Lreda

Glad someone brought this up as I really liked Dish but it was too much of a travel after a while for me. I like to drink & drive closer to home. I always liked this place, a little too dark for me and the food off at times but a neat place. Listen up fellow owners, another example of a well-rated restaurant that falls by the wayside without an explanation. And for those who patronize our restaurants, if you see we're slacking and you enjoy eating in a particular place then speak up. We're not perfect. It's really tough to stay on top of everything. I don't consider it an insult if someone says something's not right. I can fix it.

Aahhh! You didn't break Curlz' chops, why me?

Tommy, can you join us?

Thanks for the tip. Grabbed a reservation for 6 on 9/9 for lunch.

David, you in addition to most of the egullet members that know me should know that I love to pontificate about the restaurant business. Sometimes, I might spout off before I have all the info. As far as Zagat's, Fuck em'.

My apologies. Boat man, you are correct, I should have waited before commenting. I don't mean to qualify myself as I shouldn't have posted without facts, but noting the time of the post I had just finished working 14 hours. Mea cupla, mea culpa.

Actually a bottle of wine is 750 ml. That's 24 ozs. I use a 8 oz glass. That's 3 glasses from a bottle with a slurp left over. Yes, you can buy this bottle for less than $7 but WE don't pay that price. We pay almost $10. The Buy Rite's pay $7. So, in my case I'm doubling the cost of the bottle of wine.

Just to lend a different point of view. That wine that was for sale at under $7 a bottle was most likely from a Bottle King, Gary's, etc. They buy in bulk. They buy wine on a 10-50 case purchase package. By buying 50 case they pay $6.00. They sell that wine and only make 25 cents a bottle. This is done to bring you in to get a bottle or a case for a light price and hope you impulse buy and pick a bottle of Grand Mainier where Bottle King makes a $10 profit. Restaurants may purchase 1-5 cases and pay up to $10 a bottle and with the cost of our licenses and insurance we double the cost to the customer. We have to mark up the lower cost wines to make money. On the otherhand, you're more than welcome to dine with me and drink a Burgess Cab '94 at $90 a bottle. I paid $25 in '96 for this bottle but I coddled it and took care of it for your dining pleasure. Good deal. As far as Gary's & Buy-Rites and the such, they're in business and I have no love for them nor the liquor houses we buy from. Example: I'm off and cooking at home. No desire to set foot into The Grill and need some white for before dinner so I head to the local Bottle King where I look and find Flower's Chardonnay for $19.99. Good deal but a problem, I paid $25.99 to put in on my list. 2nd problem, the price listed in the beverage journal thet we use for pricing listed it at $25.99. This is against the law. I buy 2 bottles because the price is cheaper than I bought it for. What's to stop me from buying at Bottle King and selling in The Grill? Against the law. I have a liquor license that I paid a huge amount for and have to oblige by it. I call the company and after avoiding me and my calls because I know they can't sell and Bottle King can't buy unless they buy at the listed price they tell me Bottle King mispriced the Flowers'. 2 months later......still $19.99.

Smells like a chain, looks like a chain, well.......... must be a f***in chain. Blehhhh!!!

I'd like to 2nd Fascino's. Does my heart good to see a family work hard and be rewarded.

Yes dear. See how well Sue trained me.

Thanks to everyone, it's been a hectic week. David, the bar menu is ready now but I'm not. With the review coming out I'm bracing for the normal crunch that comes with it and getting my ass in the kitchen. Then, I hit the shore at the end of Sept for 10 days. I intend to start the bar menu in Oct.

Thanks all.. Just picked it up and as you all would suspect I had hoped it would be a little better but it just means I've got to pick it up a little better. As they say, back to the labratory. Lou

Yes, the kitchen staff does need to do their job right but if they don't know you want light on the dressing they'll make it the way the chef wants. The server needs to comunicate that to the kitchen.

Anthony, If you know these places have shortcomings, especially a chain, why go? The reason you're going to Outback is because it's less expensive than a restaurant that ages their steaks or uses a better cut. You get what you pay for. Also, by complaining about Outback here does no good. There are no restauranteurs, they're owned by a corporation. Eff em'. Your server is to blame at Epernay, short and sweet. The server puts the order in and when they bring it out of the kitchen it up to them to tell whoever made the salad that it's over-dressed. In addition, the server should follow up a few minutes after it's served to see if it's up to your standards. Also let the host or Maitre'd know on the way out. Otherwise, we are listening, at least I am.

Ahhh, a Thursday. Sue and I are in as long as it's the 1st two weeks in Sept. Get it together and we're there.

Word

A cold green bean, jersey tomato, red onion & fingerling potato salad with white balsamic & home made extra olive oil...... in addition to others. Salad was good. Nothing like great oil and sea salt to make a salad.

Tommy, Do you think Fink would cater a party I want to throw at our rented house down the shore at the end of September? How many people did you have? I've got some friends that are BBQ freaks. It'll also be a night I don't have to cook for all my buds.

That's a interesting idea. They would make great gifts.

Oops!!! I first scrambled in the kitchen to make sure I had pork tenderloin.

Much more for a chain than an individual restaurant. If a chain came in offering me bookoo bucks I'd certainly listen. By the way, with kid's meals I make more profit than off steaks and fish. Another reason why I'm kid friendly. Let's not forget, the kids bring the parents.

Rosie, new sign coming up, it's being made now, it should be up by next week. Listen all, when I started this post my intention, perhaps not very well written, was to gauge why people go to chains and jsfein's post was exactly what I was looking for. A little insight as to why they would choose chains and what chains they like. I believe a PR firm is in my future and I know exactly who I'd go with. I followed what they've done since I met with them 18 months ago and admire what they accomplished for thir clients. Tommy, let me work on the Lardo pizza. (Which I've had). Scott's comments also were right on the money but I've never been a whistles and bells kinda guy. Anyway, thanks for the imput, that's why I enjoy this forum, it allows me to vent a little.

No, iit was busy last night, great for a Monday in July. I'm just trying to stay competitive within my area. Next Monday, I'm starting a Bar Menu with "Otto Style" pizzas, empinada's, spring rolls, etc. My bar business is good but I'm trying to improve it. If I get complacent, I won't last long. It's rough out there.

As I've done before, I'm asking the egullet crew to answer a few questions about their dining habits. Chain restaurants are swallowing up Mom & Pop, family and demented individials such as myself. My fellow owners have been sitting around drinking and debating the value of what we do and why we go the extra yard when it's not supported. Is it the convience of in and out eating. Is it there's 5 places to choose from the minute the hunger pangs start. A lot of you all have dined with me. Most I know and some I don't. How do you think I could improve my restaurant. I've read what you enjoy about other places, what could make An American Grill better? Enjoy, Lou P.S. I'm f**ked, Just left myself REALLY open. Oh well, gotta go out with a bang.