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The Basics: Tomasso Trattoria restaurant information

Tomasso Trattoria

154 Turnpike Road
Southborough, MA 01772
508-481-8484

Tomasso Trattoria restaurant information
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Combining Tuscan-inspired cuisine and an outstanding, all-encompassing wine list that's full of small-production, estate-bottled wines, Tomasso Trattoria & Enoteca brings the excitement and sophistication of metropolitan dining to Southborough. The dining room, with its rustic Italian décor, is alive with the welcoming warmth of true Italian food, wine and service.

The bustling open kitchen serves made-from-scratch bread, pasta, sausage and salumi inspired by the cuisine of Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Lombardia, Umbria, Campania and other regions of Italy, focusing on seasonal dishes made using sustainably raised meats, and the freshest organic and artisanal local ingredients whenever possible.

News and Events at Tomasso Trattoria restaurant

Lamb Lovers Rejoice - It's Time for the Lamb Jam
Mary had a little lamb but you can have a lot - in fact, you can stuff yourself on the other ...

Welcome Back Justin
On Sunday, January 31st head out to Tomasso Trattoria in Southborough to be part of the big welcome home celebration.

Taste the Wines of Tuscany at Tomasso
Taste the wines of La Spinetta at Tomasso Trattoria on Thursday, January 28th.

Justin Melnick

Chef at Tomasso Trattoria

Chef Justin Melnick at Tomasso Trattoria

Chef Justin Melnick got his culinary career off to an early start - while he was still in high school. His passion for cooking all started during a summer stint running the kitchen for a family-owned restaurant, Tutto del Cose Buono, where he was left with the reigns while the chefs traveled abroad.

After getting his bachelors degree in Professional Studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, he went on to work and train at respected Boston restaurants including The Butcher Shop, a Barbara Lynch restaurant, and Olives, a Todd English restaurant.  At Olives, he worked alongside Executive Chef Robert Gonzalves and received guidance from Corporate Executive Chef Joe Brenner as well as Chef-Owner Todd English. He joined the team at Tomasso Trattoria & Enoteca in February 2006 as Sous Chef under the tutelage of then Executive Chef Tony Bettencourt. In December 2007 he became the Executive Chef.

Melnick has traveled throughout Italy. Highlights from his trips include preparing meals and dining at the home of some Italian friends, and dining with the family of Sergio Mottura, the renowned Italian winemaker whose estate is nestled on the border of northern Lazio and Umbria.

Many of the items on the menu at Tomasso Trattoria & Enoteca are inspired by Melnick's travels in Italy. He strives towards authentic Tuscan cuisine, using fresh, local, organic products whenever possible and supports smaller production farms which raise animals sustainably, in a natural, hormone and antibiotic-free environment. He feels hard work and passion, with everything made from scratch, is the way to make great food and he inspires cooks in the kitchen to share the same philosophy.

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Dictionary
 
Chorizo
1. noun Crumbly, spiced pork sausage.
Confit
1. noun Meat (usually goose, duck or pork) that is slowly cooked in its own fat and preserved with the fat packed around it as a seal.
Coulis
1. noun A thick puree or sauce.
Farro
1. noun Tuscany's mainstay, a small, light brown grain.
Formaggio
1. noun Italian for cheese.
Insalata
1. noun Italian for salad.
Jus
1. noun French for juice, jus also refers to the unthickened juices from a piece of roasted meat.
Masa
1. noun Corn tortilla dough.
Mascarpone
1. noun Ultra-rich, soft cheese known best for its role in tiramisu.
Pancetta
1. noun Cured Italian bacon.
Panna cotta
1. noun Italian egg custard.
Panzanella
1. noun Italian bread salad with tomatoes, basil, onion, olive oil, vinegar and sometimes other ingredients.
Polpette
1. noun Italian meat balls.
Prix fixe
1. noun French for fixed price, a complete meal that features a limited number of selections at a preset price.
Risotto
1. noun Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.
Tagliatelle
1. noun What they call fettuccine born in northern Italy.
Tamarind
1. noun A bittersweet spice made by drying and pressing the pulp from the fruit of the tamarind tree native to Asia and northern Africa.