Tucci Night
Hey Friends, This coming Wednesday we start month two of our celebration of all things Italian and who better to focus on but our beloved Stanley Tucci! Each month we will be featuring different Italian dishes but will always include the dish that Tucci said “Changed my life”….Pasta all Nerano. This simple dish, is based upon what I consider one of the most boring vegetables on God’s green earth…zucchini. But to my shock, the first time I tried this recipe I discovered that it transforms this lowly veggie into something quite astonishing, if not addictive as I’ve found myself making it for a late supper at least once a week. I am featuring two new dishes this month. The first is Tortellaccis stuffed with rich, braised short ribs topped with a sprinkle of Parmigiana, napped with a Sage Brown Butter Sauce, and drizzled with a White Truffle Infusion. The second is the classic Fettucine Alfredo tossed with Grilled Mary’s Chicken Breast, Pecan-wood smoked Bacon and Sweet Peas. I hope you can join us for what I call “A mid-week, culinary transport without leaving San Juan Capistrano!” David 2.0
Easter Brunch
Hey Friends, just a reminder to make your reservations for our Easter Sunday Brunch celebration. I have developed a special menu with featuring some of our most popular appetizers, entrees and Brunch specialties. We will, of course, be serving our tasty Bloody Marys, Espresso Martinis and our Blood Orange, Pink Guava and White Peach Mimosas. We are serving from 11:00-4:00 and we welcome large groups but have limited availability to accommodate, so early reservations are highly recommended. We look forward to celebrating this special day with you and yours! David 2.0
Tucci Night
Good morning Friends, Our Stanley Tucci celebration night continues to grow more popular each week and we’re having a blast as well. While not featuring too many Italian dishes on our menu, For some time, I have harbored a love for all things Italian, especially the rich history of Tuscan cooking. Inspired by my annual trips to Italy and Tucci’s humor and passion, he came up this weekly celebration. As mentioned earlier, some of the dishes are Tucci favorites that were featured on his ‘Searching for Italy’ series but many are my interpretation of his Italian faves. Whatever you choose I’m sure you’ll enjoy…Mangia!
Tucci, Cocktails & Specials
Hey Friends, Lots going on this week with the launch of our new March specials, Stanley Tucci Night and two new special cocktails. The Gin and St. Germain based cocktail ‘Ooh La La’ is as tasty as it is beautiful and the French Kiss is our in-house mixologist Chelsea’s creative twist on the Classic French 75 with a touch of Vodka and Chambord added to the champagne. As mentioned earlier we are excited to offer two of our most popular specials this month….Steak Diane and Scallops on Squash Blossom Risotto with lobster sauce…delicious and decadent.
Kids and Dogs Welcome!
One of the great things about having a large patio is that we get to see the happy, furry friends that our Guests bring in. It’s no fun for them to sit home alone while Mom & Dad get to enjoy the great outdoors, so we love it when pups, old & new, get to come along and add a little joy to our staff. We welcome them with their own water bowl and some special, human grade, chicken nugget treats with no artificial flavors or preservatives. Our Guests consistently praise the quality of ingredients and how much their dogs love them! We also love 2-legged kids and have created a high quality, special menu just for them that includes a chocolate ice cream sundae with each entrée. So next time you’re thinking of joining us for lunch, brunch or dinner, please remember to include your kids, both 2 legged and 4 legged, and enjoy a family outing together! Your Kid Loving TATM Crew
March Specials
Hey Friends, I’m excited to announce our new March specials. Our Australian Sea Bass preparation was such a hit with you last month that we are happy to feature it again. We also have a special preparation of Scallops, seared and served on a bed of squash blossom risotto napped with a lobster sauce and a still popular retro-American classic…Filet Mignon ‘Diane’ that still gets raves. Joining us for Brunch? Try our new Steak & Eggs offering featuring a Grilled Petit Filet with Bearnaise Sauce and 2 Cage Free Sunnyside Eggs. I invite you to join us next month and if you haven’t become a VIP/Eclub Member I urge you to sign up for exclusive perks and benefits at both my Tavern locations!
Tavern at the Mission Management Team
Dear bloggers, Again, thank you for your support. We wanted to feature our outstanding management team at Tavern at the Mission.
Stanly Tucci Night
Hey Bloggers, I think we ALL love us some Stanley Tucci so, inspired by his ‘Searching for Italy’ series I decided to celebrate with some Italian dishes, including many of his favorites, on Wednesday nights…Yup introducing ’Stanley Tucci’ Night! Starting March 4th I will be offering 3-4 specials each night available from 4:00 on, many of which aired on Stanley’s shows. Specials will feature chicken, pork and seafood and, of course, some serious pastas. I hope you will join us for this celebration of all things Italian! As a special treat, I am sharing my version of Stanley’s favorite pasta with he claims ‘changed my life’! Ciao!
A Time for Winter Reflection
As opposed to New Year’s Resolutions, which I don’t do right away, during the early quieter winter times I usually take the time to reflect on my last year. What would I have done differently? I would have spent more time interacting with my Guests at my restaurants. What would I have like to have done that I didn’t get to? I had a lot of ideas for new specials that I didn’t get to. Did I make any new friends. Yes, happily I made 4 new friends. Did I do anything to reinforce the love I have for my current friends? No, I didn’t but I went through a rough patch recently and they were all there to support me so I plan on returning their love this year. Did I lie to anyone? Yes, I lied to myself about a personal health issue that I kept putting off. I would urge all of you to look back, look forward, and add any new questions about yourselves. This winter reflection has served me will over my adult life. I wish you and your friends and families Peace, Joy & Love in 2026…
Blueberry-Pecan Streusel Muffins
I’m not a big breakfast guy but I sometimes like to have a little sweet pastry along with my French Press, Dark Roast coffee in the morning. As promised in my last post, I am giving you my recipe for one of my favorite morning treats. I developed this recipe a few years ago and I don’t mind doing a little bragging here but, most people who have tasted these say they are one of the best ever. They are soft and moist on the inside with a crunchy, Pecan streusel topping. I’m attaching the recipe for you so you can make it at home this weekend. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.
