From Mississippi to Beyond
Tarasque Cucina: House Party Hosted with Grace BY KATHY K. MARTIN John and Lauren Stokes host a house party every night in Oxford. Located in an older one-story home along Jackson Avenue, the married couple invites guests to experience Old World comfort food in their restaurant, Tarasque Cucina. “John and I always had a dream to open our own place,” explains Lauren, who recounts how she designed the layout and menu for her future restaurant when she was just a little
Photos by Sarah Odom
Photos by Sarah Odom 38 • August/September 2022
girl growing up in Maine. Ironically, John had the same dream as a boy and eventually began cooking at a former Oxford restaurant, The Hoka, when he was 15 years old; and then continued to work at restaurants in Dallas, Nashville and Alaska in his early 20s. Their dream restaurant concept came together as they converted the vacant house into Tarasque Cucina in 2014 and opened in early 2015. “We want diners to feel that they’re at the most fun, welcoming house party,” explains Lauren. She believes that they’ve succeeded in that feeling as they welcome regular diners every night and witness the chatter and laughter as the regulars mingle with new diners and transform the place into one big family around multiple dining tables. “We have worked really hard to keep our space welcoming, positive, and inclusive for everyone,” says Lauren, “We just want you to have fun and eat some good food!” They enjoy greeting and feeding guests, especially people who knew John from his growing-up years, and visit to see his dream now a reality. The name for the restaurant comes from French folklore and the story of Saint Martha, the patron saint of cooks. As the story goes, a wild beast named Tarasque terrorized many villages, and the people tried to fight back but couldn’t conquer the beast. Saint Martha overcame the dragon using her grace and charm. John especially loves this parable. “It shows that through honest grace you can make anything happen,” he says, “even tame the beast.” The food at Tarasque Cucina centers on salads; classic pasta dishes such as spaghetti and sugo di pomodoro and pappardelle Bolognese; and rotating small plates. The couple uses ingredients from local sources as much as possible, along with vegetables from
