If you were going to open a restaurant...

Loire

This place in Sydney is cool http://www.phillipsfoote.com.au

You can buy your cut of meat from behind the counter and BBQ it yourself outside (with an obligatory beer in hand). :cool:

Compo city here though I'd imagine :rolleyes:

Mr Simpson

hardCopy wrote: »

I have a similar idea to this where I would include a decent sized meal limited to a certain amount of calories maybe around 450.

It could a couple of different ways:

• Include a calorie limited portion as well as a full sized option for each item
• Include a different special each night with a 450 calorie limit

450 is just a random figure but it should be possible to eat out without going overboard, any menu option can be healthy if the portions are appropriate.

Bay in Clontarf do this, their menu has been evaluated by a nutritionist, has clear nutritional values and have special dietary options, great idea imo.

In Exile

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Wings. ONLY wings.
Well, and sides to go with.
(By then) I'd have a perfect rub that would be the base of the wings, and you can choose the sort of sauce to coat/dip the wings.

This is exactly what I'm thinking of doing.

I'm sick of going to places in Australia that advertise authentic buffalo wings but in reality they are hot sauce and nothing else.

I've a buffalo sauce, either spicy or mild, perfected. Do a couple of "healthier" oven cooked wings and am in the middle of trying to perfect a bbq sauce and a cola flavoured sauce.

Think, if I can find the time, I'll try team up with a pub in the city and do a wing night once a week.

rubadub

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

you see this is exactly the sort of restaurant that I run a mile from. This obsession with calories, diet and carbohydrates drives me nuts. Keep this stuff inhouse, in YOUR house.

You must find supermarkets a nightmare, all that info on the packets...
-just ignore it if you have no interest. Listing calories does not mean all the stuff will be water down weightwatcher meals with no fat or salt in them.

I was really looking forward to that proposed law to force restaurants to show calories. Not for "watching my weight", more "watching my wallet" and knowing what to expect for the price charged. This would give consumers far more backup to argue if given a tiny portion.

I would also love to see ingredients lists, I hate to have food arrive with stuff unlisted which is well known to be unpalatable to many people, not just known allergens, e.g. many people find cucumber, corriander or celery unpalatable, it can ruin a dish. I think celery is a recognised allergen too.

hardCopy wrote: »

Lots of places now show the calorie content of their foods

Unfortunately many of them lie, I have seen ludicrously low calorie quotes for foods in a chipper and a kebab place and some thai noodle place. Its like they presume everybody wants low calorie, while I would be put off as the portion quoted is not enough for a toddler. I think one place had the figures done by a third party, so probably just sent in a tiny portion to be tested.

Loire

I had an idea a few years ago - probably insane but anyway:

You get a very well-known chef and you convert an articulated lorry into a mobile restaurant. You drive to small towns and villages around the country (where there's a lack of decent restaurants) all with advance bookings. I reckon it would clean up for the novelty factor alone. Might only work for a year or two but there could also be a TV angle to it too.

Loire.

Faith

So kitchen and dining room would fit in the truck?

Loire

Just the "dining" room. Food would be prepared in another truck.

Faith

Loire wrote: »

Just the "dining" room. Food would be prepared in another truck.

Interesting idea!

thegreatgonzo

My favourite meal is breakfast so I'd have an all day breakfast place that does every type of breakfast/brunchy thing, fry ups, french toast, eggs benedict, fishy breakfasts, whisky porridge whatever.

Loire

Faith wrote: »

Interesting idea!

Thanks! Not sure how it would work practically (health and safety for example) but it would be some craic. You'd have all walks of life and all different accents up & down the country.

Loire

thegreatgonzo wrote: »

My favourite meal is breakfast so I'd have an all day breakfast place that does every type of breakfast/brunchy thing, fry ups, french toast, eggs benedict, fishy breakfasts, whisky porridge whatever.

Deadly. You could call it "The Breakfast Club"

Mrs Fox

In Exile wrote: »

I've a buffalo sauce, either spicy or mild, perfected. .

I'm going to give your recipe a this weekend. Have everything bar sherry.

Alun

Loire wrote: »

I had an idea a few years ago - probably insane but anyway:

You get a very well-known chef and you convert an articulated lorry into a mobile restaurant. You drive to small towns and villages around the country (where there's a lack of decent restaurants) all with advance bookings. I reckon it would clean up for the novelty factor alone. Might only work for a year or two but there could also be a TV angle to it too.

Loire.

You could also do a 'pop up' restaurant kind of thing, so would only need the truck to transport cooking equipment, tables, chairs, crockery etc. You could then set up in village halls etc.

pwurple

Mine would be all day brunch and dessert kinda place.

You know sometimes you go to a chinese or indian, and they have generally unappealing desserts? Over sweet, or premade freezer horribleness. This place would be where you go to get a GOOD dessert, after a meal at those places. When I lived in NYC we would go to chinatown for dinner, and then little italy for dessert... so something along those lines. Or maybe like the dessert section of Serendipity 3 with their frozen hot chocolate. (upper east side nyc).

So, things like
Mouth puckeringly tart lemon tart
Gooey hot sticky toffee pudding
Tiramisu
Sundaes, massive ones for sharing between friends.
Chocolate Mousse, milky, or so dark it threatens to absorb the universe itself.
Pretty iced biscuits for people who just want something small with a cuppa.
Maybe some kind of fancy signature dessert that needs 24 hour notice to be prepared. Like a Flaming Moe.

And the brunch menu would be pancakes, eggs florentine/benedict, smoked mackerel pate with herby scones, chilli smoked salmon omelette, full grill.

Worked in a restaurant as a student, so of course that put me off it for life. If someone opens this place for me though I promise to be a good customer.

homemadecider

thegreatgonzo wrote: »

My favourite meal is breakfast so I'd have an all day breakfast place that does every type of breakfast/brunchy thing, fry ups, french toast, eggs benedict, fishy breakfasts, whisky porridge whatever.

You had me at 'whiskey'!