Boardman restaurant features locally sourced meats
It is at Lamppost Farms in Columbiana where the Montgomery family prides themselves on the basics. For nearly a decade, they've embraced the farming techniques generations before us relied on.
It is at Lamppost Farms in Columbiana where the Montgomery family prides themselves on the basics. For nearly a decade, they've embraced the farming techniques generations before us relied on. It has helped to not only feed their family, but hundreds of other families and soon, customers at restaurant owner Christian Rinehart's newest venture, Mission Taco.
"For a variety of reasons people are waking up to what is in their foods whether it is how they're raised, what they eat, what's put on the food the animals are eating. They want animals that are raised the way they are intended to be," said Steve Montgomery with Lamppost Farms.
Lamppost Farms is one of a few select farms, from which Rinehart has sourced his new menu. When Mission Taco opens in a few weeks, customers will be able to purchase tacos, loaded with locally sourced meats and produce grown in water, in the actual restaurant There will be no pesticides and no GMOs, just straight from the farm tacos.
"We are actually going to be one of the first places in the country that will actually have its own hydroponic complete grow center. So, instead of just having a back bar with liquor, you are going to have a back bar with fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, the smell will be amazing. You will just be able to actually be part of what's going on in the place," said Mission Taco owner Christian Rinehart.
To complete the whole farm to table experience, Rinehart has brought Chef Rus Welch on board to finalize a menu
"What we've created is a standard BBQ taco if there is such a thing and we are able to locally source a whole lot of what goes on it," said Welch.
Locally sourced foods are something more customers are looking for when they go out to eat. Statistics show 54% of adults want restaurants with locally sourced foods. That's reflected in the growth the industry has seen over the last few years. According to the USDA, local food sales nearly doubled from 2008 to 2014, jumping from $5 million to $11.7 million.
"You can't help but realize when you see the difference between real food and what we think is food now, the difference. An average piece of meat to get to your grocery store is like 47 days. So, when it is 47 days, then it is seven days probably sitting on the grocery store, and then seven days in your fridge, that's pretty scarey when you sit down and really think about that," said Rinehart.
Rinehart says it will take less than five days for his meats to go from the field to a fork. When the restaurant opens next month, tacos will run between $3 and $5.
