| Bishop’s Café Sol in the El Portal Plaza, 3361 North G’ St., Merced Ca., is starting to establish itself as a valley hot spot. With its growing popularity in mind, new Executive Chef/Owner Marshall Bishop, Proprietor Dane Bishop and their wonderful staff would like to welcome you to their humble establishment, Bishop’s Café Sol and Wine Bar.
Chef Bishop is a graduate of the famous Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Program at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco Ca. “I had seven years experience in a fast paced fine dining restaurant environment working my way from Pantry Chef all the way up to Sous Chef before enrolling in cooking school. I figured it was time to attend one of the best cooking schools in the world and learn the classical French Cooking Techniques.” Says Marshall. While attending cooking school, Marshall was also busy working in the finest four and five star culinary establishments of San Francisco, such as Restaurant Gary Danko, just voted the “Best Restaurant in America” by the prestigious Zagat Survey Group, and winner of the Mobil Five Star award for six consecutive years. He has also worked in the Four Star Kitchens of Aqua, Farallon, Rubicon, and Masa’s.
Marshall has a background as a Private Chef, Catering Chef, Sous Chef, and Restaurant Manager, making for very well rounded Executive Chef/Owner. Along with his vast culinary training, Marshall brings his “American Tapas” or “Small Plates” tasting menu that has become the trend at the top restaurants around the world to the Merced community. “The tasting menu allows the guests to sample many different entrée items in small portions without having to limit their choices to one entrée. These different selections, served as courses, allow the guests to enjoy a beer or glass of wine and conversation with dining partners between courses to create a true dining experience.
The seasonal fresh ingredients we use allow us the opportunity to change our menu daily, introducing new items and cooking techniques to the area. Bishop’s Café Sol carries only All Natural Range Feed Oregon Beef from the Painted Hills Region. “All Natural is the way to go, consumers want natural range feed beef, but it’s hard to find such quality in Merced.” Research shows that meat from animals raised on grass is generally lower in fat and often contains higher levels of omega-3 and other fatty acids that could reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and other illness. Bishop’s Café Sol also features Free Range Chicken and Turkey, organic lettuces, organic eggs, and organic vegetables. Chef Bishop believes in using only the best beef, seafood, produce and wild game available today. Something he learned while at Restaurant Gary Danko. Chef Danko said “That in order to be the best you have to buy the best, second class ingredients are found in second class restaurants. “I am very excited at the prospect of turning Bishop’s Café Sol into a true wine and dining destination.” Marshall said.
Marshall has changed Café Sol from a small café into The New Bishop’s Café Sol and Wine Bar. He has rolled out a new lunch menu, holding over a few of the most popular items from the previous menu and adding a few twists of his own. One such item is the Yellow fin Tuna Club with applewood smoked bacon, crisp butter lettuce, yellow fin seared and served rare and a Wasabi soy aioli on brioche. Bishop’s Café Sol now has Merced’s first wild game menu, featuring wild boar, quail, frog legs wrapped in pancetta, house made duck confit, wild seasonal seafood, buffalo burgers and house ground Colorado lamb burgers. The lunch menu now features 10 assorted wraps, five gourmet burgers, five assorted house made sausages, and the famous Kobe beef burger.
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