What kind of restaurant would you open if you could?

[lyndalou]

Mine would be small, intimate with a limited menu that I would change seasonally, adding something special now and then in between seasons. I think that a limited menu is best because you concentrate on using the best ingredients, and on perfecting those few dishes. The key for me is consitency of the quality of the food. A nice presentation is always important, as well. Decent wines at a reasonable price, also.

Great question.


Lyndalou

 

[BigDog]

Hmmmmmmmmm . . . . . . . . I don't know how I would even start . . . . .

Atmosphere of Stuart Anderson's Black Angus/Cattle Company with a touch of country, like Cracker Barrel or The Machine Shed.

Pricing of Cracker Barrel for sure, yet menu options to be a mixed bag, full of styles of cooking like Cracker Barrel and Machine Shed, yet the quality grilling style of a steakhouse. Of course, classic Italian dishes as well.

I'd want he place to be country style in pricing and helpings, with a laid back yet classy atmosphere where one would feel comfortable in either casual dress or business dress. A menu that would accomodate all, from the big helpings country style of things like meatloaf, pork chops, fried chicken, and mashed potatoes to more formal presentations of Italian or steakhouse style dishes with options for starches and vegetables.

I would also have a killer breakfast, no holds barred. Eggs however you like 'em, all the traditional breakfast meats along with steak, pork chops, or whatever else, various types of hash browns/potatoes, and lucious fresh fruit. A bottomless pot of coffee/tea and a full range of juices.

At a lunch menu, the dinner menu (or perhaps parts of it) would be available with some sandwich style options as well with choice of fries or chips.

Bottom line, great food, low pricing, laid back yet classy atmosphere, and service second to none.

 

[JMediger]

Oh my ... I'd like to make a reservation for 2 at all your new restaurants please!

My place would be similar to lyndalou's ... like most small towns in Wisconsin, ours had a very active rail line and subsequently, a very nice depot. Well, the trains still come but no more passengers, just freight BUT the depot still stands. I would love to open it as a small supper club - "The Depot" - with 10 or so tables and a killer bar. I would design a monthly menu with only 3 or 4 entree's (something pasta / vegetarian, a good cut of beef, a good chicken and then something fun), a few good matching sides, a great soup and salad. I would make sure the bar had the newest and tastiest wines from around the country, highlighting the "little" guy wineries as well as spotlight a local brewer each month. I would want the atmosphere to be light and fun so people should plan on their evening at The Depot to last for several hours ... starting at the bar and moving to the tables. The building itself has these HUGE sliding wooden doors that would be awesome opened at night and covered with sheers. During the winter, it would be cozy all closed up ... might need a fireplace ... hmmmmmm

 

[Robo410]

a brew pub...fine crafted micro brew beers, great soups, salads, sandwiches, and entree plates. Menu changes seasonally. Foods fire roasted, easy on the deep fryer except the frittes and the oysters. Artisinal and craft foods, grown fresh, beautifully prepared.

 

[boqueron]

If I opened a restaurant. Everything would be vintage except one thing, there would be iron pots and pans, recipes, management, cook and wine but today´s vegetables, eggs, milk, cheese, fruit and fish.

 

[Ishbel]

I would like to make mine a small place, like the restaurant in Ludlow run by Sean Hill (The Merchant House) - it only had about 20 covers and you more or less ate what he'd cooked - it changed weekly and seasonally. Superb Michilin-starred food, great tastes and varieties!

Unfortunately, Sean has now closed his restaurant and has gone into partnership in a nearby town.

Here's a BBC article on Sean's restaurant from a few years back
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/2984921.stm The prices made me smile - there is no WAY we got out of there for less than 100 quid a meal!

 

[Jikoni]

A small village-like look outside, so I guess Geneva is not the place for it,I need the tropics for that.But I do dream of it so clearly, it's bound to happen some day. Well I also dream of opening a chicken ranch

 

[BreezyCooking]

Lyndalou says it best for me.

 

[RDG]

It's a lot of time that I say that this coud be a good idea......
30-40 places, maximum. Something like an apartment, with rooms covered with kitchen books, food pictures, or reproductions of great paintings of food.
In every room, no more than two tables. Something looking a house, not a shop.
I could receive guests in a very informal but elegant dress, f.i. blue trousers, shirt with white and blue stripes, gold twins, good shoes....
Two menus: one permanent, with few dishes of great tradition, from whatever part they could come: the big steaks from Florence, the Pork Cassoeula from Milano, together with Rice and ossibuchi, veal Pizzaiola......Another one, a "theme menu" changing....every week? The theme could be whatsoever. The regional food, food from....Jamaica, or USA, or France, or FISH, or Polenta....Always different. Not cheap, but no too expensive. Here in Milano....50€, 65 USD. Medium/high price.
It's an old dream......

 

[mudbug]

I'll just come and eat in all your restaurants and spread the word. Too much work for me!

And I would REALLY like it if someone could/would open a restaurant where shirts and shoes are not required again.

 

[Trip]

authentic italian. candles, checked table cloths, the works.

 

[Shaheen]

I like this thread!

If I were to open a restaurant I would love it to have a very relaxed and comfortable vibe. It would be really colourful and dandy during the day. I'd probably follow different colour schemes for different seasons. It would be filled with fresh seasonal flowers. I'd be particularly partial to pink carnations though In the evenings the lights would be really dim. There would be candlelit dinners every weel.

The food would be a mix of cuisines. Very eclectic.

There would be food festivals every couple of months. If my business really grows I'd even fly in some dancers to do the Samba during the Brazilian food festival

I loved writing this so much. I could actually see my restaurant take shape

 

[boqueron]

The Garden of Aroma

My restaurant would be in a place like this.

 

[mudbug]

I like it, boqueron. Al fresco dining?

 

[Claire]

JMediger, I've wondered going through all of these towns where the train depot is defunct why they aren't used more as restaurants. Lots of visitors' centers or museums, but it seems a natural for a little restaurant. There was one in Asheville, NC, and it was fun to watch the trains zip by.

 

[boqueron]

"al fresco" with frescos

"Al fresco" with all ingredients "frescos. Today´s rock fish to make the fish stock of my paellas and keeping its fish meat for a classical tapa of croquetas.

 

[liketobake]

A bakery/cafe