Optimo News & Specials Home Page

Optimo is now closed.... New farm-to-table eatery coming in 2012!

Webmaster — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 22:40:00 +0000

Dear friends: As you may have heard, yes, Optimo Restaurant - as we know it - has closed.

In a way our restaurant, owned and overseen by my family, was overwhelmed with its own success. It is both a time to reflect on what our team has accomplished and prepare for what will come next.

Our passionate team - dishwashers, servers assistants, servers, managers, bakers, line and prep chefs - led by General Manager Erin Ford and Executive Chef Christine Russell (as well as previously Chef Dave Teghtmeyer and Chef Frank Wildingway) - graciously served 25,000 scratch-made meals, catered numerous events and weddings and created many a great memory.

Nonetheless, our family realized in order for the restaurant to be blissful and prosper for decades, management and ownership responsibilities must be transferred to a family better equipped to see this happen.

Joining the noteworthy dining scene in ones hometown is a responsibility we do not take lightly. Quite frankly however, we discovered that this responsibility was more than my family and I could handle without undue sacrifice and strife. In order to maintain family sanity, if you will, we simply had to cease attempting to manage what we could not manage.

This is not so much a closing, but an evolution, a beginning as well as an end. The result of everyones efforts will be something even better.

OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE GOALS: We will of course continue to run Main Street Station (home to the Winter Viroqua Farmer's Market, VIVA Art Gallery, Bramble Bookstore, Woodhookers Antiques and over 100+ other home town merchants). Furthermore, we pledge to help create a new well-run, farm-to-table eatery in downtown Viroqua (this time, owned and operated by another area family, tba).

Excitingly, we are actively brainstorming with several different local, premiere restaurateurs - all enthusiastic about taking over the Optimo space. All with working business plans.

Heartfelt thanks to our team, our town, our patrons, our farmers and suppliers and my family for all the good eats and wonderful times.

Please watch for and support a new restaurant coming to Main Street Station in 2012.

b Pastie Blue Plate Special, Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich, Pizza Slice-of-the-Day with Side Salad; Sauerbraten & Cream of Mushroom Soup

mb Pastie Blue Plate Special, Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich, Pizza Slice-of-the-Day with Side Salad; Sauerbraten & Cream of Mushroom Soup

Optimo featured in the Capital Times!

Webmaster — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 04:00:00 +0000

VIROQUA - 2011: "The menu is the perfect expression of this small town/big planet ethos, featuring Cajun aioli, house-made ciabatta, and enough vegan and gluten-free options to satisfy even the most particular appetite. Prominent on the lunch menu is the 1/3-pound burger made with local, grass-fed beef — cheddar-bacon and blue cheese and bacon varieties are available for $7.50, with seasonal greens and house-made ketchup."

Click here to read further

FEATURED FARMER: ~DRIFTLESS ORGANICS~

Webmaster — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Some customers have asked us about our choice of using sunflower oil for all of our cooking. While we realize that other oils, like olive, bring a different flavor to some meals; we are dedicated to using local ingredients in all that we create. Sunflower oil is high in the essential vitamin E & low in saturated fat, and its mild flavor allows us to use it in a wide variety of dishes.

Our sunflower oil is provided to us by our local friends at Driftless Organics. Josh & Noah Engel grew up on their parents’ organic dairy farm, but tried their hand at growing potatoes at the ages of nine and eleven, respectively. Their passion for growing organic vegetables was sparked, and their dream took off. With the addition of partner Mike Lind in 2004, their farm has expanded to over 100 acres of vegetables, fruits, grains, sunflowers; and Lind has added grass-fed cattle to the operation.

So enjoy the local bounty, and support our farmers!

Driftless Organics
www.driftlessorganics.com
(608) 624-3735