J ust north of the Lost Coast is the Victorian village of Ferndale, surrounded by sea and Humboldt County’s sprawling farmland. There’s a burgeoning food scene breathing new life into Ferndale’s Main Street, and at the heart of it all is The Boardroom. The Boardroom is a story of convergence and community, serving up Humboldt’s most famous charcuterie along with an assortment of small plates and BBQ dinners featuring local and house-made ingredients. The Boardroom is a melting pot of worldly traditions with north coast flair, from old-world meat curing and cheesemaking to North Carolina BBQ, with fresh and fermented veggie accents grown nearby at Fair Curve Farm.
The Boardroom Ferndale is a second iteration; the first Boardroom, located 25 minutes north in Eureka, started from a partnership between two local cheese company coworkers who became fast friends. Jason Baxter, marketing guy, and Sonny Simonian, food scientist, meat master, and cheese guy, teamed up as the charcuterie craze took off in the foodie world. Simonian curated a menu of cured and smoked meats under the Ryan Creek Root Cellar label; he attributes the high quality of his meats in part to the temperate and humid Eureka climate which provides the perfect conditions for curing and ripening. The Boardroom became a tasting room for Simonian’s fine products, where patrons could graze on homemade morsels while sipping cider or wine in the cozy space, perfect for game nights and book clubs, first dates and reunions with old friends and new.
When COVID hit, The Boardroom adapted through another convergence. With a smoker ordered and plans for something new put on hold, Chef Nick Canter, a patron who loved The Boardroom, entered the picture to create a trifecta of excellence. Chef Canter, a North Carolina transplant, put that new smoker to use, providing Humboldt’s housebound community with delectable BBQ dinners served to-go and at satellite sites (local bars which don’t serve food) during the pandemic. By the time restrictions lifted, the demand for a restaurant serving the famous pandemic dinners warranted a second, bigger location just to the south. With Baxter’s branding vision, Simonian’s artisanal charcuterie and cheese, and Chef Canter’s comforting and elevated menu, The Boardroom Ferndale launched.
The restaurant’s vibe is distinctly Humboldt; it’s understated and timeless – at once fitting in with Ferndale’s old-timey feel but with no sense of feeling outdated. It’s refreshingly open, with coastal sunshine pouring in through the expansive windows, a 30-foot bar, and rich bespoke redwood outfitting the room. As Baxter says, their open kitchen keeps them honest and lets them relish in their patrons’ obsession with each bite; the space is only improved upon by the food being served there. The cured duck breast and their pastrami, the farmer’s cheese and mushrooms, the Rocky’s chicken – the latter of which is already drawing customers from several counties away – fill diners with a rustic reverie the chef and owners delight in.
Come for the food. Stay for the music, the exclusive Powers Creek Brewery brews, and a walk through historic Ferndale once you’re sated. And if you can’t get enough, take a board to-go and picnic under a redwood for an extra delicious Humboldt experience.
