Wednesday, May. 06, 2009

Business Beat: Mallard's ex-chief takes over Toscana's

Toscana's in Turlock is getting the Dimond treatment.

Longtime Modesto restaurateur Stan Dimond has taken over the Italian eatery, which opened in 2006 in the Tower Health and Wellness Center. It is Dimond's first foray into Turlock; he was previously head chef and general manager of Mallard's.

He took over Toscana's from the center's original owner group April 15.

Dimond said he changed the lunch and dinner menus. The restaurant had a Tuscan theme and now will serve a more "California, northern Italian"-flavored menu.

Backed financially by friend and mentor Dan Costa, Dimond said he consulted with Costa on the deal but is running the restaurant on his own. Dimond worked with Costa at Mallard's before Costa sold it.

"I'm really happy to be in Turlock," Dimond said. "It's a great little community. It'll be nice to do something for Turlock now. We are trying to be a good restaurant and good member of the community."

Dimond said his goal is to establish Toscana's as one of the premier fine dining destinations in Turlock.

"We're trying to bring it a level up for this area," he said. "(The previous owners) had done a good job of doing what they know. So what we're trying to do is to just bring it a step up from what it was before in terms of service, food, attention to detail."

The dining room seats 100, and the space also features a coffee area and atrium that can seat as many as 200 for parties and events.

Toscana's, 1801 Colorado Ave., Suite 190, is open for coffee from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday (until 10 p.m. Saturday).

Toscana's also has a special Mother's Day menu with brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information or reservations, call 216-3555.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

In this buyer's market, home sellers are looking for any edge.

Modestans Teri and Lonnie Moran think that's where their new business, Staging-4-Success, can help. Last month the pair started a home-staging service to help homeowners and real estate agents make houses that are for sale look more appealing. They do everything, from accessory rentals to house evaluations and full staging services.

The husband-and-wife team, who previously worked as property managers, saw a need for the services in the area.

"We noticed it really blossoming in the Bay Area, and it's starting to move forward in the valley," Teri Moran said. "Our goal is to make a house look like a model home. We want to present it in a way so it's desirable for any buyer."

Services range from $100 per day for open house rentals to $200 for longer-term rentals and $75 an hour for staging help.

For more information call Staging-4-Success at 529-7900 or e-mail blues4too@att.net.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.