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New Website
We recently unveiled our new website at
FreshStartsRestaurant.com created by Jennifer Murray of J. Murray &
Associates. It is beautiful and very user friendly. Please visit the site and
let us know what you think. You can access all our menus, as well as our hours,
directions, upcoming events and a comment form for you to contact us.
Valet Service
We have been throwing the idea around of
getting valet service on the weekends. What do you think? Please link
onto our website and send us your comments at
FreshStartsRestaurant.com.
We Deliver
Did you know we now deliver lunch &
catering food? For a nominal fee we can prepare and deliver your lunch or
catering order. We have not started dinner at this time as there is not much
call for it. Just think that you can be sitting there at lunch time trying to
decide what to eat, then you remember that you can have that wonderful mesculyn
salad with the warm goat cheese and sugared pecans. Pick up the phone and let us
deliver your lunch. Is your office hungry or do you need to have food delivered
to a client? Call us and we will have it there in under an hour!
Now...Smoke-Free
YES, you heard right, we are now a totally
non-smoking restaurant. About four months ago we decided smoking was interfering
with those dining, so we decided to hold our breath, count to ten and go totally
non-smoking. What a difference it has made...now all you smell at night is your
food. We are just too small a restaurant to try to accommodate the few smokers.
(We did install an ashtray outside for our smoking friends.)
New Menus
New Spring-Summer Menus will arrive in late March. Chef Brent and Joann are
working hard to develop new innovative food items for the lunch and dinner
menus. We are anxious to herald in fresh vegetables, such as spring asparagus
and avocados, baby lettuces and berries. This year we will welcome back our
organic vegetables and herbs from a few of our local women who have previously
grown for the farmers market and for Fresh Starts. Two years ago a huge storm
wiped out their greenhouse, but they are back this year and turning the soil to
bring us some exceptional organic and heirloom vegetables and herbs. Karen, we
can’t wait!!!
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Member of:
Chicago Southland
Chamber of Commerce
Chicago Southland
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Greater Homewood Area Chamber
Matteson Area
Chamber of Commerce |
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Spring into Fresh Starts
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With Spring in the air, we look forward to new food ideas, recipes, Spring
cleaning, wine dinners and events and making everyone’s dining experience better
than ever! We are currently working on the new Spring & Summer menus for both
lunch and dinner, along with 3 wine events in the near future.
The first is a “Global Wine, Olive Oil & Food Tasting” to be held here on
Wednesday, March 23. As some of you know who have joined us for our other
wine tastings, we have tables set up with six exquisite olive oils from Italy
and a luscious balsamic vinegar for you to sample and have all your questions
answered by Mario Rissotto of Acadamia Barilla. We also have a table set up with
10 wines from around the globe and Scott of Maverick Wine company will describe
them and answer any of your wine questions. The last table will be filled with
continuous foods to sample from our very own Chef Brent Nardi. You can come in
and stay for half an hour or stay the entire 2 hours. You choose the pace and
what you want to sample, and come and go as you please. The evening is $30.00
per person all inclusive, and all the items are available for purchase before
you leave. The two sessions are 5 p.m.--7 p.m. and 7 p.m.--9 p.m.
 Next,
we are privileged to welcome Hendry Wines of Napa California on
Thursday, April 14th for an exquisite 4 course wine dinner with appetizers
all pared to their outstanding wines. The evening will begin with a reception
wine and passed appetizers from 6-6:30 with sit down dinner beginning at 6:30.
The price is $75.00 all inclusive and reservations are required along with a
credit card number as deposit. Details of the menu to follow.
Finally on Thursday, May 5th we have an encore Wine dinner to
welcome the return of the painted violins. Fifteen of Chicago Metropolitan’s
finest artists have used bare wood violins as a canvas to create beautiful works
of art called “Encore—The Art of the Violin”, a very special fundraising project
for the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. We will create a masterful 4 course
dinner pared to wines while you listen to beautiful music and enjoy a
magnificent evening. You will have the chance to purchase raffle tickets for any
of the violins on display that evening. The night will begin with a reception
wine and passed appetizers with sit down dinner at 6:30 p.m. The price is $65.00
all inclusive with part of the proceeds benefiting the Illinois Philharmonic
Orchestra. Reservations are required along with a credit card number as deposit.
Details of the menu will follow.Back to top
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Chefs Corner
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Chef Brent Nardi just returned from a trip to Boston as a guest of our fish
company at the International Seafood Show, and he wanted to share a few facts
about one of our most popular selling fish...Tilapia. It is farm raised in clean
filtered pools and fed only corn and grain making it one of the cleanest and
tastiest fish on the market today. Below is one of Brent's favorite recipes that
he would like to share with you.
Tilapia with a Tomato Basil White Wine Sauce
Heat an oven proof sauté pan over high heat to very hot, add 3 Tbls olive oil to
pan. Salt & pepper two 6-oz tilapia filets on both sides and dredge in flour and
shake off excess. Place fish thick side down, and cook for 2 minutes until brown
(you’ll notice the edges all around getting browned). Flip fillet and put entire
pan in pre-heated 350" oven for 20 minutes until fish flakes with a fork. Remove
and let rest. In same pan add 3/4 cup good quality white wine, ¼ cup chicken
stock or broth, ½ cup chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped garlic clove and 4 coarsely
chopped basil leaves and reduce. Add 1 Tbl butter, stir in and pour over fish
and serve with your favorite vegetable. Back to top
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Robert's Review...It’s all about
wine! |
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With Spring in the air, comfort foods and heavier wines give way to the lighter,
crisper, fruitier and more refreshing styles of wine and food. In keeping with
Spring Robert has selected a few special “Spring Wine Specials” for your
drinking pleasure.
REDS
Edmunds St. John “Bone-Jolly” (El Dorado, California) Made from the same
grape as in Beaujolais…gamay noir. Great with any spicy dish!
Chameleon Syrah (North Coast, California) Tons of cherry and blackberry
in this spring favorite.
WHITES
Gargiulo Vineyards, Rosato di Sangiovese
(Napa Valley) Don’t be afraid of its pink color…this is not a white zinfandel!
Loaded with strawberry and raspberry flavors without overpowering sugars, it’s a
perfect accompaniment to our wonderful spring salads.
Babich Unwooded Chardonnay (New Zealand) Stainless steel fermentation
allows this wine to show chardonnay’s fruitful characteristics without the
complexity of barrel aging.
Forrester’s Petit Chenin (Stellenboch, South Africa) A wonderful light
and tropical fruit nose, reminiscent of sauvignon blanc from this region but
without the grassiness.
SPARKLING
Rosa Regale (Italy) Save this one for dessert! This sparkler is loaded
with raspberry and strawberry flavors. A must have with anything chocolate!!!
Enjoy!
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R E S T A U R A N T
Catering
Bakery Continental Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Carry Out
1040 Sterling Avenue Flossmoor, Illinois 60422
708-957-7900
www.freshstartsrestaurant.com
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