Lunch Specials?

[lentil]

I think it would be fun (okay, I'm fishing for ideas.....) to see what lunch specials you all are doing.

I have a very small cafe but do a nice to go lunch in addition to my catering business. I try to have something different every day to keep interest up.

Today's specials-it's going to be hot today- are the following:

*Green Pepper and Black Olive Burrito
*Chicken Enchiladas with Herbed Rice (these sell no matter how warm it gets)
*Mediterranean Plate -hummus, tabbouleh, lemon and oregano marinated chicken. feta, black olives
*Summer Turkey Soup a light soup with zuc, sum squash, green beans fresh tomatoes

[Rblum]

chilli .. i tried some cold soups... nope.. where the heck is the chilli is all they reply... although.. it could have something to do with the beer...

[RAS1187]

We just started some promotional menu for Marriott corporate... some ideas im fond of... others im not so fond of:

Buffalo chicken chili with bleu cheese tortilla chips, celery, & carrot sticks

"The Worlds Smallest Meatloaf" - Three 1.5 oz meatloaf mounds with a ketchup-based sauce and a samuel adams gravy.

Truffle Oil & Asiago French Fries with an asian-influenced sam adams dip

Pesto chicken & provolone quesadillas with roasted garlic sour cream

[shroomgirl]

the other renters in the church where my catering kitchen is have special health needs....one is a celeiac (severe) and needs low sodium (2000mg day) so lunch is whatever I have in the kitchen.......last week it was fresh Tuna salad nicoise, soft-shell crabs with corn flour on a bed of local greens with fruit and chocolate meragines, it's been BBQ pork sandwiches with chips and pickle when I've butchered pigs.....
Shrimp Creole with frozen shrimp seems to be a favorite.
Mediterranean platter....dolmas, cuke sauce, hummos, green salad, olives, Goatsbeard chevre, pita chips.....

Usually I have extra fruit/vegetables when there are larger events. Red peppers, onions, potatoes, pesto frozen from last years bounty, always lettuces.....this past time it was carrots, cukes, zucchini, onions, potatoes, plum tomatoes.....so I made tomato based veg soup. Actually that is the low priced meal I offer for in-house events. Veg Soup, salad (sometimes slaw) cornbread, cheesey biscuits, brownies.....sometimes I'll throw in deviled eggs just as a lagniape.

[lentil]

The only time I've ever seen cold soups sell is a vegetarian place I used to work. People seem to be afraid of them! I must admit, I'm not overly fond of them either!

Buffalo Chicken Chili? That's the Rachel Ray recipe, isn't it? That one sells very well for me. The Pesto chicken and provolone quesadillas sound great!

How about a beef quesadilla with marinated onions and bleu cheese?

[lentil]

Shroom,

Sounds delicious!

[RAS1187]

I have not made the buffalo chicken chili, but a quick look at the recipe leads me to believe it is a standard chili using ground chicken instead and adding buffalo sauce to it...

The pesto quesadillas are actually quite popular with the staff, though I think the idea is a little too "out there" for our customers to want to try them.

[lentil]

Almost, RAS, but no beans and very simple and quick. Here the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Chili | Rachael Ray Show

[RAS1187]

Ahh, yeah that one is different...

Here is another special that actually sounds pretty good

Pan-seared lemon sole with roasted roma tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli rabe, and a lemon-herb vinaigrette

[lentil]

The salmon sounds good- I like salmon anytime, done almost any way. I'll even eat it for breakfast if there's any left over at home. I've never done it in shop.

I'm still thinking about your pesto chix quesadillas! Yum! Maybe if you didn't call them quesadillas, but something like grilled pesto chicken wrap w/ provolone. People may be hung up thinking that quesadillas should be south of the border style with salsa. You could use the exact same ingredients, and probably even fold them the same or you could wrap them burrito style and throw them on the griddle.

They sound like a special my customers would like. Maybe I'll try it today since I don't have any ideas of my own....

[shroomgirl]

my lunch menus are ingredient driven, yesterday I made pecan dacquise with pastry cream, strawberry rhubarb goo....very tasty and no glutin!

[RAS1187]

When we do specials, we often feature them in the bar as well. The quesadillas are aimed more for the appetizer-driven bar crowd instead of the restaurant, but they are indeed incredibly good. We have a TGIFriday's right next door to us, so competition for this market is very tense.

I do notice though that our clientelle are not very outgoing, as we feature some really neat (and sometimes weird) specials, but do not sell anything. The reliable "steak & potatoes" dishes sell very well though.

[lentil]

Originally Posted by RAS1187

When we do specials, we often feature them in the bar as well. The quesadillas are aimed more for the appetizer-driven bar crowd instead of the restaurant, but they are indeed incredibly good. We have a TGIFriday's right next door to us, so competition for this market is very tense.

I do notice though that our clientelle are not very outgoing, as we feature some really neat (and sometimes weird) specials, but do not sell anything. The reliable "steak & potatoes" dishes sell very well though.

Beef and Bleu goes well for me- deli roast beef, bleu cheese mixed with lots of pepper, sour cream and mayo, with sliced red onions and tomato. They might do well as a "slider" (that's the small burger thing, isn't it?) at the bar.

[lentil]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

my lunch menus are ingredient driven, yesterday I made pecan dacquise with pastry cream, strawberry rhubarb goo....very tasty and no glutin!

Please forgive my ignorance, but is that like a tart? Sounds good, whatever it is. I love rhubarb.

[RAS1187]

Originally Posted by lentil

Beef and Bleu goes well for me- deli roast beef, bleu cheese mixed with lots of pepper, sour cream and mayo, with sliced red onions and tomato. They might do well as a "slider" (that's the small burger thing, isn't it?) at the bar.

I've actually done something similar (for myself), roast beef sandwich with a chipotle-bleu cheese mayo. I personally thought it was amazing, but since I am not the Chef, all I can do is stick notes in the suggestion box.