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Man About Downtown: New Eulipia chef Eric Tosh is reputedly 'a joy to work with.' Vealing the Pain Responsible eateries deliver what their menus promise By Christina Waters A QUICK REMINDER to restaurateurs and chefs. In opening your dining rooms for business, you are essentially making a contract with your patrons. You agree to provide exactly what your menu promises--for example, veal scaloppini for $18.95--and the customer who orders that dish is entitled to $18.95 worth of veal scaloppini. You honor your end of the deal, they honor theirs. Pork is not veal. Pork comes from pigs; veal is young beef. Pork is a substance forbidden by certain faiths. To substitute pork for veal is to violate not only a public trust, but also some deeply held religious beliefs. When you own a business, it is your responsibility to know what's on your menu and to stay on top of what's coming out of your kitchen. The same goes for menu items advertised as vegetarian or vegan. It is not kosher to substitute pork for veal, bacon for tofu, or beef broth for mushroom stock. To do so betrays the confidence your customers have in your word, your menu, your credibility. The recent unfortunate disclosure at Bella Mia should be a big red flag to everyone involved in consumer service. Eulipian News Still working out fresh menu ideas is Eulipia's new chef, Eric Tosh, whose internationally honed skills have graced the kitchens of Cafe Marcella and Big Basin Grill. Eulipia owner Steve Borkenhagen admits he's happy with the new chef, "a highly creative young talent--a joy to work with." On board at the landmark restaurant for a mere six weeks, Tosh is still tweaking things in his bold but nuanced fashion. So give the guy time to get everything in place before you clamor for a sample of Eulipia's new flavors. Borkenhagen also confirmed what many already knew: Eulipia stopped serving lunch at Christmas. Although the restaurant might open for Secretary's Week and possibly the month of December for lunches, essentially the daytime closure is permanent. Joining the closed-for-lunch inner circle that includes Agenda and Emile's, Eulipia is simply responding to the facts of life. There isn't a lot of fine-dining action south of W. San Carlos Street these days, Borkenhagen said. Blame fast food. Or maybe people are logging on instead of dining out. Either way, catch Tosh's action at Eulipia, 374 S. First St., for dinner Tue.-Sat., 5:30-10pm, and Sun., 4:30-9pm. Call 408.280.6161. Here's the Beef San Jose's Radisson Plaza Hotel is sporting new "Chicago Style Chop House" beef in addition to the current dinner menu, says Jimmy Shandor, food and beverage manager of the hotel's Galle Restaurant. Fans of authentic American steaks will be happy to know that these new cuts of beef "are direct from stockyards of Chicago and are Black Angus prime." Shandor likes the new beefed-up menu at Galle--and thinks you might too. Stop by 1471 N. Fourth St. in San Jose to satisfy those carnivorous cravings in style. Call 408.452.0200 for reservations. Fine Wine A five-course dinner at gorgeous A.P. Stump's (163 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose) paired with the wines of St. Clement Vineyards. And for only $80 per person? This must be a Tasters Guild event. Happening March 14, starting at 7pm, the evening matches a shrimp appetizer with sauvignon blanc, seared black bass with chardonnay, grilled duck breast and merlot, braised oxtail ragout with wild mushrooms and cabernet sauvignon. A multivarietal meritage accompanies dessert of warm chocolate truffle cake. To reserve a spot, call 408.979.1956 or email [email protected]. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]