpockets.com
CYCLOPS FARMS + www.thetravelpockets.com
CYCLOPS FARMS + www.thetravelpockets.com

The owners loved Luke's vision and a month later, the land was leased to him for two years. This was back in 2015 and this year he just signed another two year lease. Not only does the produce go to local restaurants, but it is also sold to the community on the weekends. How cool is it to be able to walk to your neighborhood farm stand and buy fresh organic produce right in front of the farm it comes from? I'm so jealous! 

LUKE SHARING HIS STORIES ABOUT THE FARM AND THE O'SIDE COMMUNITY

LUKE SHARING HIS STORIES ABOUT THE FARM AND THE O'SIDE COMMUNITY

Once a month Cyclops Farms arranges a monthly "Water Bill Dinner" to help fund the farm's water bill. This is a dinner that is held right on Cyclops Farms with local chefs cooking food directly from the farm. This is a real Farm-To-Table dinner experience and I hope to make it to one of them some day. For the next dinner and registration, follow Cyclops Farms on Facebook

CYCLOPS FARMS + www.thetravelpockets.com
CYCLOPS FARMS + www.thetravelpockets.com
CYCLOPS FARMS + www.thetravelpockets.com

Okay, I can go on for ages about how amazing Luke and Cyclops Farms is, but without further ado, here are the three restaurants I went to that purchases produce from Cyclops Farms. 

Miller's Table

I instantly fell in love with the decor when I stepped into Miller's Table. The space had such a homey vibe with a large community table at the center of the restaurant. 

MILLER'S TABLE ENTRANCE

MILLER'S TABLE ENTRANCE

MILLERS TABLE + www.thetravelpockets.com

Miller's table serves sandwiches and small plates, which makes it a great way to taste and share a variety of dishes with friends and family. They also have an amazing rotating selection of wine and hand-picked draft beer, so don't forget to check often on their Facebook page for updates. 

MILLER'S TABLE BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY TABLE

MILLER'S TABLE BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY TABLE

Every dish I sampled was amazing and the vegetables had so much flavor. The sandwiches were yummy and I especially loved the bread that was being used. Miller's Table uses bread from a local family-run bakery called Prager Bros. and it was heavenly. Prager Bros. uses organic grains and their breads are naturally leavened.

CHARRED STEM HUMMUS - CYCLOPS FARM BABY FENNEL PAPADUM

CHARRED STEM HUMMUS - CYCLOPS FARM BABY FENNEL PAPADUM

AUTOSTRADA DI GIORNO - THIN PRESSED ITALIAN INSPIRED SANDWHICH WITH TURKY MEAT & CHEESE

AUTOSTRADA DI GIORNO - THIN PRESSED ITALIAN INSPIRED SANDWHICH WITH TURKY MEAT & CHEESE

If you want to have a picnic or enjoy Miller's Table on the beach, no problem. You can call in an order for pick-up and enjoy elsewhere.

LTH & Kitchen

The laid back vibe of LTH & Kitchen was dog friendly and carries thirty-two craft beers and ciders. They have been in the business for three years and have already built up an amazing reputation with the community. Their menu changes every three to four months, so there is always reason to come back and try more. I had an amazing plate of ceviche, cauliflower, and egg roll. The plate was so beautiful and looked like a work of art.

LTH & KITCHEN + www.thetravelpokcets.com
CEVICHE,  EGG ROLL, & ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

CEVICHE,  EGG ROLL, & ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

I went during the day, but I definitely need to go back and try the "Late Night WTFF Menu". It's a menu dedicated just to french fries! 

WTFF MENU

WTFF MENU

608

Located within walking distance from Oceanside Pier, Chef Willy's dishes have a heavy Asian influence. This was a huge plus for me because I love Asian cuisine. Chef Willy is creating quite the buzz and he's only twenty-six years old! His upscale food is divine and are at affordable prices. I honestly could not pick a favorite dish. Every dish I sampled was packed with flavor and left me wanting more. 

608 + www.thetravelpockets.com
BRAISED SHORT RIB - PANANG CURRY // SEASONAL VEGETABLES |// MUSTARD GREENS

BRAISED SHORT RIB - PANANG CURRY // SEASONAL VEGETABLES |// MUSTARD GREENS

FRIED CHICKEN - CORNBREAD // LOCAL HONEY // JALAPENO | GREEN ONION

FRIED CHICKEN - CORNBREAD // LOCAL HONEY // JALAPENO | GREEN ONION

LOBSTER & KOSHI HIKARI RICE

LOBSTER & KOSHI HIKARI RICE

It's really an exciting time in Oceanside right now as it is quickly becoming San Diego's most impressive culinary destination. I love how the chefs and farmers know each other and are friends. You really get a sense of community in Oceanside and I can't wait to go back and explore more of this amazing laid-back beach town. 

Camera equipment used: Canon EOS M3 Mirrorless CameraCanon EF-M 22mm f2 STM Compact System Fixed LensWe subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud to edit photos and videos using Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and Photoshop.