Matt and Nicky Nolot are ready to share their love for farm-raised flavor with downtown diners. [photo courtesy of Tolon]
December 2015 is setting up downtown Fort Wayne for a pretty tasty 2016. First, there was the news last week that the Fort Wayne City Council voted to create a downtown dining district – making it exponentially easier for downtown restaurants to offer full bar service. Then there was the news over the weekend that Joseph Decuis’ head chef Aaron Butts, sommelier Carmen McGee and sous chef Sean Richardson will be turning their pop-up craft mixology bar, The Golden, from a moonlighting hobby into a full-fledged bar and restaurant – set to open by mid-2016 in the new Ash Brokerage building. And now, the biggest flurry of activity is happening on the Columbia Street landing, where chef Matt Nolot and his wife Nicky are putting the finishing touches on Tolon, a farm-to-table fine dining restaurant set to open in mid-January 2016.
If you, like me, have been hanging out downtown for at least a decade, you may remember when the tastiest food you could get on the Landing was a slice from Columbia Street or a grilled cheese from the street vendor parked outside Flashbacks. And while there’s still nothing like a toasty, melty, midnight snack after a night of dancing, Matt and Nicky plan to set the bar much higher by bringing the flavor profile of the heartland into the heart of the city.
“We became very excited about the movement of revitalizing downtown,” the couple says. “ Ever since we visited a locally owned restaurant in New Orleans, we’ve had a desire to bring a unique dining experience to Fort Wayne – with a focus on how we were both raised; knowing where our food had come from. “
As the restaurant’s logo suggests, the couple’s farm-to-fork philosophy guides both Tolon’s bar and restaurant menus. “At Tolon, people can expect unique dishes that feature familiar ingredients along with craft cocktails that utilize local Indiana spirits,” says Matt. “Having grown up cooking in the Midwest, I plan to bring a modern updated view on what is considered traditional Midwestern cuisine.”
In elevating Midwestern cuisine, the couple hopes to elevate diners’ appreciation for Midwestern farmers. “We feel it is important that we focus on knowing where our food comes from and how it is grown,” the couple says. “With the surge in farmer’s markets, we felt it was the time to bring attention to eating locally grown foods, and we’re excited to showcase the best quality ingredients that are grown within a day’s drive of Fort Wayne.”
For the Nolots, that means changing the menu four times a year to reflect what’s in season, and creating signature dishes that are packed with Midwestern umami, like sweet-tea-brined fried chicken, bison steaks, roasted bone marrow and deviled eggs. The couple plans to combine their unique palate and passion to set Tolon apart from other downtown dining establishments.
“We believe in bringing the best quality products that are in season to our table,” they say. “No other [Fort Wayne] restaurant focuses the majority of their attention in supporting local area farmers, as well as providing sustainable options for seafood, to give diners an experience that truly brings only what’s in season to the table.”
At Tolon, the farm-to-table journey primarily starts and stays in northern Indiana and Ohio. “We will be utilizing many local farms within a day’s drive of Fort Wayne, including duck products from Maple Leaf in Leesburg, beef from Fischer Farms in Jasper, pork and chicken from Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange, and bison from Cook’s Bison Ranch in Wolcottville,” says Matt. “Our produce will be sourced from Chefs’ Garden and Lincoln Ridge Farms in Ohio, and several local farms in Fort Wayne.”
Tolon’s distinctly local flavor extends to the atmosphere as well. “The atmosphere takes on a vintage industrial vibe with modern elements splashed throughout,” says Nicky. “We will be featuring local artists’ work that can be purchased by Tolon patrons. There is truly something for all!”
Even the restaurant’s moniker, which sounds like it an exotic term you’d learn in culinary school, has a simple, homegrown inspiration – it’s the couple’s last name spelled backwards. And as their customers embrace the restaurant and make it their own, Matt and Nicky hope they do the same with the name. “Not sure if there is really a correct pronunciation. But we’ve been saying “tole-un,” says Nicky. (Rhymes with “pole” and “one.”) “We tell people all the time we really don’t care what you call us, just call us!”
Tolon is set to open in January at 614 South Harrison Street. Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 11 am – 9 pm; Friday, 11 am – 10 pm; Saturday, 4 – 10 pm. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. For more information, visit the Tolon Facebook page
