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Baxter's Bistro & Lounge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

MARK ESTEE AND JJ MORGAN TO OPEN BAXTER'S BISTRO & LOUNGE IN THE VILLAGE AT NORTHSTAR, OFFERING MOUNTAIN COMFORT FOOD CREATED BY ONE OF THE WEST COAST'S MOST RESPECTED CHEFS

New Restaurant Will Build Upon Success of Popular Moody’s Bistro & Lounge

Truckee, Calif (Oct. 2008) – Lake Tahoe’s most highly anticipated restaurant opening is set to happen this December, when Chef Mark Estee and JJ Morgan, partners of the popular Moody’s Bistro & Lounge, open Baxter’s Bistro & Lounge at The Village at Northstar in Truckee. The new restaurant will redefine the concept of ski resort dining, creating a warm and friendly gathering spot where skiers, boarders, visitors and locals alike can savor mountain comfort food created with farm-to-table ingredients and served in a lively, hip atmosphere.

After six years of operating what has become a shining star among Truckee restaurants, Estee and Morgan will open Baxter’s Bistro & Lounge, which will retain the same philosophy as Moody’s while possessing a unique flavor of its own. Executive chef Estee will bring his culinary credo that “food should be fresh, seasonal, local, and simple” to the new establishment, planning his nightly menu based on items that may have only that morning been growing in a field or green house.

Baxter’s is located at the base of Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort and its focus on lunch and après ski dining and entertainment will allow Estee and Chef de Cuisine Michael Plapp to create fare that is destined for popularity in the new restaurant. For example, the menu reflects the camaraderie that will occur among skiers and boarders who will gather at the restaurant to share such items such as fondue, selections from a cheese cart and charcuterie.

Baxter’s also will showcase Estee’s ability to put a new twist on an old favorite with many items on the menu a reinterpretation of classics. Lobster, for example, may become the main ingredient in a potpie; the Baxter Burger might be served with foie gras and truffles, or beef Oscar will be interpreted in an unexpected way. To complement Estee’s cuisine, diners can choose from a large wine list, compiled by Wine Director Joseph Nase, the first sommelier in America to be honored with Wine Spectator magazine’s Grand Award more than once.  Waiters will pull guests’ selections from floor-to-ceiling wine lockers impressively decorating the dining room.

 

In the lounge, a more casual atmosphere will showcase the bistro’s collection of heartier items such as braised short ribs or a homemade sausage plate. From the bar, European cordials from Austria, hand built cocktails with fresh seasonal ingredients and an extensive wine by the glass program will appeal to restaurant patrons and ski resort visitors.

The new menu will usher in a “higher level of dining” seldom seen in a ski resort environment. The combination of Estee and Plapp’s culinary creativity, the commitment to locally sourced products, and Morgan’s passion for offering live shows by some of the country’s top jazz musicians, will put Baxter’s into a class of its own.

Baxter’s Northern California cuisine prepared by one of the West Coast’s most respected chefs, its energetic atmosphere and the solid reputation of its operators are expected to act as a magnet for both pedestrians in The Village at Northstar and for visitors and locals from the surrounding areas.

“Restaurants in resorts have not typically brought people to the ski hill just for dining.” said Morgan. “We are all hoping we will achieve this with Baxter’s and some of the other great places in The Village at Northstar.”

The hip, vibrant energy in the lounge, where friends and family gather for après ski drinks and to listen to world class jazz musicians, also will beckon passersby into the establishment. Once inside, they can relax in the lounge or enjoy a more formal and private experience in the dining room, where windows overlook the ski mountain. Patrons also can savor a warm drink while chatting with friends around the outdoor fire pits. In summer, outdoor dining affords ample opportunity to appreciate the fresh mountain air and stunning scenery. 

Estee and Morgan have come a long way from the days when they first opened Moody’s, when Morgan took reservations and bused tables and Estee did much of the prep work in the kitchen himself. Opening Baxter’s is the next step in the progression of a duo already well respected for bringing to Truckee-Tahoe one of the area’s most popular restaurants.  Located inside The Village at Northstar, Baxter's Bistro & Lounge is known for mountain comfort food and reinterpretation of classic dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant serves a variety of Northern California cuisine specialties in a range of affordable price points, as well as a seasonal drink menu made with fresh herbs and fruit.  The lounge also is home to free live jazz shows by top U.S. and international acts. For more information, visit http://www.northstarattahoe.com/info/ski/the-village/baxters.asp.

Contact:
Natasha Bourlin
Lyman Public Relations
775-240-8749
natasha@lymanpr.com

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