Today we thought we would share two videos featuring the amazing chefs at Tapastrie in South Bend. In the videos Chefs Tony Nafrady and John Bulger each prepare a dish featured on the Tapastrie menu. We filmed these at The Oaks at Southpaw Farm a few weeks ago when we got together with restaurant manager Tom Welsh and Spanish winemaker Juan de la Barreda who was visiting.
But before we get to the videos, we thought we would do a little Q&A with Tom Welsh:
Carl: “It’s your third week of Tapastrie being open. How are things going so far?”
Tom Welsh: “Things are off to a very good start. We’ve been busy and our team has been doing a great job handling it.”
Carl: “How has the restaurant been received by the public?”
Tom Welsh: “The feedback has been very positive on all aspects – from the food to the service to the decor and atmosphere…people are very enthusiastic. Again, this is down to our great group of kitchen staff, servers and the service assistants who support them. We are lucky to have two great young chefs in Tony Nafrady and John Bulger leading a talented culinary team. And of course the inimitable Wally Ruston is behind the bar working his magic with the bar guests. Front of House Manager Peggy Swihart leads an excellent team of experienced, professional servers and assistants. All this comes together to create a memorable experience for the guests. In just the first two weeks we have had several people in 4 to 5 times already!”
Carl: “You have the only wine dispensing machine in the area…how is it going over with guests?”
Tom Welsh: “The Enomatic machines have proved to be very popular. It’s a great chance for wine lovers to sample wines that would normally not be sold by the glass, without having to purchase a whole bottle. It’s also a great opportunity for people who are learning about wine to get experience with new grapes, regions and countries two ounces at a time to broaden their wine enjoyment horizons. The machines dispense 2 oz, 4 oz and 6 oz portions, so it’s possible to sample several wines while still consuming a reasonable total quantity.”
Tom Welsh: “We also have small tasting glasses and flight boards available at the machines for guests to build their own flights of 2 oz portions to taste side by side to compare different styles and drink with the different small plates.”
The Videos
Tapastrie Chef Makes Garlic Shrimp.
Until next week,
Cheers
The food at Tapastrie is wonderful and will awaken your taste buds. Congratulations to Tom and his team!
Both of the dishes in the videos look wonderful. Are they available on the small plates menu?