Tano Bistro, situated in Old Loveland, has been a fixture there since 2009. The upscale eatery was one of the casualties of the Great Fire that consumed a historic block of storefront buildings in late May 2017. The restaurant rose from the ashes revitalized and reset with a playbook of core values that informs every action taken in the service of its diverse patronage, management stated. Just ask Sam Schenck, assistant GM at Tano, and he’ll tell you.
“Everyone matters. You enter here, and we are going to deliver extraordinary care. We try to ask the leading questions — try to find out what you are expecting of the dish (that you order), so that we can prepare it expertly and satisfy (your) dietary needs.”
That statement is pitch perfect for Jewish diners-out who want to eat kosher-style meals at the dining spots they frequent. Schenck related that the kitchen staff at Tano is closely attuned to the dietary needs of patrons and will adjust any dish on the menu that it is possible for them to adjust.
Take the Tuscan chicken sandwich as an example. According to Schenck, the sandwich had been a feature of the menu for some time, then removed. But it was reinstated, and now is one of the most popular items with both lunch and dinner patrons, along with being Schenck’s personal favorite. The sandwich features cheese and ham — mozzarella and prosciutto — along with fried zucchini, spinach, and garlic aioli, served on a French baguette. But hold the cheese and ham, and kosher-style diners still have a tasty, robust sandwich with an Italian flavor profile.
Part of the core values of Tano Bistro is that everyone in the service of patrons commits to craft mastery. “We take the position that we’re always working on improvement. You can never be the best (chef) in the kitchen or the best bartender, because there is always room for improvement. So, our approach is that today, I’m going to be better (at my craft) than I was yesterday. And tomorrow, I will be better than today,” he said. In a nutshell, commitment to craft mastery is another way of saying nobody is resting on their laurels or coasting on an established level of expertise. Instead, all are working to improve what they do and how they do it.
Another component that has become part of the Tano core is conscientious ingredient sourcing. Used to be that restaurants found all their ingredients as close at hand as possible. Refrigeration and rapid transit dramatically changed that paradigm. But today, eateries with a sense of ecological responsibility try where possible to source local once again. For instance, Tano could buy oyster mushrooms from the commercial pickers of the American Northwest, where foragers bring thousands of pounds of wild mushrooms to a nationwide marketplace on an almost daily basis. Or those mushrooms can be sourced locally from a grower right here in Ohio. “We try to source our ingredients in that way. The mushrooms from Mason, Ohio, our tomatoes from Hillsboro, Kentucky,” he said, adding that local ingredients are not only easier on the environment, but fresher and more flavorful.
The eggplant Napoleon, topped with fresh mozzarella cheese
A dish where all that goodness and freshness comes together is the eggplant Napoleon, which can be gluten-free upon request. The centerpiece of the dish is crispy eggplant, crusted in breadcrumbs. The array of ingredients includes the locally sourced oyster mushrooms, along with kale, and Brussels sprouts. The veggie entrée is topped with fresh mozzarella and brought together with house-made marinara sauce. This is a dish that is on my list of meals to try, and I’m betting it will be a tasty vegetarian option for me.
The pan roasted half chicken, cooked sous vide style
For diners-out who crave more protein, the pan-roasted half chicken may be the answer. The chicken is a sous vide preparation, that is combined with gnocchi in a demi glaze, and sauteed green beans. In case you’re wondering, sous vide is a food-prepping technique developed in Europe. Ingredients are vac-packed and pressure-cooked at precise temperatures and times. The advantage of sous vide cooking is that food nutrients and vitamins are preserved, and the foods are tastier. For me, roast chicken is one of the true comfort foods, with a homey, winter-Sunday kind of cache to it. Again, the appearance of this dish makes it look the part of a winner.
See you at Tano Bistro!
