Your ideal restaurant concept...

As I mentioned in a earlier post, I was in the business for for a few years (and my family was for 45+years). At times I miss it, and start thinking about opening a place of my own someday.

Here's my question to you folks. What would your ideal joint be?

I'm leaning towards something simple, yet fun.

Perhaps a cool lounge type bar. Some good jazz, a little Sinatra, a couple couches to chill on. A menu of pastas (ever changing) and panini type sandwiches. Like my last place, relatively small (seat 50 -60) some booths, and a couple larger tables for parties.

What would YOU like to have?

Heitz

[Nick.Shu]

hmmm, not one that i would be sure to stick around, but im thinking ultra hip bar/tapas bar for the beautiful ppl.

This concept entails utilising the spanish idea of tapas without limiting the cuisine to spanish - i.e. borrow some cantonese "yum-cha" style dishes using western ingredients, maybe some thai, most definitely some mediterranean mezze type dishes, perhaps mixed with some african/arabic nibble type foods.

This is more of a get rich quick job than a enduring establishment type plan (get it popular and then get it sold) and plus i find most bar food remarkably boring or just down right unimaginative.

But anyway.

[This message has been edited by Nick.Shu (edited 12-14-2000).]

[shroomgirl]

Long ago and far away I worked briefly in a French bistro, open Wed-Sat night
set meal (option of steak) there were a few appetizer options and dessert options but as a whole you had the same food throughout the restaurant. Menu changed weekly. Cost remained consistant (with some additions if the appetizer selection was bigger$)

I really like breakfast, I really like playing with high tea stuff, I really don't like the day in day out cooking the same thing. Sooooooo hmmmmmmm I'll put alittle more thought into it.

How about a full table service restaurant that serves only gourmet Hot Dogs ?
it might sound a bit wack but whatever eh?

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SMALL PLACE THAT SITS ABOUT 40. DECOR WOULD BE BLACK AND CHARCOAL WITH SILVER ACCENTS. WHITE LINEN TABLECLOTHS

ECLECTIC COLORFUL DEPRESSION GLASS SETTINGS WITH EACH BEING DIFFERENT BUT, COMPLIMENTARY.

COOL SMOKY JAZZ INTERSPERED WITH NEW AGE AND CLASSICAL MUSIC. SERVERS IN KNEE LENGTH APRONS AND BLACK & WHITE.

FLIGHTS OF WINE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.. EXQUISTE CALIF..KEY WEST MENUS WITH LUCIOUS DESSERTS LIKE WHITE CHOCOLATE OREO SILK PIES.

ALL SITTING FACING THE OCEAN.. AND ONLY OPENED FOR DINNER. A GIRL CAN DREAM, HUH ?


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[mike]

Can I work there too. Go on please?

[Nicholas]

I thought that it'd be neat if cooks could double up as cooks, and runners. He cooks the food, and brings it to the customers.
I likedthe idea that the person who cooks my food, will also bring it to me, to add a personal touch.
A few wait staff to take the orders, bring the drinks, turn the tables, etc etc.

And then practicality sets in. I imagine a large kitchen is going to be needed, for the cooks doubling up as runners.

Or, tables placed around the open kitchen, where people can watch their food being cooked, and more tables around the restaurant for those who don't. That way, cooks can put the dish right infront of them, taking away the need to leave their stations.

[kuan]

I'd have a 40 seater, a few minutes out of town in a quiet neighborhood, close to arts and entertainment.

I'd have one cook. Me, the ultimate saucier.

I'd have Kuan style Bistro food served up without fanfare at affordable prices. Nothing over $20 unless it's an obvious expensive cut like Veal loin or something.

I'd have all saucier desserts, crepe souffles, chocolate mousse, etc. I'd serve 60 a day, open five nights a week. We'd do 300k a year and I'd be happy. Closed 2 weeks a year for family vacation.

I'd open it close to a wine store so it will be BYO wine/beer. $8 corkage per bottle. I make money off other people's inventory.

Food cost 30% but I don't have to hire a chef. I'd hire a cleaner who will do dishes, floors, set tables.

My wife would do the FOH. She would bake the bread in the morning and I'll help her stretch the strudel dough.

My son will do his homework in the afternoon at the kitchen table and I will help him. He will come over with his soccer team and I'll make them pizza.

Every night for a half hour I will provide a Classical Guitar concert. No need for tips.

I'd have a herb garden outside in the summer. Limited herb garden in the winter.

Ah, to dream...

[Headless Chicken]

Clean, well stocked, fully staffed with compitent employees, everything from scratch ...dosn't sound very realistic I guess.

Jazz fusion music (something around the lines of St. Germain), well lit but slightly dimmed, ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING (of course this is by law now but i would oppose it even if it wasn't), roughly 150 seats, specialties into desserts a definate (my favorite area in my studies).

[Pete]

My ideal restaurant would be a blend of French Bistro, Italian Trattoria, an English pub and an old New England tavern. A warm, dark cozy place, with a roaring fire in a giant fireplace at one end. The food would be unpretensious, hearty and flavorful while the bar would pour great, inexpensive wines and there would be plenty of beer, only the best the world has to offer, on tap. Room for 20 stools at the bar, and 4 or 5 tables in the bar room and seating for another 40+ in the main dining area. The weekend night entertainment would be local. Blues, folk, irish or ethnic, it wouldn't matter as long as they were "fun".

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by Headless Chicken

Clean, well stocked, fully staffed with compitent employees, everything from scratch ...dosn't sound very realistic I guess.

Why is that not realistic? The restaurant I work at is like that, as are many other high-end joints...

[Mikeb]

My ideal place would be a small restaurant, maybe 40ish seats. Food would be high-class modern cuisine (assorted flavours, don't want to be limited by a certain 'style', or be another clone). There would also be a bar area seperate from the restaurant with a different menu (a little simpler, more appetizer/tapas style dishes).

[kuan]

Originally Posted by Mikeb

Why is that not realistic? The restaurant I work at is like that, as are many other high-end joints...

You're lucky. Read his threads about bad students yet? LOL!

[shroomgirl]

Several spaces have opened up, I've actually talked to a restaurant broker....one is a high end neighborhood space with seats for 80 on a corner near Wash U. It had 400,000 sunk into it for equipment, renovations etc the owners tanked it by charging non-neighborhood prices. I've got a friend that needs space for a couple of soup kettles for his hot wing sauce co.

The other is in a revitalizing downtown area....Larry Forgione opened An AMerican Place a few blocks down in a gorgeous 150 year old hotel space...it is absolutely gorgeous. He's sourcing from the market.....just opened a few weeks ago have not been yet. Another friend is opening an Asian/French fusion totally hip place with outrageous decor....loads of layers and textures the chefs table room has 2 of the 3 walls collaged with Japanese mags with naked womens....sweet potato fries in chinese paper cones...I love this guy...lots of Chicago money backing it.
The space I want is 40 seats and has been a restaurant owned by a local that folded during the 1.5 year street renovation. The gig is I would want blue plate diner with labor intensive local food.....labor intensive is a huge draw back for 40 seat....restaurant is a huge drawback for someone that gets very bored being in one space alot. Not having copious capitol to keep it going while people discover downtown.....oh but it would be the place to be.....

[Skeleton]

My former Chef often told of his idea for a dream restaurant, 60 foot aquariums, guilded in bronze sweep around the open kitchen, and bronze range hoods over 15 feet of char grill and flat grill, with cutting boards in front. The entire concept of the restaurant is fresh seafood. When customers order, the living fish are snagged, butchered and grilled with just a simple olive oil, lemon and fresh parsley marinate. Have a single 6 fire range for some light apps, maybe a few pastas. Display fridges behind the cooks with all other ingredients. Have a salad/cold apps section tended by waitrons, and.. well, he was the worst chef ever for dessert, but as long as we are talking about a dream restaurant, why not a seperate, dedicated pastry section?

For me, the idea of having all of the proteins alive when you sit down to eat is exciting. Not just the usual bivalves and crustations, but all manner of fish, grilled fresh.

He said that El Cangrejo Loco in Barcelona has a similar idea. I'd love to see that. I can just imagine the nightmares of dealing with suppliers though, imagine getting upset because the salmon wasn't alive when it was delivered.

Anybody ever see a restaurant like this?