Fantasy Challenge

[coolJ]

If someone were to give you $1,000,000. and told you that it was to be used to start your own restaurant, and you could build it anywhere and serve what ever you want, Where would you build, and what type of food would you serve ?.
I would open a small place here in town. something where I could easily alter the theme and create new menus on a regular basis, and I would try to have everything made fresh daily.

[thebighat]

I would open a French bistro. I had to do a project for a cost control class which involved doing all demographic and financial footwork, coming up with a site, a theme, and a menu. Mine was called Le Grande Cochon. The Big Pig. Got email the other day from some cognac co. in France that probably had some robot searching the web for references to French Chefs, which my web site has, and they wanted to know if I wanted to be listed in their restaurant section. I think I might make up a page with the menu of Le Grande Cochon, send them the address with an email link for reservations,and see what happens.

[shroomgirl]

Naughty~ but oh so fun.

My place would have dinner 3-4 nights a week, Sunday brunch with no shloky leftovers,
Tea service......of course local foods, of course great herb garden and a market by the restaurant selling the great supplies I'm bringing in....Farmer dinners regularly, a great kitchen to make apple jack, hard apple cider, jams, chutneys, etc. to again sell in the market....Just Scratch food using great fresh stuff....name hmmmmmm farmhouse sounds hokey, Chanterelle too esoteric, silo to phallic, hmmmmm guess a name needs more thought.

First understand that 20 YEARS ago this $1,000,000 issue would have worked. Sorry it is now been doubled.

When I deal with investors I ask first, "can you afford to lose $2,000,000 before profit".

Since I have done this myslef 11 times and have helped at least 25 others do it . . . that is the amount it takes to get through.

Now to answer your question, while there are Waaaaay tooooo many restaurants in the picture today I really believe that authentic Itatian is the way toooo go.

I mean keep it small, keep it real and control all the costs.

Sorry to rain on the parade . . . i am way tooooo close to new restauarants and without about $2Mil you will be successful for a few weeks then die . . . sorry that is just the truth today.

[ June 09, 2001: Message edited by: T Alan ]

First understand that 20 YEARS ago this $1,000,000 issue would have worked. Sorry it is now been doubled.

When Ideal with investors I ask first, "can you afford to lose $2,000,000 before profit.

Since I have done this myslef 11 times and have helped at least 25 others do it . . . that is the amount it takes to get through.

Now to answer your question, while there are Waaaaay tooooo many restaurants in the picture today I really believe that authentic Itatian is the way toooo go.

I mean keep it small, keep it real and control all the costs.

Sorry to rain on the parade . . . i am way tooooo close to new restauarants and without about $2Mil you will be successful for a few weeks then die . . . sorry that is just the truth today.

[Pooh]

I would open a little pastry shop, right beside "La Grande Cochon", 148 Main Street. I would call it "Le Petit Cochon"!



[ June 11, 2001: Message edited by: pooh ]

[Kimmie]

I would open something across the street from you two, called "Aux trois petits cochons"!

Haven't decided on the menu yet...but Pork Tenderloin would definitely be present.



[ June 11, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[thebighat]

Well, pastry shop? I didn't include it, but there is a patisserie connected to the restaurant...Chef Pouffe's. It might be good to have some competition. I'm sure there must be shops close together in France. I might be adding some desserts to the menu later. You did see the menu didn't you? I thought the link might show up in blue.

[Pooh]

Yes, the background is like greyish/black marble!

Very good menu btw! I would eat there any day of the week, even on weekends!



[ June 11, 2001: Message edited by: pooh ]

[Isa]

A small, but charming, salon de thé. Great food, not too many dishes. And the desserts... Cakes and pastries from all over the world.

[thebighat]

This ought mess with heads. Make sure, when visiting the Boston area, to grab a quick bite at:Le Grande Cochon

[thebighat]

It should say, this ought to mess with their heads. duhh... there' something wrong with the keyboard. It drops letters and if I unplug it from the usb port, the puter freezes. My daughter has probably changed something to make instant messaging quicker. They don't use the whole alphabet anyway.

[Svadhisthana]

I think I would open up a bakery or small tea room. Fresh local ingredients, funky atmosphere, and a super friendly staff.

[foodnfoto]

I should ask, is this restaurant supposed to make money or be a write off for the investor?
My idea is very simple--
The Fire and Ice Cafe
There would be 20 seats (10 dueces) and a take-out window. My preferred location would be someplace like Coconut Grove or Key West, Florida, maybe Fire Island, NY or Sausalito CA. Anywhere that has kind of a cool, laid back populace and adventurous appetites.
Two items on the menu-authentic Jambalaya and Ice Cream.
There would be 3 selections of "Jamby"-meat-lovers, seafood-lovers and vegetarian. Each would vary daily.
The ice cream would include every possible flavor of Ben & Jerry's-so anyone could have their favorite.
Oh yeah-free delivery.
I think it would become a cash cow very quickly.

[thebighat]

There already is a Fire and Ice, in Cambridge Ma. I've never been in there, but theguy I work for has. He says it's ok, up to a point. Apparently there is a huge salad bar kind of thing with all kinds of ingredients that you can pick up with spoons and tongs and put on your plate. then you take it over to this 30 ft griddle, it sounds like, and your personal chef "stir fries" it, then scrapes it off the griddle onto your plate and hands it to you. It would be nice if they used woks, but it sounds like a giant griddle, and who knows what griddle crunchies get scraped onto your food. eeeeuuuuuwwwww......