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| September 2008 |
Issue: # 1 |
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Welcome to Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro !!
Greetings!
We are very excited to have finally opened what has been a dream of ours for many years. My husband, Bill, and I have travelled extensively and have always found that our most relaxing and memorable trips were to wine country... be it Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Tuscany or France. We love the food, the wine, the atmosphere, and the casually comfortable ambiance created when people passionate about food and wine gather. There's no place like a vineyard to gain a sense of how light, geology, water, air and the human touch of the winemaker conspire to create terroir, or the expression of "a sense of place" within wine which makes it unique. At Tastings, we hope to allow you to explore terroirs from all over the world in combination with the incredibly fresh and delicious small plate creations of Chef Richard Garcia. In addition, we will have a selection of signature cocktails and handcrafted beers that are sure to please the non-winedrinkers amongst us. We are delighted to bring the tastes of the vineyard to our own backyard and hope that you will join us at the beautiful new Patriot Place Lifestyle Center at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA to dine with us in the very near future!
Call us at 508-203-WINE (9463) or visit us on the web at: www.tastingswinebarandbistro.com
Patti Martin |
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 So What are Small Plates Anyway??
They are unpretentious bites of robustly flavorful ingredients that are sized between tapas and entrées. They are a perfect for diners who are curious about new flavor combinations, adventurous about taste and want a dining experience as varied as possible in one sitting. Small plates are a relaxed way to eat with family, friends, and colleagues. They are designed to be shared and the stress and delays of trying to orchestrate the delivery of entrées and sides all at the same time is eliminated. Small plates are served as they are prepared, ensuring a continuous flow of hot and tasty dishes. Why order an entrée of just a few flavors or textures, when, for the same price and amount of food you can experience a cornucopia of tastes and textures. Also, small plates are meant to be served with appropriate pairings of wine as a delicious and healthy complement to the dishes.
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A phrase that was, just four years ago, only a "catchy" term is now officially in the New Oxford American Dictionary! Locavores are people who commit to purchasing and consuming foods that are locally farmed within a 100 mile radius of where they live. Eating and buying locally farmed foods proves to be a healthier alternative to foods with extra preservatives, both for human consumption and the affect on the ecosystem. The biggest impact of all, however, is giving back to the local economy. In fact, for every $100 spent locally, studies show that $42 stays here at home, whereas the same $100 spent with a national corporation only leaves $13 here to circulate. At Tastings, we buy locally farmed produce and sustainably farmed seafood and meats to help contribute to this great movement.
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Chef Richard Garcia
Known as one of the Northeast's rising star chefs. Richard Garcia is a self taught chef whose passion for food began when he was just thirteen years old. Born in Guatemala, his professional journey began in Boston MA and eventually South Beach Miami where he worked in some of South Florida's finest restaurants. He became a U.S. Marine and enlisted as a food service specialist. Richard's skill was apparent even in the Marine Corps, as he graduated top of his class at both the U.S. Army Quartermaster School and the US Marine Corps Food Service Academy. He served with the 1st Battalion 25th Marine Regiment and was deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism .
After his enlistment was up he would continue work in the Boston area's finest restaurants, rising through the ranks until he was promoted to Corporate Executive Chef of Culinary Operations for Stoneforge Restaurants, a multi-unit/multi-concept restaurant group where, at 25 years old, he was responsible for the culinary development of four restaurants and the USDA approved BOH operation that supplied all restaurants with meats, seafood, soups and sauces all of which were produced from scratch.
Richard's modern, globally influenced cuisine earned him rave reviews and appearances on TV Diner with Billy Costa, an invitation to participate in the inaugural Foxwoods Food and Wine Festival, as well as a spot at the table for the First Celebrity Chef Poker Tournament, where he played in support of the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation, which has been helping the homeless and supporting culinary education in the state of Massachusetts for many years. In January 2008, Richard won the "Chef Showdown" at the Mohegan Sun's SunWine Festival. In June he appeared as a guest chef at the PGA Tour's "Taste of the Tour". In August, he was a featured guest speaker at the Wine Diva's annual "Divas Uncorked Wine Festival" on Martha's Vineyard, and will appear again at Foxwood's Wine & Food Festival at the new MGM Grand Resort in late September.
Through his international travels, which include Guatemala, Spain, and the Caribbean, he has developed a passion for using the finest imported and locally-sourced sustainable ingredients. This eventually earned him the spot as Executive Chef of two of the U.S. Virgin Island's hottest restaurants where he was noticed by the Pulitzer Prize winning V.I. Daily News. The publication rated him as having the most creative cuisine in the Virgin Islands. Also during his island stay, OK Weekly Magazine rated eating at Havana Blue Restaurant as one of the top 3 things-to-do when visiting the Virgin Islands. He was also asked to participate in a cookbook written by Alan Battman, the world-famous food photographer. Battman's "Sandwiches of the World" was released in September 2007 and Richard's recipe sits alongside some of the world's most noted chefs.
Now as Executive Chef of Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro, he will showcase his love of globally-influenced small plates cuisine and is committed to using only the finest local sustainable ingredients as well as sourcing the best imported products in the world to create a unique and memorable dining experience.
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From the Chef
Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro is a unique entrant to the suburban Boston restaurant scene. Our ingredients for success will include innovation and a focus on local flavors. I know that Tastings will quickly be known for its seasonally inspired, innovative small plates menu, an eclectic, international wine list, a fresh and exciting cocktail and beer list,and an unsurpassed level of top notch service.
My team & I have carefully considered the way New Englanders dine and I am truly happy to be a part of launching a restaurant with a focus on the finest food, style, and service.
Fresh, pristine, local and sustainable produce, seafood, and meats are the principle resources for my menu. I commit to, whenever possible, serving food that is sourced in the region of the Northeast Atlantic states and waters.
We have developed a cocktail list that will surprise you with the use of fresh local produce and herbs, the wine list sports some the sexiest wines in the world -- lesser known, delicious wines that match our menu items perfectly. Some of the regions we are proud to highlight are the Rhone and Loire valleys in France, Napa and Sonoma valleys in California as well as wines from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America.
I offer you my personal commitment to a unique, ever-changing dining experience.
Chef Richard Garcia |
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 27 - 28 Executive Chef Rich Garcia will be appearing at the
Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival on September 27 - 28 Foxwood Food & Wine Festival Website |
October 12 to 19
Fresh from the Family Farm Benefit
During this week we will feature one or more menu items that meet the Fresh from the Family Farm criteria and donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of that item to Farm Aid and Chefs Collaborative; two organizations that share one vision: thriving family farms growing good food for all. Come out and support our local farmers while enjoying a great meal at Tastings!
Fresh from the Family Farm Website
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