(530) 758-5750
222 D St
Davis,
CA
95616
38.5437
-121.741
Neighborhood: Downtown Core
What People Are Saying About Mustard Seed
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene – This diminutive house in the heart of Davis looks like the kind of place you'd expect to find in a small mountain village. Chairs fashioned from tree branches, cozy nooks and a fireplace give the restaurant rustic charm. A serene back patio surrounded by trees and tropical plants, tables stocked with flowers and flickering candles add to the ambience. – – The Food – The California menu is brief but dishes are lovingly prepared with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Sherry vinaigrette highlights each element in the baby spinach salad: caramelized…
01/14/08
Terrible staff
by kst25
The owner probably has a hard time finding a decent staff becuase he posts his job openings on Craigslist!
- Pros: Nothing
- Cons: Service
08/21/07
Mustard Seed-- a European oasis
by jhcrowe
This is not exactly Chez Pannise, but it is, nevertheless, a little gem. The food is excellent, lovingly prepared by Chef Paul, and often very creative. We have dined there dozens of times and have always found the service to be outstanding and the ambience lovely. It's a favorite for lunches in warm weather, with the beautiful, shaded garden. In winter the snug dining room with a fireplace is delightfully European. You'll think you're somewhere in Switzerland.
- Pros: good food, service, and ambience
- Cons: not great for a business meeting, except in the garden
02/24/07
Do Not Recommend: Horrible, service; combative, snooty, rude owner
by boole
The service is awful, unprofessional, and rather obnoxious and odd. The owner is strange, somewhat confrontational and inappropriate. I've eaten at Mustard Seed 4-5 times in the last year and the ambience is unbeatable. The food is good, too. But, my wife and I have finally had enough of the obtrusive service and the snobby owner. The owner is under the misimpression Mustard Seed is Chez Panisse, which it is not. My sister is a chef at Chez Panisse and we've eaten there many times. There's no comparison. Every time we eat at Mustard Seed one waiter in particular fancies himself a comedian and constantly tries to make his "routine" part of your dining "entertainment." It's very annoying. One time after one of our dinner party said he wanted his steak well done on the outside this waiter remarked "well, once you go black you never go back." We were shocked. Another time much younger friends ate there using a gift certificate and the owner remarked, "Oh, what DID you do to deserve THIS!?" (It wasn't an attempt at humor). She acted as if the honor to eat at Mustard Seed was a gift far out of any young couple's grasp or wildest dreams. At one point when I ate there last the owner saw us milling around after finishing and screamed at her staff in the kitchen (without shutting the door), "Why is that table looking at me!!?" The owner is just an odd, highly pretentous bird. Unfortunately, some of the staff must share the same genes. All of this detracts from the comfort and enjoyment of a good meal and wonderful atmosphere. However, we're done with the staff/owner's tired routine. People go out to dinner to relax and enjoy conversation, not to endure forced banter from waiters, and the intrusions and pretentiousness of an irascible, mercurial owner. I would like to recommend Mustard Seed, but my suggestion is to go somewhere where the food is as good and the service/owner more professionals. Davis doesn't lack for other options. Go elsewhere.
- Pros: Good food and great ambience
- Cons: Obnoxious, snooty service. Pretentious, odd, rude owner
The Details on Mustard Seed
Make a Night of It:
While the Mustard Seed is worth the drive to Davis, try to schedule your trip around the ArtAbout, held the second Friday of every month.
What's That Noise?:
If you take advantage of the patio in the summer, be sure to secure a table away from the noisy air conditioning fan.
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