On a mission of flavor

This week celebrates two full years that we have been playing this strange game of being restaurant owners. Our first three months found us operating out of a food trailer on Broadway. It gave us a chance to test out our concept before making major financial committments. Fortunately, you and your friends found that what we were doing was worth continuing. So we did. A big part of our concept was that we would work to expand the palates of those who live in this area. We wanted to be able to serve the foods we would be looking for if were in a large city. Another major aspect was the desire to be a part of the local sourcing movement. We really like the idea of a smaller carbon footprint and being an active part of that. There is a food revolution going on in this country that is fed by people rediscovering how much better foods are when prepared with ingredients grown and raised locally. This is a revolution even my mother would be proud of my participating in. I really like the idea that most of the monies you pay us stay in this immediate community. Thank you for being a part of the revolution.

When I make selections for our menu each week, the choices often come via recent wanderings through the pages of cooking magazines. I am constantly searching for dishes that will give your tongues an adventure but not be so strange it scares you. The Bahn Mi sandwich we recently added as a regular feature is just such an item. There are enough flavor elements that are familiar to give you the courage to try the elements that are a bit less familiar.

This week we are introducing several new flavor journeys. The meal I am most excited to present is a seafood paella from Valencia, Spain. While made all over Spain, each locale that serves this dish adds their own local specialty. We'll be including squid, octopus, clams and shrimp as well as some chicken and turkey sausage.  If all you read about was the seafood you might be startled if you had not already enjoyed some of those seafoods. But it is presented in a very familiar rice base made with ingredients you already know and love—garlic, onions, tomatoes, red and green peppers. As to the special flavors in this dish, we'll include saffron—the single most expensive herb on the planet! I have yet to be able to detect a definite saffron flavor. We'll use the recommended pinch—but that alone is about $10. The color of the dish overall will come from the saffron as well as a bit of tumeric or annatto. Annatto is the colorant in yellow rice. It also has basically no flavor of its own that is prominent. Together they meld to create a cohesive flavor richness. So give yourself a late summer flavor vacation in Valencia, Spain! This dish will be available Wednesday through Friday. $14.99

The response to our recent dessert—grilled pound cake with grilled fresh peaches, vanilla ice cream, caramel and almonds has been pretty spectacular. Another decadent dessert we've made is chocolate almond torte with chocolate raspberry glaze and in-house raspberry sherbet. We're having some fun playing with the various ice creams and sauces. We get to play—you get to indulge. Works for me!

Tuesday night as family pasta night has not gotten the reception we had hoped it would. I'll try it one more week with a classic tuna casserole. We know that our "crowd" doesn't seem to fit the typical family profile. Perhaps a fast dinner solution mid-week isn't what is needed. That's okay. We'll keep trying things out until we get a good fit. It is one of the aspects of having one's own business that is beneficial—versatility and speed of change. The downside is not having corporate marketing gurus doing upteen zillion polls. We do a few polls and seek your feedback, always, but not in the formal setting and broad scale that a nationwide polling might do. So what we do is specific to you, our local client base.  Your input is vital to the directions we take.

Tuesday at lunch we'll revisit the Pulled Turkey Dip Sandwich we introduced last week. It was well received at the time and we hope a new audience will get to experience it on a Tuesday. Rick brought this sandwich to our attention and we added our special aspects—like the cranberry horseradish sauce. It is served with a lovely dipping au jus sauce and is served on the French bread we are getting made to our specifications by Jason. Served with a side for $6.99

The "flavor journey" this week that is NOT seafood is ginger stir-fried beef with mung beans, shitakes, squash and green onions. That same flank steak we wood-fired for the Costa Rican Steak Sandwich will show up first in this dish. I'll serve it with jasmine rice. $10.99 with a side salad. It'll be available starting Tuesday night. There is a limited amount of it.

Wednesday Rick shines again with a Costa Rican Steak Sandwich. We wood-fired flank steak to rare to give it a smokey flavor. We'll slice it thin; saute it with yellow onions; melt cotija cheese over the top and stack it on a French baguette that has been slathered in black beans. On the side you will be served an in-house salsa typical of the region. Get ready to get excited! $7.50 with a side.

Thursday gets another dose of the wood-fired steak served as Oriental Steak Salad. This is the original salad we made the Oriental sesame dressing for. Romaine, steak, ripe tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, feta. $7.50

Friday we'll bring out the Panzanella Salad again. With so many gorgeous tomatoes right now, it would be a crime not to do so. This salad has lots of heft and is quite filling while being made with no meat. The bread is sourdough that has been drizzled in olive oil, salt and pepper and crisped. You'll find cucumber, fennel leaf, kalamata olives, fresh basil, fresh shaved Parmesan, red onion and lots of tomato and peppers. The BEST way to eat your veggies!!!! $6.99

Well, that's it, kids! We'll be busy here prepping for your next meal. Your being here allows me to do a job I find quite joyful. I am able to stretch my creative muscles fairly often and that keeps things going in a forward direction. Thank you for allowing us to play this game and be winning! Have another glorious week!~~~

~~Susan