On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:26:16 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags
> wrote:

>I have a question for this group.
>
>I'm asking because I have three separate business plans and three
>separate concepts done for restaurants. Most of you know I've been a
>restaurant owner. The food business is my first love.
>
> I'm interested to hear from you, fellow foodies, about your thoughts
>on what constitutes 'your favorite place'.
>

First of all, let me say that my favorite restaurant is a "treat"
place, not someplace we go to weekly. We are there 6-8 times a year.

>What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.

The quality and variety of the food, coupled with service.

>What is it that keeps you going back.

The food.
>What about the selection of dishes.

The selections change monthly, plus there are daily specials depending
on what the chef finds at the market.

>Breakfast

Nope

>Lunch

Nope.

>Dinner

Oh yeah!

>Bar'

We do not drink, but we often go there with friends who do, some of
them serious wine aficionados. They say the wines and other drink
offerings are quite good.

>Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
>hostesses, etc.

This place is owned by a couple and her brother. The couple do most of
the kitchen and the brother runs up front. All are wonderful, all are
accommodating. I have been back to the kitchen and have developed a
terrific relationship with them all over the years. I bring them
little foodie presents when I go - a branch of my kefir lime, some
garlic and long beans from the garden, a bread recipe, that sort of
thing.

>Decor

Very very simple.

>Ambiance

Very laid back. Nothing in the looks of the place, which is simple,
but white cloth all the way, would give you any obvious hints of what
comes out of the kitchen.

>Location

5 minutes from my house. It is Manhattan quality with NJ prices. They
are in a small town, with nothing like them anywhere around.

>Surroundings

No surroundings to speak of. If there is no room to park on the
street, you pull into the bank parking lot next door. On the other
side is a residence. Mixed use on the 25mph 2 lane street...some
stores, a bit of light industry, houses, a bar, a gas station,
railroad tracks.

>Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?

It is all the foods. All the soup stocks are made there, all the ice
creams are made there. It's real and wonderful from soup to nuts. They
have a 5 course..appetizer, salad, soup, main, dessert and coffee for
such an astonishingly low price for the quality, that we tell few
folks about it....just enough to make sure they stay in business.

They are only open for dinner Wed - Sat. They also do catering on and
off-site.
>
>Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
>your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.

It is my go-to place when I want to have impeccable food.
>
>Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

Check 'em out.
http://www.rosemaryandsage.com/


Of course, none of my info will do you any good if you are looking to
open a much more casual place.

But this place is really first rate. It is the anniversary, birthday,
celebration, take the out-of-towners, want a special treat kind of
restaurant. Check out the prices of the 5 course meals, though. I do
not know how they maintain their quality and keep their prices so
reasonable. Magic and I like it.

Boron