Sept. 2, 2015 – Just in, an email request from Leslie Thomas to update this article, written in 2010, because of changes that have transpired.
As you read it, keep in mind the following:
“Thomas Hill Farms has absolutely no affiliation with Thomas Hill Organics Restaurant in Paso Robles California.
It is not known at this time whether or not the restaurant follows the original business model.
Please update the article on your website that mentions this. Joe is since divorced.”
The original article follows:
Hot (in one sense), cold and for sure the best creme brulee that I have tasted in a long time turned up at Thomas Hill Organics Market Bistro & Wine Bar in Paso Robles.
It was a jalapeno creme brulee, not as spicy as it sounds, but aromatic, creamy and so delicious that it almost outshone everything I ate.
Almost, because all the dishes were very good as well as interesting, not the same old trendy combinations.
Located in the center of town, Thomas Hill Organics has its own farm, which ensures a constant supply of fruits and vegetables. There’s no distributor involved, so everything that comes into the restaurant is really fresh.
That’s why a thin crusted margherita pizza (above) was better than most. The tomatoes, fresh tomato sauce and basil on top were at their peak.
Owners Debbie and Joe Thomas get whatever they don’t grow themselves from local purveyors. That includes meats, seafood, bread and a good selection of local wines.
The menu changes to keep pace with what the farm produces. Another stand-out the night I was there was a salad (right) of fingerling potatoes and smoked trout with haricots verts, corn and watercress, a hazelnut vinaigrette and a drizzle of creme fraiche.
A deep red puree of beets, tahini and orange juice–odd but intriguing–came with a stack of pita. Debbie Thomas (at top) brought out an extra that was not on the menu, fried green tomatoes with chunky remoulade sauce.
The restaurant has seating inside, but the place everyone wants to be is the courtyard, where there is live music at night.
I went there with Mira Advani Honeycutt, who owns Cabernet Cottage in Paso Robles, a place where winemakers stay and often the scene of parties involving the local wine crowd.
She brought the wine, a Minassian-Young 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from dry-farmed vineyards in Peachy Canyon, Paso Robles.
The next day, we drove through hilly vineyard and farming country to the Thomas Hill Organics farm.
Joe Thomas is a serious artist, at raising fruits and vegetables as well as painting them on canvas and on the logos for tee shirts sold at the restaurant.
That day, he was working out an arrangement of pears that he would photograph and later paint.
Anyone who grows nine kinds of pomegranates has to take an unusual interest in farming, and Thomas seems to revel in it, even to discussing the heartbreaks philosophically. Rabbits ate his entire crop of green beans this year, and they also go for his chile pepper vines.
Thanks to his generosity, we came away with freshly picked apples, tiny Asian pears, plums, melons, cucumbers, chiles and tomatoes. The heavily laden trees were dropping fruit on the ground, none of which could be used. Surprising that the farm supplies only the restaurant, when such a large crop cries out to be sold at farmers markets.
The restaurant does put out some produce for sale, and Thomas said that some goes to a Community Supported Agriculture project headquartered at a nearby winery.
What’s coming into season next includes quince. Thomas, photographed with a quince tree and wearing a shirt with one of his logos, told how he cooks the fruit with red wine and spices down to a soft paste in a slow-cooker. That’s something to try when quince appears in markets this fall.
Thomas Hill Organics Market Bistro & Wine Bar, 1305 Park St., Paso Robles, CA 93446. Tel: (805) 226-5888.
Personalized Leather Passport Cover Holder and Luggage Tag Set for Women with Flower Birth and Name, Custom Engraved Passport Cover Suitcase Tag with Name | Blue
$24.95 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Personalized Passport Holder, Handmade Travel Wallet, Passport Cover with Card and Ticket Slot, Genuine Leather, Passport Case, Wallet for Passports
$26.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Mandalorian Passport Holder, Leather Passport Cover For Men, Handmade Passport Wallet, Gift for Traveler, Passport Case, Gift for Him, Boyfriend Gift, Crazy Horse Leather
$36.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Genuine Leather Personalized Passport Holder, Engraved with Monogram or Initials, Travel Wallet, Father's Day Gift, Christmas gift for Travel lovers (Passport Holder & Luggage Tag Set)
$55.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Genuine Full Grain Leather Passport Cover Field Notes Cover Wallet, Gift for Traveler, Passport Case, Gift for Him or her, Gift for Couple Unique
$15.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Passport Holder, Passport Cover OR Luggage Tag | Witch or Wizard, Adults, Teens, Kids and Babies
(as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
PEGAI Personalized Leather, Passport Holder For Travel | Handmade Passport Wallet Cover Case | Travel Document Holder, Passport Cover for Men, Women, and Family | Pike (Rock Grey)
(as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
PEGAI Personalized Leather, Passport Holder For Travel | Handmade Passport Wallet Cover Case | Travel Document Holder, Passport Cover for Men, Women, and Family | Pike (Dexios Black)
(as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Personalized Leather Passport Cover, Customized Travel Wallet, Genuine Leather Passport Cover, Custom Laser Engraved Passport holder, Passport Wallets
$18.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Personalized My First Custom Passport Holder Cover and Luggage Tag Set - Teddy Bear (Blue, Passport and Luggage Set)
$34.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Premium Insert fits Book Tote Organizer Medium, Small Book Tote Organizer Insert Best Fit Detailed Size, Large Book Tote Bag Organizer Premium Felt Handmade (For Large Book Tote, Beige)
$35.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Premium Purse Organizer fits Artsy MM Purse Organizer Insert, Artsy GM Organizer, Handmade Snug Sturdy 2mm Felt with Gold Zipper Tapered Shape Perfect Fit (For Artsy MM, Tea)
$39.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Premium Bag Organizer for Nice bb Organizer Insert, Handmade Liner Protector Fits Nice Mini Vanity PM Organizer, Nice Makeup Bag Felt Snug Sturdy Fit (Nice BB, Beige)
$35.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Conversion Kit with Chain compatible with Pochette Kirigami, Insert with Extended Side Buckles, Full Set of 3 Inserts with 120cm - 47" inches Gold Chain (Inserts Only - No Chain Needed)
$35.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Conversion Kit with Chain compatible with Pochette Kirigami, Insert with O Rings, Full Set of 3 Inserts with 120cm - 47" inches Gold Chain, Premium Quality (All 3 Inserts + 120cm Gold Chain)
$39.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Conversion Kit compatible with Monogram Clutch, Insert with 120cm - 47" inches Premium Gold Chain, Wristlet Insert Wallet on Chain (Black)
$39.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Premium Purse Organizer for Mini Anjou Bag Organizer Insert, fits Anjou PM Organizer, Anjou GM Insert, Handmade 2mm Thick Oval Shaped Felt Snug Sturdy Silver Zipper (For Anjou Mini, Olive)
$35.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Divitize Purse Organizer for Artois MM Bag Organizer, Artois PM Bag Organizer, Artois MM Insert, Handmade 2mm Wool Premium Felt Insert with Silver Zipper Snug Sturdy Fit (For Artois PM, Beige)
$35.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Purse Organizer for Cabata Purse Insert, Cabata Tote Organizer, Handmade 2mm Premium Felt Snug Sturdy Silver Zipper (For Small Cabata, Red)
$42.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Pochette Voyage MM Conversion Kit with Chain Pouch Pochette Voyage MM Insert with Grommets O Rings Premium Felt Chain (Hot Magenta, Silver Chain - 150cm)
$45.00 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Southwestern Large Weekender Travel Bag Western Duffle Bag Boho Travel Bag (Monica)
$98.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Genuine Leather Fanny Pack Crossbody Bags for Women Fashion Sling Purse Shoulder Bag Leather Causal Chest Bum Bag Brown Cross Body Purse
$59.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Leather Fanny Pack Crossbody Bags for Women Trendy Sling Bag for Women Small Crossbody Bags for Women Vacation Essentials Handbags Crossbody Purse Belt Bag Travel Backpack (Ivory)
$29.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Personalized Kids Dance Duffle Bag,Custom Travel Bag for Toddler with Chenille Letter,Kids Ballet Bag,Weekender Overnight Bag,Gym Bag,Cheerleader Bag,Sewn on Patches
$19.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Leather Fanny Pack Crossbody Bags for Women Trendy Sling Bag for Women Small Crossbody Bags for Women Vacation Essentials Handbags Crossbody Purse Belt Bag Travel Backpack (Black Strap)
$12.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
StinkBalm Odor Blocker New Grad Gift Set 2 Pack
$16.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Personalized Kids Dance Ballet Bag, Kids Chenille Letter Duffel Bag, Sport Duffle Bag, Travel Duffel Bag, Pink Cheerleader Bag for Girls, Dance Duffle Bag, Special Performance Reward Gift for Children
$28.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Southwestern Large Weekender Travel Bag Western Duffle Bag Boho Travel Bag (Diego)
$98.99 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
CraffBase Personalized Name Dance Duffle Bags for Girls Dance Ballet Bag, Cute Travel Duffel Bag, Sport Duffle Gym Cheerleader Bag, Custom Chenille Letter Name Girls Boys Kids (Style 1)
$18.66 (as of December 24, 2024 09:35 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)