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'.

What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
What is it that keeps you going back.
What about the selection of dishes.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Bar
Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
hostesses, etc.
Decor
Ambiance
Location
Surroundings
Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?

Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.

Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

On Jul 30, 10:26*am, 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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.
> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner
> Bar
> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> hostesses, etc.
> Decor
> Ambiance
> Location
> Surroundings
> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

Number one, good food, good menu selection./
Two - service
Three - price
Four - atmos

On Jul 30, 11:15*am, Kalmia > wrote:
> On Jul 30, 10:26*am, 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'.
>
> > What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> > What is it that keeps you going back.
> > What about the selection of dishes.
> > Breakfast
> > Lunch
> > Dinner
> > Bar
> > Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> > hostesses, etc.
> > Decor
> > Ambiance
> > Location
> > Surroundings
> > Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
> > Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> > your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> > Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.
>
> Number one, good food, good menu selection./
> Two - service
> Three - price
> Four - atmos

(send was hit in error)
Four - atmosphere - i.e. NO loud music, music preferably instrumental
only
Five - ample parking

My fave local resto is run by a couple, he's in the kitchen, she waits
and cashiers, and one other waitress. Italian and Spanish dishes. A
little Ital. music, barely heard. CLOTH on the table. Small - probl
seats no more than 40 without squeezing. Never feel rushed to leave.
Reservations accepted.
Dim lighting, so you don't look 101.
Dinner for two with wine usually hits about 45 dollars. Portions are
generous, so that I usually bring enough home for lunch the next day.
I know ano. couple who go there ev. Sat night with two other couples,
and they drive quite a distance to be there.

Kalmia wrote on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:15:43 -0700 (PDT):

> On Jul 30, 10:26 am, 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'.
>>
>> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
>> What is it that keeps you going back.
>> What about the selection of dishes.
>> Breakfast
>> Lunch
>> Dinner
>> Bar
>> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers,
>> bartenders, hostesses,
>> etc. Decor Ambiance Location Surroundings Is it one
>> particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>>
>> Really think about why you like a particular place and
>> consider it your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>>
>> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

>Number one, good food, good menu selection./
>Two - service
>Three - price
>Four - atmos

Those look like good criteria and I'd add authenticity of the menu. My
favorite places are Mexican (not Tex-Mex), Indian, Japanese, Thai and
Chinese.

I would also add that the restaurant must take reservations or else the
wait should be short.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Jul 30, 8:15*am, Kalmia > wrote:

>
> Number one, good food, good menu selection./
> Two - service
> Three - price
> Four - atmos

This would be my list as well.

My favorite restaurant has great food, friendly people (family owned
with a few long time employees), prices are reasonable, and the
atmosphere is usually quiet even if when full and busy.

One of the worst restaurants I tried was a place with loud music,
whcih caused people to talk loud. The food was overseasoned, and a
little high on the price. We went because we had a gift card from a
friend. I have no interest of ever going back.

As a customer I experienced a very spectacular expectations from this restaurant. The menu are all taken good by the customers. They cook and prepare the food properly.

In article >, JayC.69d8238.180512
@foodbanter.com says...
>
> If you could ask, as a customer, I could see first the menu setup of the
> restaurant. The next one was to see how a waiter serve the customer.#

? I see, or notice, both those before I order from the menu. If I see
other customers being badly served, I leave without ordering.

Janet

JayC wrote:
> If you could ask, as a customer, I could see first the menu setup of the
> restaurant. The next one was to see how a waiter serve the customer. And
> the last was the taste of the food they serve, the quality of it.
>

Interesting. I would put the food above all else--except
cleanliness, lack of bugs, etc., which government inspections
should cover (but which sometimes seem to be insufficient).

I like places that specialize in a particular type of food, and
generally not a mishmash of different types. I am not much into
fusion food.

I lean more toward informal, and maybe small, restaurants. I
don't like dressy, snooty ones.

--
Jean B.

On 7/30/2010 9:26 AM, 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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.

Good food, good service, decent prices.

> What is it that keeps you going back.

See above.

> What about the selection of dishes.

A modest selection of well done dishes is preferable to many dishes of
questionable taste and appearance.

> Breakfast

Hardly ever eat breakfast out, too lazy to get up and get dressed. (I'm
retired.)

> Lunch

Usually something light, not to heavy on the calories.

> Dinner

A modest selection of poultry, beef/pork/bison, and vegetable dishes.

> Bar

Don't drink so can't say. Screwed my liver up in my thirties.

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

Staff who don't talk down to you, don't jabber on about their personal
lives, don't start the conversation by squatting by the table and saying
"Hi, I'm so-and-so, your server, what's your name?" Polite and courteous
does the trick. I don't want to be your buddy, just take my order and
then serve it in a timely manner.

> Decor

No kitsch, no theme, just a nice, clean, nice-smelling place to eat.

> Ambiance

One that I can recognize and nothing with Hard Rock, Country Living, or
California style, whatever that is.

> Location

Easy to get to, decent parking, no people of unknown origin hanging around.

> Surroundings

Nothing factory style, preferably mixed habitation.

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

Depends on how we feel at that time so can't settle on one of anything.

>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.

Our favorite place is Pat's of Henderson in Lake Charles, LA, they have
a website. We can get steak, seafood, Cajun cuisine, and a variety of
dishes. The ambiance is fairly neutral, the place is always clean, no
loud music, wait staff is courteous, neatly dressed and polite, plenty
of well-lighted parking and the restaurant is easy to get to but not
surrounded by bars, homes, etc.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

You're welcome, hope this helps.

On Jul 30, 7:26 am, 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'.
> [snip]

It varies a lot but on average we eat out once a week for lunch, once
a week for dinner, never for breakfast except on road trips. About
every fifth time--or maybe less often than that--we'll try a new
place. New places come from reading restaurant reviews, personal
recommendations from friends, and internet searches. A good web page
that includes the menu can help. The rest are repeat business. We do
not go to fast food places or chains. Why do we return to the places
we do? The food. We like the food of many ethnicities (including
various 'fusions') and over time have developed our favorite places
for Chinese, Chilean, French, Italian, Cuban, Mexican, etc. What
makes them our favorites? The food.

Well prepared and tasty (and promptly delivered) matters more than
"authentic" to us. Variety on the menu helps, as we like finding new
things. "New, innovative" don't matter much, but we don't go out for
food I can easily produce at home.

Service is important but more as a negative feature. We don't choose
a restaurant because the service is extraordinary but we'll veto a
restaurant for bad service.

Atmosphere/ambience matters as to the choice on a particular night.
That is, the kind of place it is fits our mood that night, but we have
many moods. Sometimes we want fancy, sometimes plain; sometimes
inexpensive, sometimes pricey is okay; sometimes loud (but not too),
sometimes quiet. Always we want good food.

As to price, we will often try lunch first at an expensive place. If
we like it, we may then try dinner.

We tend to go more often to closer places rather than distant ones but
this is L.A., which means we have an incredibly diverse selection to
choose from and we are used to driving. Some of our favorite places
are worth a long drive.

I hope your business plans include due consideration of the reason(s)
why your previous venture failed. Being realistic about that is
probably difficult, but I would guess it's important. -aem

On Jul 30, 9:03 am, aem > wrote:
>.... We do
> not go to fast food places or chains. ....

To be scrupulously honest, we get an In-N'-Out burger once a month or
less, takeout from El Pollo Loco about that often, and include the
Water Grill on our list of repeat restaurants. It has several
locations but I don't think of it as a chain. Not that you probably
can't eat well at chains--they just don't offer what we're looking for
when we go out. -aem

Being retired now and living where there aren't many decent eateries
nearby I don't eat out very much anymore. I now have plenty of time
and so can cook whatever I want whenever I want myself. There are a
handful of decent quality restaurants close by that I frequent perhaps
once a month, whereas previously I'd eat out on average twice a week.
I tend towards a couple of local taverns and the golf course
restaurants are pretty good. I want good fresh food but simple, I
don't want food that looks like more care was taken with presentation
but the food isn't very good. I also appreciate a good bar. And I
know it may soumd weird to some but I expect reasonably attractive
servers.

On Jul 30, 9:03*am, aem > wrote:

>
> I hope your business plans include due consideration of the reason(s)
> why your previous venture failed. *Being realistic about that is
> probably difficult, but I would guess it's important. * * -aem

To clear up misconception .......

The restaurant itself did not "fail", per se. The problem was with
the then present landlord and trying to move
the restaurant to a new location...which failed because of the 'new'
landlords own problems. The restaurant itself was hugely popular and
an "institution" and had been open since 1980.

Trust me, I have had many hours of introspection on why it was good,
where it could have used more or less, etc.
I'm not going about this in a haphazarad manner.

On Jul 30, 10:16 am, ImStillMags > wrote:
> On Jul 30, 9:03 am, aem > wrote:
>
>
>
> > I hope your business plans include due consideration of the reason(s)
> > why your previous venture failed. Being realistic about that is
> > probably difficult, but I would guess it's important. -aem
>
> To clear up misconception .......
>
> The restaurant itself did not "fail", per se. The problem was with
> the then present landlord and trying to move
> the restaurant to a new location...which failed because of the 'new'
> landlords own problems. The restaurant itself was hugely popular and
> an "institution" and had been open since 1980.
>
> Trust me, I have had many hours of introspection on why it was good,
> where it could have used more or less, etc.
> I'm not going about this in a haphazarad manner.

I guess that means it failed as a business for non-food related
reasons. Still, the customers woiuldn't or couldn't migrate along
with the restaurant .... for some reason. As customers, we have
followed well-liked places from one location to another, so it can
happen. (For that matter, we have followed chefs from one restaurant
to another. [dim sum, not celebrity]) With all the things that can
go wrong on the business end, it's a wonder when any small restaurant
succeeds....Good luck. -aem

On Jul 30, 12:01*pm, aem > wrote:

>
> I guess that means it failed as a business for non-food related
> reasons. *Still, the customers woiuldn't or couldn't migrate along
> with the restaurant .... for some reason. *As customers, we have
> followed well-liked places from one location to another, so it can
> happen. (For that matter, we have followed chefs from one restaurant
> to another. *[dim sum, not celebrity]) *With all the things that can
> go wrong on the business end, it's a wonder when any small restaurant
> succeeds....Good luck. * * -aem- Hide quoted text -

The customers couldn't follow, Aem.......left out high and dry with no
place to go because the new landlord who
was supposed to lease the new space for the restaurant did not due to
his own problems. One of those unfortunate
situations with no options.

On Jul 30, 8:26*am, 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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.
> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner
> Bar
> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> hostesses, etc.
> Decor
> Ambiance
> Location
> Surroundings
> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

==
I'm afraid that my "favorite" restaurant exists somewhere but I
haven't found it yet.

I would like:

1) Clean surroundings...no spilled food from prior customers and NO
flies

2) Pleasant courteous servers and service

3) Reasonable menu selections and price

4) Good HOT food...I hate food left to cool before serving

5) A pleasant thank-you

That is all that is needed...atmosphere?...a matter of interpretation,
neutral suits me.

==

Sitara asked:

> I'm interested to hear from you, fellow foodies, about your thoughts
> on what constitutes 'your favorite place'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.
> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner
> Bar
> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> hostesses, etc.
> Decor
> Ambiance
> Location
> Surroundings
> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.


First and foremost for me, a "go-to" restaurant should serve seasonal
cuisine, preferably using local ingredients, and at least a little offbeat.
As far as regional cuisines go, I enjoy just about all of them if deftly
prepared.

I like a lot of variety, so it's a plus if the menu changes at least
weekly -- and it's another big plus if the current menu can be perused
online. Tasting menus are often my preference, but not always.

I prefer restaurants which are *not* in the middle of a big city and which
have good parking. Valet parking is fine, but not a huge deal.

A "go-to" restaurant must have:

* Courteous staff who are completely knowledgeable about the ingredients in
every menu item, and who can describe how each item is made. Also,
professional waitstaff who endeavor to help the diners have the best
experience they can.[1] I really don't care what the server's name is right
off the bat: If I'm impressed with the service, I'll ask for that person's
name, so I can request him or her next time I come back.

* Food that I wouldn't make at home.

* Comfortable seating and tables which are large enough to hold everything
they need to hold (Besides the obvious plates, glasses, and eating
implements, I like to have room for my reading glasses.)

* Lighting which is neither so bright as to be uncomfortable nor too dark to
read the menu easily.

* Furnishings and surface coverings which tend to absorb sound. I don't want
to hear some VP-wannabe sucking up to a CEO, and I don't want to hear a prom
date going badly.


If I'm going out for brunch, a restaurant must serve an excellent version of
eggs benedict, and it's a plus if they also make an excellent spicy bloody
mary. (In New Orleans, it's also imperative for them to make a good brandy
milk punch.)

It's not an issue for me nowadays, but back when I worked the day shift, if
I went out to lunch, *speed* was of paramount importance. So to translate
that into the restaurateur's point of view, the lunch menu must contain
items which can be served less than five minutes after being ordered -- and
the lunch shift should be amply manned, or the whole point of the quick menu
items is lost.

One of my pet peeves: I am not one to linger after finishing the last
course. I want to pay and get out. So present the check promptly, pick it up
promptly, and if there's change, return with the change promptly. If I find
myself waiting what I consider an unreasonable amount of time, I will deduct
one percent per minute from the tip.

Don't try to ply me with alcohol. I am a VERY light drinker, and I resent
being pressured to drink more. That includes wine. If I want wine, I'll
*ask* for wine.

Bob

[1] Here's an example of what I'm talking about: I'd brought a date to the
Marine Room in San Diego. As our drinks were being served, my date asked
where the restooms were. The waiter began to describe how to get to the
restrooms, but seeing my date's eyes glaze over after the third turn in the
description, he immediately broke off the recitation and said, "Right this
way, ma'am," and led her there.

Bob Terwilliger > wrote:
>One of my pet peeves: I am not one to linger after finishing the last
>course. I want to pay and get out. So present the check promptly, pick it up
>promptly, and if there's change, return with the change promptly. If I find
>myself waiting what I consider an unreasonable amount of time, I will deduct
>one percent per minute from the tip.

Then only go to empty restaurants where you can be certain that the weight
staff has nothing better to do than to tend to your promptness needs.
Otherwise, suck it up and wait a while as other people get served.

>Don't try to ply me with alcohol. I am a VERY light drinker, and I resent
>being pressured to drink more. That includes wine. If I want wine, I'll
>*ask* for wine.

I agree here. Recently at a favorite café, the waitress somehow presumed that I
wanted another beer and brought it. Since I was ambivalent about it, I opted to
drink it rather than send it back indignantly. But I'm still trying to figure
out what sign I must have given her that I desired another. I hate feeling
obligated to eat or drink because a waiter assumes I want more.

Orlando

Orlando Enrique Fiol wrote:
>
> Bob Terwilliger > wrote:
> >One of my pet peeves: I am not one to linger after finishing the last
> >course. I want to pay and get out. So present the check promptly, pick it up
> >promptly, and if there's change, return with the change promptly. If I find
> >myself waiting what I consider an unreasonable amount of time, I will deduct
> >one percent per minute from the tip.
>
> Then only go to empty restaurants where you can be certain that the weight
> staff has nothing better to do than to tend to your promptness needs.
> Otherwise, suck it up and wait a while as other people get served.
>
> >Don't try to ply me with alcohol. I am a VERY light drinker, and I resent
> >being pressured to drink more. That includes wine. If I want wine, I'll
> >*ask* for wine.
>
> I agree here. Recently at a favorite café, the waitress somehow presumed that I
> wanted another beer and brought it. Since I was ambivalent about it, I opted to
> drink it rather than send it back indignantly. But I'm still trying to figure
> out what sign I must have given her that I desired another. I hate feeling
> obligated to eat or drink because a waiter assumes I want more.
>
> Orlando


That's just bad training of the servers. Or else it's management policy
to try to increase profits.
You probably didn't give any signal at all.

Arri London > wrote:
>That's just bad training of the servers. Or else it's management policy
>to try to increase profits.
>You probably didn't give any signal at all.

In my ethical code, any unrequested food or drink brought to me is either on
the house or not my obligation to consume. I'm all for discrete refill signs,
but I think that waitress was trying to get me drunk.

Orlando

Orlando Enrique Fiol wrote:
>
> Arri London > wrote:
> >That's just bad training of the servers. Or else it's management policy
> >to try to increase profits.
> >You probably didn't give any signal at all.
>
> In my ethical code, any unrequested food or drink brought to me is either on
> the house or not my obligation to consume. I'm all for discrete refill signs,
> but I think that waitress was trying to get me drunk.
>
> Orlando

Yes there is that too!

I have been given plenty of food on the house. Often it's after
expressing interest in some side dish or pickled something or another. A
second dish of same shows up. In one Korean restaurant in London,
another tray full of kim chee pickled vegetables appeared after I said I
liked the first portion.

"ImStillMags" > wrote in message
...
>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'.
>
You'd really have to interest me in going out to eat. Location, location,
location And I don't mean in the heart of a trendy or business district
where all the "cool people" hang out. Just be convenient, which is
difficult to do where I live.

> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.

Good food, good service.

> What about the selection of dishes.

Please, not an overwhelming menu. It shouldn't take 20 minutes to figure
out what you serve. And stop with the fusion stuff. I don't want
Thai-Greek (or Texas-Korean BBQ on Tortillas, sorry!)

> Breakfast

n/a

> Lunch

Something light, like a cup of soup and a sandwich.

> Dinner

Varied menu. A couple of soups, salad for those who like salad. Steak &
baked potato. Sometimes grilled chicken or a seafood dish. It's difficult
to say.

> Bar

Some people might like one.

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

Polite and attentive. I went to a chain restaurant I once worked in and the
hostess (I didn't know her, it was a different location) shoved the menus in
my hand and waved us over to a table that hadn't been bussed. She couldn't
have cared less whether or not we got a clean table and it showed. I
complained to the manager who immediately seated us at a clean two-top.
Well that was all fine and good except a two top barely holds two glasses of
water much less an appetizer and our entrees. I let the manager know I
wasn't happy and filled out a negative comment card. The food was good, but
the attitude of that hostess was a really bad way to start off our dinner.

> Decor

Doesn't really matter as long as it is clean.

> Ambiance

Quiet. No loud music. Soft lighting but not so dark you can't read the
menu.

> Location

Nearby LOL

> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
If I want one particular cuisine I'll go to a restaurant that specializes in
it. If I go to an Italian restaurant I don't expect to see "french fries"
on the menu, not even if there is a kids menu. Oh, and I avoid buffets.
You never have any idea how long that food has been sitting there

Jill

jmcquown > wrote:
>Please, not an overwhelming menu. It shouldn't take 20 minutes to figure
>out what you serve. And stop with the fusion stuff. I don't want
>Thai-Greek (or Texas-Korean BBQ on Tortillas, sorry!)

I agree, but for a different reason. Unless the chef has an extensive
background in those fusions, chances are good that shortcuts and stereotypical
seasonings will be used. I'd rather eat authentic food, regardless of where
it's from.

>Something light, like a cup of soup and a sandwich.

I can have that at home and don't want to pay retail for such simple food.

>Varied menu. A couple of soups, salad for those who like salad. Steak &
>baked potato. Sometimes grilled chicken or a seafood dish. It's difficult
>to say.

This too seems excessively ordinary to warrant my hard earned dollars.

>If I want one particular cuisine I'll go to a restaurant that specializes in
>it. If I go to an Italian restaurant I don't expect to see "french fries"
>on the menu, not even if there is a kids menu.

I tend to favor restaurants specializing in one cuisine or a related group of
cuisines, since I know the cooks won't have the ingredients or knowledge to
prepare many cuisines well.

Orlando

"Orlando Enrique Fiol" > wrote in message
. ..
> jmcquown > wrote:
>>Please, not an overwhelming menu. It shouldn't take 20 minutes to figure
>>out what you serve. And stop with the fusion stuff. I don't want
>>Thai-Greek (or Texas-Korean BBQ on Tortillas, sorry!)
>
> I agree, but for a different reason. Unless the chef has an extensive
> background in those fusions, chances are good that shortcuts and
> stereotypical
> seasonings will be used. I'd rather eat authentic food, regardless of
> where
> it's from.
>
>>Something light, like a cup of soup and a sandwich.
>
> I can have that at home and don't want to pay retail for such simple food.
>
Despite my rep as the Soup Queen, I don't always have fresh soup on the
stove For lunch, a cup of soup and a toasted or grilled sandwich is
enough for me.

>>Varied menu. A couple of soups, salad for those who like salad. Steak &
>>baked potato. Sometimes grilled chicken or a seafood dish. It's
>>difficult
>>to say.
>
> This too seems excessively ordinary to warrant my hard earned dollars.
>
Sometimes you can't be at home. You still have to eat. I don't want to go
to Burger King. You still have to eat. I want a comfortable place with
familiar dishes.

>>If I want one particular cuisine I'll go to a restaurant that specializes
>>in
>>it. If I go to an Italian restaurant I don't expect to see "french fries"
>>on the menu, not even if there is a kids menu.
>
> I tend to favor restaurants specializing in one cuisine or a related group
> of
> cuisines, since I know the cooks won't have the ingredients or knowledge
> to
> prepare many cuisines well.
>
> Orlando

I agree... don't mix cuisines unless you really know what you're doing and
can make it work.

Jill

Jill wrote:

> Sometimes you can't be at home. You still have to eat. I don't want to go
> to Burger King. You still have to eat. I want a comfortable place with
> familiar dishes.

In the situation you describe, you're eating out because of NECESSITY, as if
eating at home is not an option, for some reason. I think Sitara is asking
about places you'd go to eat just because you WANTED to go out to eat.

Bob

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.

I had no idea. Cool.

> 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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.

Comfortable surroundings. Good food. The problem is I
usually find that combination in pub style places, so take it for
what it is.

It's not that I haven't had wonderful meals in places with white
tablecloths and well dressed waiters, it's just not where I am
especially comfortable or am inclined to return very often.

And I have seen restaurants around here open with their nice
white tablecloths, and they don't last very long. It's a casual
crowd where I live.

There is a place near me that I just love, it's dark (think prairee
style architecture, lots of wood) overlooks a river, the food is wonderful,
but it's on a river and some people come in off their boat wearing
what they wear, other people are in dockers, some people dress
up. And everyone's comforable.

What doesn't make me comfortable, bright lights, shiny finishes
and mirrors. And teeny tables all close together. It's just me.
Some people seem to like that.

> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner
> Bar
> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> hostesses, etc.

Welcoming staff that doesn't hover, yet notices you need a
refill without being hunted down.

> Decor
> Ambiance
> Location
> Surroundings

I'm not a strip mall kind of person, to be honest. I don't think
to myself, oh, don't go there, it's in a strip mall. But ... I don't.
(laugh) Maybe a pizza joint, that's okay.

> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.

I like a no-pressure place where I might find fried green beans
or potsticker appetizers, or maybe I'll just have a steak. Or just
a burger. I warned you, I like pub food. My usual haunt is a busy
place, and has been for years, so I'm not the only one. Sometimes the
food's not as great as I'd like. Sometimes it's the best (whatever) I can
remember having. I do wish they were more consistent. On the
great side.

> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

I doubt I've helped you at all, but good luck with whatever you
decide.

nancy

Nancy Young > wrote:
>Welcoming staff that doesn't hover, yet notices you need a
>refill without being hunted down.

For me, the best staff is flexible to each situation and doesn't behave the
same way toward everyone in a formulaic way. If I'm out with friends or family,
I like chatting with the staff. If I'm obviously out on a date and being
visibly romantic with my partner, I prefer less intrusion. But I don't
automatically detest weight staff for trying to make conversation. Depending on
who I'm dining with, I might want or need more help choosing food, especially
if my co-diner is awkward about reading me the menu.

Orlando

In article >,
Orlando Enrique Fiol > wrote:

> Nancy Young > wrote:
> >Welcoming staff that doesn't hover, yet notices you need a
> >refill without being hunted down.
>
> For me, the best staff is flexible to each situation and doesn't behave the
> same way toward everyone in a formulaic way. If I'm out with friends or
> family,
> I like chatting with the staff. If I'm obviously out on a date and being
> visibly romantic with my partner, I prefer less intrusion. But I don't
> automatically detest weight staff for trying to make conversation. Depending
> on
> who I'm dining with, I might want or need more help choosing food, especially
> if my co-diner is awkward about reading me the menu.
>
> Orlando

That is something she might consider.
Menus in Braille! Aren't there typewriters for that?
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat. --Alex Levine

Omelet > wrote:
>That is something she might consider.
>Menus in Braille! Aren't there typewriters for that?

Better yet, there are Braille printers, but they cost a fortune. It would
probably be better to pay a printing service to produce fifty or a hundred
menus that would be kept on premises for the rare blind patron or matron.

Orlando

"Orlando Enrique Fiol" > wrote in message
. ..
> Omelet > wrote:
>>That is something she might consider.
>>Menus in Braille! Aren't there typewriters for that?
>
> Better yet, there are Braille printers, but they cost a fortune. It would
> probably be better to pay a printing service to produce fifty or a hundred
> menus that would be kept on premises for the rare blind patron or matron.
>
> Orlando

We have a blind friend, and we just read the menu to her. They would have
difficulty, and costs in inputting the daily specials would bump the cost up
for operations. My blind friend prefers to be told the specials of the day,
or for us to read if she wants some particular type of entree. But then,
she has a bear trap memory, and has most menus memorized anyway.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

ImStillMags > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> I'm interested to hear from you, fellow foodies, about your thoughts
> on what constitutes 'your favorite place'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.

Service is my first-and-foremost reason for returning to a restaurant. I
don't enjoy dining at restaurants that treat me indifferently or like a
mark.

> What is it that keeps you going back.

Again, service is key to my enjoying the whole experience. I've dined at
high-end restaurants and diners across America. Some were superior in food,
some funky in interior design, some rocked on pricing but those I returned
to provided superior service.

> What about the selection of dishes.

It depends on the type of restaurant. Some restaurants were ethnic, some
"American," some breakfast nooks, some dinner-only; it's depending on what
I'm interested in. I know from personal experience dinner restaurants have
better numbers than breakfast-onlys.

> Breakfast

For years, I hit two restaurants for my daily breakfasts; The Orgin'l
Pancake House and The Hick'ry Pit. I ordered the same breakfast every day at
each. Then both were sold. <sigh> Sad days...

> Lunch

Again, I am a creature of habit and found a local sandwich shop that
provided one of the best damned corned beef creations I'd ever had. She sold
out and the first thing the new owner did was change suppliers. Another
black flag draped day.

> Dinner

This is the most varied. I enjoy many ethnic cuisines (Italian, Japanese,
Chinese, Ethiopian, Mediterranean, and Korean), levels (diner, fast food,
sit-down-family, linens-on-the-table), or some combination of the above. I'm
very lucky where I live and what's available.

> Bar

This really doesn't appeal to me and mine anymore...

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

I enjoy myself immensely when staff are professional, don't count their tips
during rush, are available without being pushy, and don't treat me as a
mark. I enjoy seeing a manager walk the dining area and hold conversations
with people. In a couple instances, the chef-owners did this; it rocked.
Host/esses should always be professional and greet any customer that walks
in immediately, rather than letting them flounder. The simple
acknowledgement of, "I'll be with you in a moment" has always been
acceptabe.

> Decor

This is WAY down on my list of importance though many restaurants strive to
provide it as a way of setting them away from their pack of competitors
(Chili's, Applebee's, et al.)

> Ambiance

See "service" commentary.

> Location

Being a PRC (People's [DemoKratic] Republic of California) serf has allowed
me the luxury of driving wherever I wish whenever I want to whatever I like.
Some places, like the above mentioned breakfast places were along my driving
routes to work or the sandwich shop within the same building so convenience
was key. Dinner restaurants, again, can have this but not reliably enough to
make it the driving reason to hit a restaurant.

> Surroundings

I dine wherever I like. I take my daughter-units into zones of cities where
SWMBO (and many of our friends) is often shocked. I've never had a problem
nor do I expect this. <shrug>

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

I enjoy Mexican, from green mole on chicken to al pastor burritos.
Daughter-unit Alpha enjoys Italian, spaghetti and meatballs. Daughter-unit
Beta enjoys Chinese, Shanghai beef. Spawn enjoys corn dogs (and can sniff
them out on any child's menu in the area.) SWMBO is more eclectic but enjoys
Japanese sushi.

> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.

Reviewing our charge slips, there really isn't any place we hit more than
any other. We enjoy variety and, given our location (the 5th largest city in
the state), we have that within easy driving of Castle Ranger.

The Ranger

I > wrote in message
ndwidth...
[snip]
>> Ambiance
>
> See "service" commentary.

After reading Kalmia's response, I'll also add "music that doesn't pound me
physically or drown out conversation with my companions."

I no longer need to join the other lemmings at "hip" or forced vibe places
like I did in my 20s. If a restaurant puts their Musak at 11, like The Left
Bank in Menlo Park, I'll ask for it to be turned down. If it returns to that
level, I'll pay my bill to what we consumed and and leave.

The Ranger

The Ranger > wrote:
>After reading Kalmia's response, I'll also add "music that doesn't pound me
>physically or drown out conversation with my companions."
>I no longer need to join the other lemmings at "hip" or forced vibe places
>like I did in my 20s. If a restaurant puts their Musak at 11, like The Left
>Bank in Menlo Park, I'll ask for it to be turned down. If it returns to that
>level, I'll pay my bill to what we consumed and and leave.

Amen! Being a musician, I don't go to restaurants to get hip to new recorded
music dispensed by hipsters at high volumes. I'm there to eat and converse;
loud music makes that difficult. If I get a sense that a restaurant is more
about being seen than food, I probably won't return.

Orlando

"ImStillMags" > wrote in message
...
>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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.
> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner
> Bar
> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> hostesses, etc.
> Decor
> Ambiance
> Location
> Surroundings
> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.


I do not think the questions you have can be answered properly. No one
restaurant or establishment can cover the needs of the patron all the time.
I think it really depends on the mood the patron is in and the type of food
& service one is looking for at the time. Some times it can be the The
Metropolitan Club in the old Sears tower and at other times the Pantry on
downtown LA or the Carnegie Deli in NYC. or a famous Chicago steakhouse.

The food is of course important as is the service. I abhor places where
one see the waiter/ress to place your order then a glorified busboy serves
your meal. then they expect a 20% gratuity - they can go pound sand.


Like the ad says, "sometimes you feel like a nut sometimes you don't"

Dimitri

On Jul 30, 10:26*am, 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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.
> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner
> Bar
> Staff.....talk about the ideal restaurant staff, servers, bartenders,
> hostesses, etc.
> Decor
> Ambiance
> Location
> Surroundings
> Is it one particular cuisine or a selection of dishes?
>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

How could I forget!! Let no waitstaff person refer to customers as
"You guys", unless it's a bachelor dinner. (Pet peeve)

I'd like to rule out kids under 6, but......not PC, I know.

If you serve specials, don't make the customer ask for the price -
server should announce it immediately.

Keep graphics simple on the menu. None of this 30 different fonts
stuff.

Rest rooms: should meet the Big Five - hot water, working john, soap,
towels and t.t. Not too much to expect, but many fail to get 100 on
this test.

On Jul 30, 9:26*am, 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'.
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.
> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast

Jumbo eggs, cooked any style. That includes basted in bacon fat.

Very high standards for fried potatoes.

Offer avocado slices as an alternative to potatoes.

Fresh squeezed juices at market price whenever fruit prices are not
outrageous.

> Lunch

Home made mayo for any sandwiches. Fresh pickles.

> Bar

Again, fresh juices for top shelf drinks. At least not from
concentrate OJ, real lime juice, etc. for folks who are willing to pay
for a drink that's not made with crap that's essentially Kool-Aid.

During late Summer, there's even the potential for fresh tomato
juice. Folks I know are willing to shell out real cash for a great
bloody mary, and some will even order them with breakfast if
available.

>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
I go for food taste, and never return if I feel like the portions were
too small.

Obviously, no hydrogenated oils at all.

Creme fraiche. is a good thing.

--Bryan

"ImStillMags" > wrote
>
> What makes a restaurant most appealing to you.
> What is it that keeps you going back.

Good food and good value of course is number one.


> What about the selection of dishes.
> Breakfast
> Lunch
> Dinner

The number of items on the menu does not impress me as much as a few items
done well. One place I've been to has many variations by offering the same
sauce with either chicken, veal, or pork. Chicken Marsala, Veal Marsala,
Chicken, veal or pork picatta. Makes the menu large, but I feel as though
they are just grabbing the same sauce from the freezer and nuking it over
the meat of choice.

Breakfast is my least favorite meal to eat out. For breakfast, a few
variations of eggs any style, sausage, bacon, or ham covers 99% of what I'd
want. Most places have box mix pancakes with artificial syrup so I never
order them. I want good buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup.


> Bar

Rarely go to the bar, but at the table, bring my drink promptly.


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

Neat and clean. For a high class formal dinner I'd expect more, but a shirt
and slacks is fine for the typical place. No silly theme uniforms.
Greet me, but don't be overbearing; I expect you to be a professional. If
I become a regular, I'll learn your name and request you if I like you. My
name is on the debit card so you will know me too after a trip or two. "Hi
Mr. P, good to see you" goes a long way. You should also know that I don't
rush and I don't expect you to rush the meal either and that is why we tend
to dine on a slow night where you don't have to turn the table. Attentive,
pleasant, professional service = good tip.

> Decor
> Ambiance

I don't like over the top theme stuff like you'd find in Outback. An
Italian place may have scenes of Italy in paintings and the like, but I
don't need bull horns in my steak place. Lunch at Johnny Rockets is fine
once a year, but it is not my every day choice.


> Location
> Surroundings

Parking reasonably close. I don't travel to the city much just to eat for
that reason.


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

We are not far from Providence so if we want Italian, there are many good
choices. Plenty of others if we want other choices. If we go out with
friends, a selection is good so we all have a couple of options. I'd say 6
or 8 dinner items is sufficient though. No need for multiple pages. If the
food is really good, four choices is plenty. One of my favorite places has
three or four maximum and they change weekly.

>
> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.

If you take the menu at something like Applebees, cut choices by 30% and
make it from scratch, you'd have a winner.
Give me a beef, chicken, seafood option. If they are regular items, give me
a special or two for a change. I don't want the same thing every week, but
I don't need 50 items to choose from.

In article >,
Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it
>> your go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
>If you take the menu at something like Applebees, cut choices by 30% and
>make it from scratch, you'd have a winner.

I like this idea. Lose the gimmicks and I think it will go. From what
I've seen of Applebee's, you could reduce the portions from "ginormous" to
"generous" and everyone comes out ahead.

>Give me a beef, chicken, seafood option. If they are regular items, give me
>a special or two for a change. I don't want the same thing every week, but
>I don't need 50 items to choose from.

My favorite casual restaurant in Berkeley is Fatapple's. It's American
food with some "alternate" variations (e.g. the cole slaw is
Asian-style). The cuisine is not what I would call innovative but it is
made with first-rate ingredients and executed well. The baked goods
(available seperately on the bakery counter) are outstanding (from the
burger buns up through the awesome pie), the coffee is from a local
roastery, the salads have produce that passes Miss Picky here's test,
the burgers are fresh ground chuck and they have real sliced roast turkey
in their turkey sandwiches. (I have the number in my speed dial for
take-out in case the turkey urge strikes.) You can get a heavy
meal or a light one. Vegetarians have several menu options, and the
staff will accommodate reasonable "special requests". It has a beer and
wine license so grownups may enjoy some local products with their dinner
. Prices are very fair and it is loved by locals of all ages. It is
also a great place to take visiting relatives whose food tastes may be
a bit conservative.

It's pleasantly decorated (both it and its sister restaurant have a theme
with murals on the walls) but not kitschy. Mostly it is clean,
well-lit, and quiet unless a child is vocalizing (no music!).

The core menu is one large laminated sheet (front and back) and they have
rotating daily specials on the board. The dessert menu is seperate
because they do more seasonal produce on it.

Charlotte
--

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

The hookers at the bar should have no chips in their
nail polish. That's an indication they have not
re-applied their nail polish in at least a day,
and therefore they lack dedication to their chosen
profession.

> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

Nobody named Wayne or William or any other name
with a W in it. I've never encountered a Wilma,
but if I did I'd just get up and walk out.

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:26:16 -0700, ImStillMags wrote:

> I have a question for this group.
>
<snippage>

> Really think about why you like a particular place and consider it your
> go-to place when you want to go out to eat.
>
> Any thoughts you have are most appreciated.

Good food - a varied menu, with different menu items using different
ingredients, and not *one single* ingredient that appears in virtually
everything (I'm looking at you cheese, and I still don't like you).
Quality over quantity, flavor counts most.

Professional wait staff who know when they are needed, when not, and that
they work in a service industry. Average staff will do at a pinch, but one
major staff blunder (rudeness, waiting staff chatting when 3 tables are
waving for attention) puts a restaurant on the 'do not visit for at least
2 years' list. Duty manager's blunder 5 years.

A decent wine list is never a bad thing. 'Ambiance' doesn't matter much as
long as the 'music' doesn't get in the way of normal conversation;
comfortable seating and minimum distance between tables does matter. Don't
try to turn a 100-seater into a 130-seater by doing a 'cosy' decor with
low lighting and tables packed closely together. Rather charge a bit more
(within reasonable limits - I will gladly pay for quality food and
service, but not to be 'seen in one of the most trendy and overpriced
places in town')

And obviously a decent smoking section. If not, a restaurant won't ever
make it further than my 'let's find out what that place is like' list.

-j