Idyll-Awhile’s new kitchen expands offerings

The Crier sat down last week with Leanna Lee, proprietor of Leanna’s
Idyll-Awhile Bistro. She noted that Thursday, April 18, marked five
years from the day she closed escrow, in 2019. Idyll-Awhile was serving
for many years before that, but Lee is excited about her recent kitchen
expansion and the roll-out of a full dinner menu.

Lee has a degree in medical dietetics from Loma Linda University. “But
my passion is hospitality. I have been off and on in this business for
38 years. It’s all about the food and the wine and the wonderful people.
I love the stories, I love meeting people. So many tourists come in and
out, and for a short period of time, you are a part of their life. You
learn about their careers and their families and their children and
their passions.”

Lee was a long-time visitor to Idyllwild before taking on a business
here. “I’ve been visiting for about 25 years. It’s always been a
spiritual retreat for me, a bit of serenity. I love the hiking, and
Idyllwild has always been very welcoming.” She still commutes from
Cherry Valley, where she tends her greenhouse and organic garden with
apricot and cherry trees, avocados and lemons.

The big news is the kitchen. “A year and a half ago, I started my
journey of building my full kitchen. The kitchen before was tiny — a
300-square-foot ‘deli’ kitchen. Now I’ve expanded into a
1,000-square-foot kitchen with full lunch and dinner options. I passed
all inspections. It was a journey, and I’m looking forward to providing
wonderful service to the community of Idyllwild. We are now serving full
dinners Wednesday through Saturday.”

The new menu includes wild-caught halibut, honey-brined pork chop,
grass-fed flatiron steak, steak au poivre (pepper, cognac and cream)
with lobster, chicken marsala, bouillabaisse with lobster, and butternut
squash ravioli for the vegetarians. Her Saturday special is 28-day aged
prime rib, and Wednesday is half-off bottled wine with entree purchase.
She said the locals are already coming in for that. “To enhance the
dinner experience, we offer wine tasting flights of four or six
samples.”

The dining room also looks bigger. The new wine rack gives more room,
and the low-rise tables have been replaced with taller ones, of cherry
wood. The bar is now Brazilian granite.

Lee has made a lot of friends along the way. “The whole town has been
watching this experience from the beginning. When I was ready to start
cooking, locals were bringing cases of fresh apples off their trees. I
baked 50 pies, gifted many, sold most.”

The bistro also hosts live music in the gazebo, all week except Tuesdays
and Thursdays. Lee is looking forward to the Art Walk and Wine Tasting
in October. The bistro is available for weddings, receptions and
banquets. Among upcoming events are “VIP full moon parties starting in
May. They will include five courses with wine pairings, under the full
moon. I’m looking forward to meeting all the new locals that are buying
and building in the area. You get to hear a lot of great stories. It’s
what hospitality is all about, being involved.”

Leanna’s Idyll-Awhile Wine Shop and Bistro is 54245 North Circle Dr.,
#C-8, in the Village Center Shops and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday to Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday.