{"id":1461,"date":"2019-03-05T01:54:21","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T01:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/?p=1461"},"modified":"2019-03-05T01:54:23","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T01:54:23","slug":"modernist-menus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/?p=1461","title":{"rendered":"Modernist Menus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Curating of Cuisine in the Coachella Valley<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Dann Foley<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living in our resort towns of\nthe Valley, we have a plethora of restaurants, from culinary artisans to the\nproverbial \u201cdiners & dives.\u201d  I\ndo not believe I am overstating myself when I suggest that the Valley is\nundergoing a bit of a restaurant renaissance.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This awakening is due, in\npart, to many years of cooking programming and TV networks.  We have all become foodies.  The restaurant experience has become\nabout ingredients, exclusivity and farm-to-table freshness.  Diners are savvy, they want to be inspired\nand challenged.  From Palm Springs\nto La Quinta food hipsters and aficionados are demanding an immersive\nexperience when they dine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this month each year,\nwe at The Standard offer the best in Dining.  This year I wanted to go deeper and give my readers an\n\u201cexperience.\u201d  The most successful\nrestaurants are more than just a menu. \nThey create a fully immersive atmosphere where food, service, d\u00e9cor and a\ncreative nature come together seamlessly. \nThey create a story.  They\nbecome a production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case in point: Liz & Mark\nOstoich, owners of FARM Restaurant and the soon to be opened Tac\/Quila, both in\ndowntown Palm Springs.  Liz &\nMark are both attorneys, Liz was looking for her \u201csecond act\u201d and decided to\nfocus her razor-sharp intellect, love of food and her organizational skills on\nan existing restaurant.  She proves\nthe point that dining excellence speaks to all senses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since purchasing FARM, she\nhas transformed what was a charming, intimate caf\u00e9 type restaurant into a garden\ndining experience like nothing else our Valley has ever seen. Diners sit among\na living garden where the attractive young horticulturalists create performance\nart while tending the blooms that surround your experience (they even use the\nfresh blooms in the cooking, cocktail ice cubes and presentation!).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FARM leaves you with a sense\nof other-worldly dreamscape.  It is\ncasual by nature and set within nature. \nThe cuisine is simple French cooking, the staff is well trained and well\nversed in the food they serve and its preparation.  Their freshly made bread is served with house made\nstrawberry preserves created in the kitchen from their garden\u2019s berries.  All of the ingredients used at Farm are\nlocally sourced, when available and everything is the best quality on the\nmarket.  As Liz says, \u201cI know the\ndifference and I know it shows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a short-time Liz has grown\nFARM into one of the hottest tickets in town.  Friday and Saturday nights also have dinner service, which\nis so popular, I would always suggest you have a reservation.  Rumor has it that they actually had to\nturn Beyonc\u00e9 & JayZ away this holiday season because there was not a table\nto be had!  The dinner experience\nincludes live vocals perfectly suited to the atmosphere and in the small dining\nroom there is original artwork, and all of its 1930\u2019s architectural charm,\nincluding a working fireplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what does one do when you\nhave one of the most popular and successful restaurants in town?  You open another, of course!  But, how do you top such a unique\npresentation?  Where do you find\ninspiration for both the cuisine and the design?  How do you build a restaurant experience from scratch and\nstill maintain the same quality as your existing offering?  I am thrilled to say that we are going\nto get the answers from the woman herself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong>  Mark & Liz, how does one go from the\ncourtroom to the dining room?  What\ndid your prior life bring to \u201cthe table\u201d?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A<\/strong>. One\nweekend we took a short break from life as lawyers and decided to dream a\nlittle. We brainstormed, reminisced, reflected and projected, all with a goal\nof discovering where our dreams intersected. It was clear after a while that\nour life change would involve hospitality. We love people and their stories,\nand nothing brings people together like a great meal in a memorable setting.\n Our first restaurant [ad]venture was FARM, in Palm Springs. FARM allowed\nus to bring our love of the French countryside to a charming little courtyard,\nchock full of flowers and tucked away from the hustle and bustle.  We love\neverything that has become FARM, but there was more to be said.
\n
\nQ.<\/strong> Liz, being a fan of your current restaurant FARM, what\nis the goal for Tac\/Quila?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong> Our goal\nat Tac\/Quila is to share our passion for colorful, flavorful, authentic cuisine\nand cocktails, created, curated and served by people that love others and want\nto make your dining experience memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong>  What does it mean to create an\n\u201cimmersive dining experience\u201d and where do you begin?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong> We\nbelieve that if we invest in the best possible ingredients and people, and\nfocus our resources on presentation and environment, our customers will\nrecognize the difference and will be excited to return and share their\nexperience with others. We believe that a cocktail should be the creative\nexpression of its author, and that a good meal must be an artistic blend of\nflavor, aroma and color. A true dining experience should involve an awakening\nof all of the senses and we hope to bring this delight to our guests…again,\nand again, and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong>  Is Tac\/Quila your own name?  What does the name suggest to a\npotential diner?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong>  Part of our life story\ninvolves food – but it also includes travel, history, and of course, tequila!\nTac\/Quila is our made-up word for combining gourmet Jalisco style cuisine with\nspecialty tequilas and mezcals, in an effort to transport our guests south of\nthe border and into a culture rich in flavor, color, art, and authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong> We still\nlive by a casual resort vibe. How do you balance, personal interaction,\ntechnology, design and cuisine and not have it become overwhelming?  How do you keep it from becoming too\ntheatrical?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong>  We probably eat out too much,\nbut we really enjoy the social aspect of sharing a meal with others. To us,\nsharing involves getting to know the staff at a restaurant, from the owners, to\nthe servers, bartenders, food runners and support staff. We love good food, but\nwe also love good people. Our hiring and service philosophy is that kindness,\ngenerosity and grace must start with the ownership, flow through the team, and\nland gently on the customer. If we enjoy what we do, it will be reflected in\nevery aspect of the Tac\/Quila experience. We seek to hire joy-filled people\nwith character, that want to work hard at creating a memorable experience for\ntheir guests. Many skills may be taught, but these important traits must be\nindividually chosen by each member of the Tac\/Quila staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong> Tell us\nabout your chef and how you and he created a menu of \u201celevated Mexican\ncuisine\u201d?  Where does the tequila\ncome in?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong>  Tac\/Quila is Executive Chef Alfredo\nCarrion\u2019s dream come true. Since he began working in restaurants at the age of\nsixteen, Alfredo has wanted to bring high quality Jalisco style cuisine to the\nCoachella Valley. The third in a line of four brothers (all of whom are chefs),\nAlfredo has been surrounded by tremendous talent, and he is never afraid to\nseek input or collaborate with his peers. As with any good artist, you will\noften find Alfredo working into the night to perfect some new sauce or\nmarinade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q. <\/strong>I have\nheard that you will be serving a number of signature tequila-based cocktails.\nTell us about those and about the presentations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong>  Our lead bartender and master\nmixologist, Zach Wilhelm, recently relocated from Minnesota, where he spent his\nlife pursuing creative passions, including playing guitar in local rock and\nroll bands, and producing music.   He has taken his interest in\nmixology to a new level, creating house made syrups and bitters, and dressing\neach Tac\/Quila libation to be the life of the party.  Zach has\ndeveloped a full list of specialty cocktails featuring tequilas from Jalisco\nand Mezcals from Oaxaca.  We are excited to share his artistically\npleasing, regionally influenced cocktails, which embody the heart of agave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong> I know\nthat you are both huge Midcentury Modern enthusiasts and collectors and that\nyou live in an important modernist home in Palm Springs.  How did the love of all things modern\ninfluence Tac\/Quila?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong> At the\nsame time Palm Springs was laying the foundation for its current international\nreputation as a mid-century modern mecca, Mexico City was producing and\nwelcoming some of the most important artists of that same movement. From\nrenowned painters like Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo to midcentury furniture\nand accessory artisans Pepe Mendoza and Arturo Pani, Mexico was sinking its\ncultural roots and solidifying its position as a leader of classic design.
\n
\nMexico’s artistry extends to its flavorful, colorful and specialized cuisine,\nwhich has been so richly honored in places like Austin, Los Angeles and San\nDiego, but has been otherwise largely ignored. Our goal is to bring you\nauthentic cuisine, crafted by experienced chefs, passionate about exposing you\nto the best Mexico has to offer. We believe your experience at Tac\/Quila should\ninvolve the highest quality ingredients, the best possible people, and a rich,\ninviting ambiance, that reflects the heart and soul of Mexico. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q.<\/strong>  Now that you have me salivating, please\ntell us how soon we can expect the grand-opening of Tac\/Quila?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.<\/strong>   Look for our grand opening in\nmid-April.  We are all just as\nexcited to welcome everyone, every day for lunch & dinner.  Or just stop by for drinks in our open\nbar and people watch from our patio while enjoying the very best of what\nTac\/Quila, Palm Springs will have to offer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Liz & Mark prove\nevery day is that details and the extra effort make the difference between\neating and dining.  Atmosphere and\ndesign work in conjunction with the menu and creativity is equally applied to\nboth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For our part, the Palm\nSprings based design firm of Foley & Stinnette, has been tasked with\ncreating interiors equal to the culinary \u201chigh-bar\u201d being set for\nTac\/Quila.  The design style is\npure Palm Springs, infused with Mexican Modernist cultural cues blended with\nsensuality and exuberance.  We have\nchosen layers of both color and pattern as a backdrop to the traditional\narchitecture to suggest and celebrate the excitement of midcentury Mexico City,\njust like the cuisine.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diners will be treated to all\ncustom furnishings, period artwork, handmade venetian lanterns and hand-wrought\nSpanish style fixtures.  Surfaces\nwill sparkle and glow under custom lighting and deep banquettes will invite\npatrons to revel, relax and indulge in both the surroundings and culinary\nofferings.  Even the restrooms will\nbe an experience in style.  Don\u2019t\nmiss the handmade tiles, wallpaper and fixtures.  Our partners at Cambria Quartz have worked with Beau and me\nto utilize the best quartz products in the industry in ways never before seen.  It will truly be an event!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It truly takes a\nvillage.  Liz & Mark made sure\nthe entire team was up to the task of creating their vision from the ground up\nand I would be remiss in not including the importance of branding such a\ncreation.  From the logo, to the new\nwebsite (www.tacquila.com<\/a>) to the signage on the restroom doors, to the design\nof the roof beam stencil, every detail has been expertly and lovingly executed\nby Mike Berger of mbdx creative, in Riverside (michael@mbdx.com).  Keeping it local has been the mantra for\neverything!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, a successful\nrestaurant is an experience for those lucky enough to partake but, it also has\nto be full of \u201cInstagram-able moments. \nEvery detail must make a visual statement that can be shared across the\ncyber world.  It must stand the\ntest of being shared, discussed and dissected, ad-nauseum.  It can be a frightening and daunting\nproposition.  As I have often said\nin these very pages, \u201csuccessful lifestyle design is in the details.\u201d  That depth of detail and pride that\ntrue restauranteurs like Liz & Mark Ostoich possess is what sets them\napart.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As both our Valley and our\nrestaurant offerings continue to grow and flourish, so does the demand for\nsomething new and fresh. \nRestaurants like FARM and now, Tac\/Quila take what we know, or think we\nknow about the food experience and they offer it up in a way we never before knew\nas possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again, we are reminded\nof our good fortune to live in a place of such natural beauty, that anything\nhere that is done with style is enhanced by the backdrop of our gorgeous\nmountains and beautiful desert. \nWith the addition of Tac\/Quila it seems assured that we have another\nchoice for fine dining as only we can do it here in Southern California\u2019s\nValley of the Stars, Palm Springs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live Well!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dann Foley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.foleystinette.com<\/a>\n\nFind Designer Dann on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Houzz & Pinterest\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Curating of Cuisine in the Coachella Valley By Dann Foley Living in our resort towns of the Valley, we have a plethora of restaurants, from culinary artisans to the proverbial \u201cdiners & dives.\u201d  I do not believe I am overstating myself when I suggest that the Valley is undergoing a bit of a restaurant renaissance.  This awakening is due, in part, to many years of cooking programming and TV networks.  We have all become foodies.  The restaurant experience has become about ingredients, exclusivity and farm-to-table freshness.  Diners are savvy, they want to be inspired and challenged.  From Palm Springs to La Quinta food hipsters and aficionados are demanding an immersive experience when they dine. During this month each year, we at The Standard offer the best in Dining.  This year I wanted to go deeper and give my readers an \u201cexperience.\u201d  The most successful restaurants are more than just a menu.  They create a fully immersive atmosphere where food, service, d\u00e9cor and a creative nature come together seamlessly.  They create a story.  They become a production. Case in point: Liz & Mark Ostoich, owners of FARM Restaurant and the soon to be opened Tac\/Quila, both in downtown Palm Springs.  Liz […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[112,2025,1361,2027,2029,2030,2031,2024,2032,8,2028,56],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1461"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1461"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1463,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1461\/revisions\/1463"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}