JREGO'S GATHERING PLACE

J Rego's GATHERING PLACE

The Ellington home of Jessica L. and Kevin M. Regan has always been a gathering place, so they wanted their business — JRego's Gathering Place Restaurant — to be an extension of their welcoming attitude.

“I've been told we've succeeded,” Jessica said.

The restaurant’s name takes the J for Jessica, and Kevin was given the nickname Rego.

JRego's Gathering Place Restaurant opened in January at 175 West Rd., Ellington.

Crepes, flatbreads and locally sourced ground beef are its signature items, but there are also chicken, beef and fish entrees plus many glutenfree options.

“We love that the crepes and flatbreads give us unlimited options for fillings and toppings,” said Chris J. Avteges, executive chef. “Our goal is to change the fillings based on seasonal availability of items. Our ground beef for

burgers comes from a farm across the street; can’t get more local than that!”

Avteges is working on increasing local purchasing, which currently includes ground beef from JT Farms, desserts from Luann’s Bakery and pasta from DiFiore.

Using local ingredients is a top priority for the chef. “The flavor we get from fresh, local products will not be matched if I switch to a non-local or frozen product,” he said. “We plan to take full advantage of seasonal items.”

He received his formal education at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI, and has spent the last 25 years in contract food service working at various colleges and universities as well as several independent and public schools, most recently as food service director for Vernon Public Schools.

JRego's Gathering Place Restaurant offers a varied menu of classic food and fusion concepts. “We want to offer our guests something that they can’t get anywhere else. We encourage our team in the kitchen to come up with new, innovative ways to offer traditional items,” Jessica said. “We not only want to keep it exciting for our guests but also for our team in the kitchen. We all have something to bring to the table.”

Entrees are priced between $15 and $24, and there are chef specials Thursday through Saturday evening, which are a bit more expensive. The restaurant offers 20 wines — most available by the glass or bottle — and 12 tap beers.

Jessica, restaurant proprietor with her husband, had a career in the events industry before opening the business. She worked for the Hartford Courant, (previously CT1 Media) as an event coordinator and then Hartford's Camp Courant as director of community engagement. “Needless to say, I'm all about community. My skills lead me to creative outlets in hospitality of all sorts and I love to cook and eat great food,” she said.

According to Kevin, hospitality, people and giving back run deep in the Regan family. “I enjoyed working along with my dad helping to make people happy, well fed and taken care of. As I grew Executive Lawn Service, I realized the need for more, great locally owned restaurants in our town,” he said. “Ellington is such a warm, close-knit appreciative place.”

Reaction to the new restaurant has been positive. “It's been great. We're very fortunate,”

he said. “The community has been very supportive, and we really appreciate it.”

When asked about JRego's Gathering Place Restaurant’s niche in the community, Jessica replied, “We simply just added to the array of already great restaurants in the area.”

Restaurant staff pays attention to detail. “Once you come to JRego's Gathering Place you'll want to come back,” she said. “We've been told that along with the delicious menu offerings, the vibe and atmosphere is what keeps them coming back.”

One Facebook comment was, “We ate there this week and it was outstanding.”

Jessica is planning for the restaurant to have a special dinner event every other month; October’s will be a Fall Menu Preview and Wine Tasting Dinner.

J. REGO'S GATHERING PLACE LOCATED AT 175 WEST RD., ELLINGTON IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FROM 4 TO 10 P.M.; THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 4 P.M. TO MIDNIGHT; AND FOR LUNCH ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FROM 11:30 A.M. TO 2 P.M. FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO FACEBOOK.COM/ JREGOSGATHERINGPLACE

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