Thank You to Everyone that Volunteered

By Ray 

Click this picture to view a short clip from the spaghetti dinner.

This past Monday, as you know, we held our annual Lighted Way Spaghetti Dinner. Click the picture to the left to see what kind of chaos serving over 1200 people in three and half hours (6 meals every minute) can bring. It is always fun.

It usually takes until Wednesday for the spaghetti sauce smell to leave my skin and until Friday to leave the building. By Thursday, the blistered skin on the roof of my mouth peels away (this comes from tasting so many batches of hot sauce) . After walking about 30 miles that day I feel human again sometime midweek. If I had a dollar for every time a volunteer asks me "where's the butter" or "how do I get this coffee machine to work" I would be retired. I am sure much of the rest of our staff goes through exactly the same thing. After I was done schmoozing on the floor, I went back to get my own plate of spaghetti and there wasn't one order left.

It was one of, if not our best turnout ever. For the first time in a while we had to deal with running out of things. Each year it seems the sauce changes a little bit. Last year we thought we had it perfected. This year we had a few changes we were forced to make. We have a new supplier and had to deal with new products. We also have some new equipment. All of these things changed the recipe a little.

Overall, we had more than half of our staff donate their time to this worthy cause. HOW IS THAT FOR TEAMWORK! As usual, we had many ex-employees and their family come to help as well. The Lighted Way staff, their friends and family finish out the rest of the army it takes to do this. For you volunteers, just so you know, we here at the Uptown always get a chuckle out your impressions of "restaurant life".

Please don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. I love doing this every year! It is hard living life, with me being as much of a skeptic as I am. I know this is a worthy cause. My efforts and my staffs efforts go towards something we can really believe in.

Thank you again to all my staff, friends, the Lighted Way staff, volunteers and customers that make this such a success.  

 

Uptown Employees

Ray Anderes                           Marsha Klimek  

Ryan Anderes                         Mary Halberg  

Jimmy Lannen                         Courtne Camp  

Chris Plankenhorn                  Jen Love

Andrew Kamphaus                 Charis Sherman  

Chuck Messino                        Jenny Haegy  

Craig Bartlett                          Sheila Powel  

Roger Konzcak                        Trisha Battaglia

Erik Swanson                          Rene Anderes  

Jeff Boyd                                 Geena Biccochi  

Ben Konzcak                           Jenn Nieder  

Devin Boyd                              Aly Witek  

Kyle Swindler                          Jenn Higgins  

Danny Konzcak                       Ani Craig      

Geoff Hejl                                Kim Washelesky
Nikki Galetti                             Brett Witek   

Andy Eiten  

 

Other Volunteers

Drew and Denise Bernabei

Scott, Amy, and Tana Mareta

Andy Battaglia

Karen Lannen

Ava Lannen

Brittney Rodriguez

Julie Bernabei

Jake Sherman 

TJ Love

Aly, Ana and Abby Plankenhorn

Megan Krolak

   

AND ALL THE LIGHTED WAY VOLUNTEERS!

 

Braveheart Angus Beef 

By Ryan

There are many things we do here that we feel separate us from your average independent restaurant. One of those things that we take great pride in is our selection of beef. So the average consumer understands, many restaurants will purchase pre-cut, pre-packaged steaks. Some, even pre-seasoned. When you order a Filet or a New York Strip the chefs will cut open the bag and throw it on the grill. That's all the contact they have with their product. Open a bag and cook it. 

Here, our steaks arrive in their full loin form. We receive Ribeye, Strip and Filet loins. Each loin is trimmed by our staff to remove scrap and fat. From there, each loin is hand cut to a predetermined weight. If a mistake is made and that cut does not meet our required weight, the individual cut of meat is set aside and used for other purposes. From there, all of our steaks are sealed, marinated and aged. The end result is served to you.

Recently, we found a new purveyor and along with them, a line of product called Braveheart Beef. They are the highest quality black angus product in the United States. Their product is 100% USDA certified black angus beef. Their cattle are entirely black, as defined and supervised by the USDA. This means you get a product from a line of cattle that is known for superior muscle marbling and better flavor. Braveheart cattle does not come from concentrated animal feeding operations, and they make every effort to support smaller farmer/feeder operations that take a personal interest in raising and caring for their cattle.

Another interesting aspect about Braveheart beef is the quality of grade that they provide. To give you a quick general summary of the grades of beef. USDA Prime is the best. Followed by USDA High Choice, USDA Low Choice, USDA Select and USDA Standard being the worst. 77% of what Braveheart beef provides is USDA Choice or higher. They do not offer USDA Standard. All of the black angus beef is finished on pure midwestern corn for exceptional flavor and tenderness.

Vodkas 

By Jim

Vodka is probably the world's most popular distilled spirit and there are a ton of different companies that make it. It is made by fermenting and then distilling the simple sugars from a mash of grain such as corn, rye or wheat. However, there are some vodkas that are made from potatoes, molasses, soybeans and even rice. Originally, back in the day, it was rye and wheat that were the classic grains for making vodka. Most of the best Russian vodkas are made from wheat, while in Poland they are mostly made from rye. The production process is similar to a lot of other spirits, however unlike cognacs or whiskeys, vodka is not put in wooden casks or aged for an extensive period of time. This is where it keeps its clear color. It is said to have been created around the 9th century where the exact origins can not be traced, but believed to be from regions in Poland and western Russia. Over the course of time, vodka is now produced all over the world and has become the #1 selling spirit.

Every country in Europe produces vodka. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus tend to be acknowledged as the leaders in producing this spirit and all vodka from this region is distilled from rye or wheat. Poland is known for its potato vodka. Sweden and Finland for wheat vodkas. The Carribbean is known for its molasses based vodka, although I have never tried it. Up until the 1950's, vodka was rarely consumed outside of Europe. Over the next few decades, it overtook the sales of bourbon here in the United States. Its neutral flavor allowed it to be mixed with just about everything from orange, cranberry or tomato juice to tonic and soda water. It became the staple spirit that even replaced gin in the traditional martini.

Like I mentioned above, when you think about good vodka, you think Poland or Russia. Nowadays, it is not the case. Many countries from around the world distill vodka in such ways that make it an ultra premium spirit. Starting in the mid 1990's and continuing through today, flavored vodkas have been flooding the market. This trend now leans towards all different fruits, herbs and vegetables. By altering the neutral flavor of vodka by blending with fruit, it makes it easier to drink. Just about every week while meeting with our liquor salesmen, I am hearing about new flavored items hitting the market. My preference is somewhat old fashioned. Ketel One on the rocks, extra dirty with a bleu cheese olive. Although we do not offer every single flavor of Three Olives on our backbar, I am sure you will find one you like. We would be glad to bring in anything you have a taste for. From Absolut to Vox with almost every flavor in between, any way you like it, I am sure you will be able to find your favorite here.  

Oysters on the Half Shell 

By Jim 

Either you love them or you hate them. Oysters that is. There are a lot of people that have never tried them but just by looking at them, they often think no way! I suggest, like all food, you at least give them a try. On our menu, we feature oysters on the half shell on a regular basis. In fact, each week we get a fresh batch from a different region around the world. Most often we bring in ones from Canada or Northeast and Northwest coasts of the United States. We serve them by the half dozen, on the half shell. Alongside these oysters, we serve a mignonette sauce. This is pretty much a shallot vinaigrette. It is one of the most common dipping sauces for oysters, along with cocktail sauce, lemon and even tabasco.

Oysters are found in ocean waters around the world. They are filter feeders that draw water in over their gills and extract their food. This is where the warnings come from about eating raw oysters. They consume anything that passes through and this may include bacteria harmful to humans. It was once assumed that oysters were only safe to eat in months that contain the letter "R". This myth proclaims that these months are cool/cold months that prevent the bacteria from growing in oysters. Research has proven this incorrect. In fact, oysters are excellent sources of iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and selenium and you receive most of these benefits when you eat them raw. And don't forget, oysters are considered to be an aphrodisiac. Researchers found they are rich in amino acids that trigger sex hormones. Forget the chocolate on your anniversary, bring home a plate of oysters.

We bring in our oysters from a small seafood distributor each week. Unlike most shellfish, oysters can have a fairly long shelf life; even up to a few weeks. The only downfall is their "fresh ocean" taste is lost over time. Our oysters are never here more than a few days. Most times we have to order twice a week just to keep them on the menu. The opening of an oyster does require some skill as well. We do not let everyone here "shuck" an oyster. It can be very dangerous trying to pry them open. Too much force can cause you to slip and stab yourself in the hand that's holding it. Believe me, I have done it. Now professionals, it takes less than 3 seconds. Everyone here might take a little longer, but we get the job done.

This week, we are featuring Wellfleet Oysters from the Northeastern region of Cape Cod Bay. They are a medium sized oyster with a full body, high salt content and a sweet flavor. Stop in and try an order. Taste the freshness, you can almost taste the ocean.

The Lady of the Ladle
By Jenn Higgins

March is not only a time for celebrating the luck 'o the Irish on St. Patrick's day; it also happens to be National Women's History Month. In reflecting on female figures who were greatly influential in the culinary industry, one name rose high above the others: Julia Child, the woman responsible for introducing french cuisine to American palates on a mainstream level.

Julia's cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," published in 1961, was arguably the first access American cooks had to traditional French recipes written in English. For Julia, the important thing to remember about preparing French Cuisine was the details. Cooking was about bringing out the natural essence and freshness of the of the food itself and complimenting it with different textures and flavors to bring a new quality and appreciation to the dish.

She was not only interested in the final result of food, but was highly enthusiastic about the entire creative process. Quite often when she would dine in restaurants, she would enter through the back kitchen doors and talk with the chefs about what they were making, how it was being prepared, and what techniques they were using. This was not out of critique, but she was just very inquisitive about the nature of the food. Most chefs will argue that she even revolutionized the entire procedure of conceptualizing, creating, cooking, presenting, and, indeed, even eating food by introducing the idea of putting consideration into every aspect of the dish.

There are many chefs today who are heavily influenced by Julia not only for her styles of cooking French Cuisine, but also for her philosophy of encouraging people to "be a fearless cook! Try out new ideas and new recipes, but always buy the freshest and finest ingredients, whatever they may be." For her, it was the little details added to a dish that pushed it that little bit farther from a good dish to a great dish. We absolutely hold to this ideology in our dishes even down to the most minute details: we don't just use Parmesan, we use Parmigiano-Reggiano, the cheese that Parmesan tries to be. We don't just buy any old cut of meat, we buy our meat by the loin, cut, marinate, and age it in-house to ensure you get the most tender and flavorful cut of meat possible.

Here are some French-influenced foods to try from our menu:

Escargot: This dish is a staple of French cuisine, but sadly I think it is too often overlooked on our menu. Perhaps it's something most feel is only for the brave of heart, but I highly recommend trying it at least once. Escargot has a bad reputation of being slimy or rubbery, but when prepared properly, it's texture is much like a mushroom: slightly chewy, but with a delicate, earthy taste. However, you very much have to be a fan of garlic to really appreciate this dish. 

Creme Brulee: This is one of our most popular desserts at the Uptown, and one of the favorites for the chefs to prepare because it involves a blow torch. The direct translation is "burnt creme," and it's an apt description of the dish. The custard we use is made from scratch in-house, and we toast our creme brulee to order. Just before it is brought to the table, the cooks top the dish with a light layer of sugar and use the blow torch to caramelize it which gives the dessert its trademark crust. It's a very refreshing dessert, especially with warmer days approaching.

Toujours bon appétit!

All lent specials are available all day for dine-in or carry-out! 

FISH TACOS.....3 FOR 7.75

FISH AND CHIPS.....9.75 

"Fish 'n' Chips." Harp battered and served with malt vinegar, coleslaw, tartar sauce, lemon and "chips". We offer one of the more authentic "Fish 'n' Chips" around.

 

TORTELLACCI.....14.75

Our tortellacci are very light because they are made from very thin hand rolled dough, unlike some of the store bought products that are very heavy and have very little filling. We prepare them with a white wine cream sauce and top the dish with fresh Reggianno parmesan.

SEAFOOD TRIO.....19.75

Every Friday, not just during lent either, we offer our version of a Seafood Trio. We serve a 4 oz. portion of broiled cod with a basil creme sauce, a 4 oz. portion of our whitefish parmesan with lemon caper butter and a 4 oz. lobster tail with drawn butter. All for under $20.

Click on the Picture to see a video of Robbie Fulks and Nora O'Connor

Robbie Fulks

Nora O'Connor

Click the picture to watch a Bill Kirchen video

Tickets SOLD OUT!

If anyone has any extra Bill Kirchen tickets, we would like to buy them back!