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• The Gazette (December 29, 2011)

Excerpt from front-page article, "DESTINATION DINING: Some restaurant owners prefer small-town locations in Eastern Iowa," by Vanessa Miller

...Paula Miller, co-owner of the Italian restaurant tucked in the heart of the Amish country 20 miles outside Iowa City, said there are no plans to move or open a second Tuscan Moon."We couldn't be here and there at the same time," she said. "We depend on Iowa City for our business. "Realtors from Fairfield, Cedar Rapids and Dubuque also have asked the Tuscan Moon's owners to consider branching out, Miller said. But she and her husband -- Kalona native Warren Miller -- have put their "whole heart and soul" into the community where diners can taste a menu of elegant Italian cuisine as Amish families plod by in horse-drawn buggies."We are a stand-alone here," Paula Miller said. "If you go to Iowa City or Cedar Rapids, you are one of many. I like feeling special. And being in Kalona makes you feel kind of special."The unique nature of small towns like Kalona, however, can act as a double-edged sword for restaurants like Tuscan Moon. Although owners credit their distinct communities for attracting diners, they can't always depend on the limited number of locals to provide a regular stream of business."We knew we couldn't count on the community to support us because we have a bar, and a lot of people around here won't frequent a place that has a bar," she said. "I knew it was going to have to be a destination restaurant and people would have to travel to get here. But it has worked out."

Other Comments and Mentions

• “This restaurant is in a class of its own."

• “Every effort has been made to keep the old-town atmosphere while adding an incredibly upscale dining experience.”

• The Iowa Source Magazine
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