Thinking up specials for our small business

[Jared_mizanin]

Hello all,

This is my second post...be gentle! My dad owns a bar and we have quite a bit of food on our everyday menu. In addition to that, however, we like to prepare a special each day. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday it is open; Tuesdays are tacos (very easy special), Fridays are Lake Erie Perch dinners (with cabbage & noodles or coleslaw), and Saturdays and Sundays are Strip Steaks (with baked potato and side salad). Anyhoo, for the open days I'm looking for some recommendations. We've tried pork chops, meatloaf, sweet-n-sour chicken w/veggies over rice, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken (and steak) marsala, etc. They often do well, but we really cannot repeat specials more than once or twice/month or else they seem to fizzle. So I'm looking for some cool recommendations...for the main dish and the sides (for example...meatloaf dinner--meatloaf = main dish, mashed potatoes w/gravy = side). I've looked through various cookbooks but now I'm curious if anybody else has any neat ideas.

Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

Chicken pot pie
Lasagna
Chili
Pot roast
Hungarian goulash
Chicken paprikash
Roast chicken
Cheese steak sandwiches
Jambalaya
Beef Stew
Irish Stew

 

[DaveSoMD]

Baked ham (NOT spiral sliced) and scalloped potatoes
Cabbage rolls and beets, rye bread
Cottage Pie
Chicken and dumplings

 

[Jared_mizanin]

Thanks guys...I'm getting some ideas already. Keep 'em rolling in!

 

[Janet H]

How about a turkey dinner? Cheap and has good early prep schedule.

Lamb shanks w. roasted reds and a veg side.

Cornish hens (easy to bake) w/ herbed rice and seasonal veggies

Skewered beef (shish kabobs) on a bed of couscous w/ a vegetable gratin and small greek salad

 

[JamesS]

My universal answer to everything: Pizza!

Some things that might help us come up with recommendations:
What region is the bar in? In many cases, regional food is comfort food....just what you want to get the customers to sit down and stay a while (and drink!).

Does the bar have a theme? My fiance and I frequent a British Pub clone for the fish & chips. Quiche may not go over so well at a football themed sports bar!

What ingredients are always on hand? The fewer food items cluttering up your kitchen, the more efficient it can be...within reason.

What kind of prep area and holding areas do you have? Deep fryer? Oven? steam table, walk-in refrigerator/freezer?

 

[vagriller]

I seem to lean toward latin foods. Stuff with beans, rice, and tortillas. You could offer a black bean burrito special one night. I also like making soups like Zuppa Toscana and clam chowder. But as JamesS said, it would be helpful to know where your restaurant is located and what the theme is. Something from another part of the country might go over well. Maybe print up a little something about the culture or region that the special is from. I enjoy reading that stuff while I am waiting for my dinner to be prepared.

 

[Jared_mizanin]

Appreciate the ideas, guys!

The sports bar is located in North Royalton, OH, which is ten miles south of downtown Cleveland.

We have a flat-top grille, outdoor grille, two deep-fryers, walk-in cooler.

Ground beef, chicken breast, and pork tenderloin we often have in stock for specials. We order in different ingredients as needed to specific specials.

Thanks all

 

[gabagoo]

how about some pork or chicken souvlaki.... Butter chicken ..... Hungarian shnitzel or goulash. You could offer up some Italian dishes as well... veal parmesan, pasta alforno, Riggatoni a la vodka

 

[jabbur]

I'd definitely go with some Polish/German recipes. They are usually pretty easy and in that area would go over good. Try pirogi, goulash, kielbasa and kraut, Ruben sandwiches.

 

[vagriller]

Panini or cuban sandwiches would be good and simple to make. Maybe burrito bowls, sort of like at Chipotle.

 

[JamesS]

Sports bar near Cleveland with an outdoor grill...... I'm with Jabbur. German food, brats, kraut dogs. The smell will drag them in. Plus, sausage and kraut keep a long time. No waste.

Ribs are a pain in the nether regions, but once a month wouldn't be so bad.

A local favorite out here is crazy deep fry day. Not so much for meals, but snackage and bar food. With enough batter, everything deep fries...candy bars, vegetables, meats, cake....and we all know that everything is better when it's been fried.

Chili! This is a barroom staple too.

 

[vagriller]

Yes, chili! Several people have mentioned it. Could have some good hotdogs, onions, and cheese for chili dogs. Top burgers with it, nachos, etc. I had some nachos at the movie the other night that had bbq beef on it in place of chili. The beef was shredded, and the nachos were awesome!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Pasties, here are some recipes: Pasty Recipes: Traditional Yooper Food

Good solid comfort food, in hand or with gravy.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Fridays are Lake Erie Perch dinners (with cabbage & noodles or coleslaw).....The sports bar is located in North Royalton, OH, which is ten miles south of downtown Cleveland..............Thanks all

*sigh* I would be so there if we weren't living here. Chowdah's good, but we love our Lake Erie Perch! I miss OH....

I second (or third) the kielbasa and sauerkraut. With pierogis on the side...onions optional. Also stuffed cabbages...little time-intensive, but will keep warm in the pot just fine. Sandwich wise, if you make burgers you can always offer patty melts.

PrincessFiona, since pasties are Michigan food they probably won't work in OH...it's a state thing.

 

[luvs]

the sausages would likely be a great & fast meal with pierogies.
not like the perogies need be made by yins; they can be frozen ones.
i'd incorporate kraut or cabbage, braised. boiled baby taters or smashed taters if ya don't mind 2 starches in 1 diner.

 

[wanna be]

Nothing to really add.

I just wanted to say that I think it would be great to to be in your position.You didd'nt mention if the menue planning was something you really enjoyed or if you really wanted to work in a resturant owned by your father or anybody else. It may not have anything to do with anything ,but if it was me I would ask your regulars what they want for dinner tommorrow.It sounds like a nice homey place ,dont force your will on the customers.Ask them what they want and do so on a regular basis.I think it would be good to have a little bit of give and take.Thats the kind of place I would like to hang out in.

 

[NAchef]

Chicken pot pie or a Philly cheese steak sandwich

Take a few of the best ideas and research them, try different recipes and go from there.

The thing I like about those is that it is a ONE dish meal, that means if they want something else then that will make them purchase an appetizer (which means more $$)!

Think of something that will set you apart and become the staple place in town for that certain dish.

Good luck and let us know what you come up with or if you need any help with recipes!!

 

[NAchef]

I just wanted to say that I think it would be great to to be in your position.You didd'nt mention if the menue planning was something you really enjoyed or if you really wanted to work in a resturant owned by your father or anybody else. It may not have anything to do with anything ,but if it was me I would ask your regulars what they want for dinner tommorrow.It sounds like a nice homey place ,dont force your will on the customers.Ask them what they want and do so on a regular basis.I think it would be good to have a little bit of give and take.Thats the kind of place I would like to hang out in.

I missed this but TOTTALY agree!!!

What a great idea!

Have customers vote on a menu item, maybe even come up with a contest that customers can come up with a name for the dish.

How many people would you tell if you had a dish you named at a local spot?

Could be very good marketing!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Oh I don't know...they work in Montana just fine. There are a couple of local places that make them for sale in the grocery stores. I'm originally from Wyoming and had never heard of them...love 'em!