3 hours ago, Big Joe the Pro said:
St. Louis is a fine city. It has problems and no-go areas like any other metropolitan area in this world.
Don't take my word for it. 'The New York Times' put St. Louis on their places to visit list this year.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/07/travel/places-to-visit.html?_r=0
I lived in St. Louis for 8 years, though it was more than a decade ago, and I still visit occasionally. I loved my time there and would have happily stayed had circumstances allowed. It was very different from any place I’d lived before and since, but there were many things about the city, its culture, and quality of life that I enjoyed and still miss. I lived in the city proper, and my two neighborhoods there are still among my favorite places.
As a city and region it certainly has its problems, but for purposes of this discussion I think the key thing to know is that the aggregate economic and demographic data masks the fact that the city’s neighborhoods and nearby ‘burbs differ greatly. There are many strong, lively, thriving areas with good restaurants, some high-end, others more eclectic/ethnic/casual. There are neighborhoods and ‘burbs which, economically, are obvious homes for more expensive restaurants, but some of the best/most popular are in quirky, unexpected spots. People will find their way if it’s good.
That said, in my experience there, I think your proposed system could work if it’s straightforward, unpretentious, and priced fairly. It might be easier for potential customers to understand if it’s presented simply as a prix fixe menu, deposit required, refundable with >48 hr cancellation.
Do you expect that you’ll be able to provide some information about the meal before the 48 hr cancellation time--theme, featured ingredients, something so it isn’t a complete mystery? That could be both reassuring to first-time customers as well as a selling point.
I’ll be very interested to see how your local/foraging approach translates to St. Louis. One of the things I miss about the area is the long, warm growing season. I haven’t had a truly great peach since I moved back to the northeast, and it was always exciting when local farmers offered morels and black walnuts.
