Page 13 - Delta Living Magazine_January2014

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www.deltalivingmagazine.com
January – March 2014
fish selections and specialty Japa-
nese fish like Mirugai, Shiromi,
and Hirame.
Quality is evident when look-
ing at their daily special raw fish
chalkboard – live scallops, Blue
Fin, oysters, sea urchin. These are
true delicacies for the sashimi afi-
cionado.
All sushi is prepared when or-
dered and not before, ensuring that
the rice remains soft and tender.
Remember, sashimi is raw fish, but
sushi is something prepared with
rice but not necessarily with raw
fish.
Additionally, Sunny special-
izes in creating custom menus that
may include premium Kobe beef
and live lobster.
“Evolution. That’s our goal,”
says Sunny. “We want to keep
changing and growing to meet the
needs of our customer. Keep it in-
teresting.We are hoping to change
our menu seasonally.”
Sunny, originally from South
Korea, lived in the Bay Area for
many years before moving to the
Stockton area. Sunny’s Japanese
restaurant experience includes op-
erating Hana Sushi in Stockton
and managing Oz Sushi in Lodi
before opening Komachi Sushi.
Always aiming higher, always en-
gaging the guest, Sunny will en-
sure the upward trend of quality
dishes at Komachi.
Komachi Sushi, 307 South Lower
Sacramento Road, Lodi, CA, 95242
www.facebook.com/komachilodi
209.334.3131
The true founder of modern
day quality food in Lodi is Sherri
Smith. Sherri was the original
chef-owner of Wine & Roses
Bed and Breakfast over 20 years
ago when the inn was first con-
verted from a quaint, old farm
house. She started the movement
of contemporary California cui-
sine in Lodi. Her trademarks –
maintaining an herb garden and
cultivating fruit trees on the inn
grounds along with using fresh
rose petals and flowers on her
dishes.
Through her dedication to
freshness, quality and taste, she
inspired other young culinarians
to follow her into the food ser-
vice industry and to train to be-
come chefs, including myself and
the currentWine & Roses Towne
House Restaurant Executive
Chef, John Hitchcock. Chef John
chagrins when he’s called “chef.”
He modestly says, “Paul Bocuse
and Thomas Keller deserve to be
called “Chef.” I’m just a cook still
learning.”
Hitchcock began his culinary
path at Wine & Roses in 1991,
working with Chef Sherri Smith
for two years. Later, he graduated
from the Culinary Institute of
America, trained with Chef Brad-
ley Ogden at Lark Creek Inn, and
was chef at Del Rio Country
Club before he circled home to
his first kitchen at Wine & Roses
for his third time.
Today, as Chef John helms the
kitchen at the Towne House, he
stays true to the founder’s prin-
ciples to source the finest, local,
seasonal and organic ingredients
available.The local valley’s boun-
ty of Golden Bear Ranches fall
squashes and summer heirloom
tomatoes, Delta-grown blueber-
ries, Lodi’s Phillips Farms grown
produce, and Mary’s free range
organic chicken are a few of
the local suppliers to the Towne
House.
Premium Berkshire heritage-
bred, Kurobuta pork prepared
sous vide and center cut angus
filet show case in the menu. Only
one area of their menu items de-
viates from local sourcing – fish.
Fish is flown in from a Hawai-
ian supplier several times a week,
and the superlative, unparalleled
quality of the fish and shellfish
is the obvious reason why Chef
Hitchcock must go so far to
find these gems. Incredibly huge
salt water prawns from Thailand,
weighing up to a quarter-pound
each, had been previously offered
with a knockout pasta dish. Chef
John’s straight-forward methods
of preparation allow the flavors of
these top quality ingredients to be
enjoyed fully.
Towne House Restaurant at
Wine & Roses, 2505 West Turner
Road, Lodi, CA 95242 www.lodi-
townehouse.com
209.371.6160
Photos courtesy of Towne House Restaurant