FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:            Audrey Benedetto/Rana Kay                            Kelly Jacobs Speer  

                                (619) 236-8397                                               (619) 330-4013

                                audrey@ benedettopr.com                                  or (619) 933-5013   

NEW BARONA OAKS STEAKHOUSE MENU GROWN FROM LOCAL FARM FRESH CUISINE

(SAN DIEGO, CA) July 5, 2005 – The award-winning Barona Oaks Steakhouse at Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino has recently unveiled a new menu highlighting the best of San Diego’s organically-grown produce and prime meats. 

Embracing the recent trend of utilizing locally grown produce as opposed to importing it from miles away, Barona’s Executive Chef Dean Thomas has taken advantage of San Diego’s year-round growing season to create the new menu, which is centered around offerings from San Diego County farms including the Be Wise Ranch, the county’s largest certified organic farm and Connelly Gardens. Prime meats are also a focus, including offerings from specialty farms such as Sheldon Chicken Farms and SN Farms, which raises Kobe-style beef and pork.

“Supporting local agriculture ties into Barona’s overall philosophy of supporting the local economy,” said Chef Thomas. “Not only will our guests enjoy the enhanced flavors of fresh picked, sun ripened produce and regionally raised meats and seafood, they can also feel good about helping support local family farms.”

Local produce stars in such new appetizers as Flash Fried Heirloom Tomatoes served with English peas, mushrooms and banyuls wine vinegar and Chilled Yellow Tomato Soup with Crab Meat, Cucumber and Chevril. Diners may also enjoy the local Carlsbad Bay Oysters on the Half Shell with preserved lemon mignonette, a Chilled Lobster Mojito—lobster meat topped with tomato marmalade and a mint-rum vinaigrette—and Jumbo Lump Crabcake topped with avocado, sweet onion, lime and micro-cilantro. Chef Thomas’ new side dishes selections like the Be Wise Organic Farms Vegetable Selection and Collection of Roasted Foraged Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs and Slow Cooked Garlic showcase the unique flavors of the western region.

New main dish choices include SN Farms Kobe-Style Double Pork Chop, the luxurious Milk Fed Veal Porterhouse with blue cheese, brioche and bacon and Mixed Grill of Lamb, Beef and Shrimp. Fresh seafood selections include sumptuous Pan Roasted Pacific Halibut with potato puree and fresh green beans and Broiled Macadamia-Fed Hawaiian Sunfish served with Francisco’s Hash Browns and asparagus. Guests may still choose from Barona Oaks favorites such as juicy New York Strip Steak, Filet Mignon, Alaskan King Crab Legs and Whole Maine Lobster.

Barona Oaks Steakhouse is open daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling 888-7-BARONA.