When Vancouver Restaurants Go Dark

[jamiemaw]

As Andrew reported on the Openings and Closings thread this morning, Bis Moreno has been sold. The press release essentially quoted family reasons: the burden of raising a young family while both parents were involved in the operation of the restaurant. Earlier this year, to ease the hours, Cinzia Miotto took a day job out of the industry.

The restaurant opened to raves and was well promoted by Alexander Ink. We ran a review that was published in tandem with a Chef at Large show (about the business of restaurant reviewing), that was seen across the country. The restaurant placed second in the EnRoute magazine Best New Restaurants of 2003. It also won the hearts and minds of our 30-odd critics in the 2004 Best New Restaurant (Fine Dining) category, outpacing Cru, Parkside and Aurora to a gold award.

The Miottos did a lot of things right, including their investment in brutally hard work and long hours but without the benefit of a consistent return on that investment.

So what went wrong? Certainly Moreno can cook. I ate several extraordinary dishes there: white asparagus soup with truffle oil, panko-coated spaghetti with marinated anchovies and mandarin orange segments (vivid--and perhaps the best pasta dish I’ve eaten in Vancouver), and lobster-crammed raviolis in a tomato and basil sauce. The opening wine service was educational and thoughtful too.

But I think there were other issues at work. And I thought mention of them might be useful to consider.

1. Location. A graveyard restaurant space that buried Massimo’s, Café Milano, (Andrey Durbach's) Étoile, Zinfandel, and then a Greek joint that sounded like a herbal dandruff remedy. And right across the street from one of the most successful restaurants in the province, which can be a little demoralizing, especially on summer nights (see 5, below).

2. Small Plates/Tasting Menu in a Formal Setting. Moreno opened and then hung on (too stubbornly, I think) to lengthy tasting menus. Early on, the wait between courses frequently crossed the 15-minute divide between anticipation and the fidgets. One evening took almost three hours. Vancouverites aren't eager to commit to that mid-week, at least not without the buzz of other, more casual small plates alternatives. By the time the menu converted to an a la carte option, it may have been too late (see 6. below).

Small Plates is a bit of bait-and-switch. When you and I go to a casual room we think 'hmm, 2 (people) x 2.5 (dishes each) x $13 ($65) ain't gong to kill us.' But a tasting menu, with the prices posted at $75 - $100 makes the commitment-fearful (time and money) run away. In reality, when alcohol is measured in, the average checks converge. But it's been proven that Vancouverites want to look at dinner more as a date than a marriage. And that's why Feenie's, for example, is more profitable than Lumière.

3. A Cool Room. The blue room was handsome, but spare and cool. Its monastic quality seemed more encouraging of whispering than laughter, although a superb fistfight broke out one night, one of the perps being a middle-aged woman with a terrific left uppercut. Some people liked it very much, but perhaps not enough.

4. Too Few Go-Backs. Somewhere between the one-timer and the regular lies the Go-Back, those who probably need a sitter and dine out once or twice a month. Many people visited only once; the reasons above, together with 6, below, apply

5. No Patio. Tough to keep your suppliers happy when Labour Day looks a thousand miles away.

6. Suspension of Marketing. Usually the first thing to go in a revenue-static operation is the PR, marketing and advertising. Alexander Ink, after a highly succesful campaign, went first. The 'front-of-mind' battle for potential patrons went next.

7. Husband and Wife Operation. Tough.

8. Fatigue. When the raindance for bums-in-seats stops working, it stops being fun. The passion erodes too.

I wish Cinzia and Moreno the very best in their new careers, and dearly hope to see his flavours show up elsewhere in his new role as menu consultant. Their contribution via Bis Moreno was brief but large. I'll miss them, and their tomato sauce--the best in the city.

Jamie

Edited October 13, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[SBonner]

I might add... losing a great sommelier early on, very negative feed back from e-gulleteers during dine out, and only open for dinner. I think the menu was also alittle to complex for alot of Vancouverites to grasp.

Sad to see them go and best of luck to the new owners. It is as Jamie said not a great location.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited October 13, 2005 by SBonner (log)

[Vancouver Lee]

It makes me sad to see any business close, especially ones where the owners are so passionate about what they do, but it's doubly sad in this case.

I had the great pleasure of sampling Moreno's cooking up close and personal when he prepared a superb five course meal featuring grilled horse tenderloin. It was abundantly clear that my less-than positive experience during Dine Out was an aberration. As Jamie said above, the man can cook. It's a shame that this isn't enough to ensure success in the restaurant business.

I hope that Moreno's absence from the kitchen won't be a long one, but whatever road he chooses, I wish him the best.

[Keith Talent]

One thing and one thing only; Poor value. While the food was superb, the portions were ridiculously small. The wine service was almost laughable. The accompanying flights with the tasting menus were poured in such niggardly portions that you almost felt you were being taunted. I've had more generous samplings in winery tasting rooms. Add the fact that the wine would be poured ten minutes prior the (late) arrival of the dish, and you're left with nothing but water for that course.

The troubling thing is all conventional wisdom and consensus pointed the fact that patrons were dissatified with the portion size, such an easy thing to fix, there was an almost stubborness to correct what I like most diners considerd a fatal flaw. Too bad. I hope to eat Moreno's food again somewhere soon.

[jamiemaw]

One thing and one thing only; Poor value. While the food was superb, the portions were ridiculously small. The wine service was almost laughable. The accompanying flights with the tasting menus were poured in such niggardly portions that you almost felt you were being taunted. I've had more generous samplings in winery tasting rooms. Add the fact that the wine would be poured  ten minutes prior the (late) arrival of the dish, and you're left with nothing but water for that course.

The troubling thing is all conventional wisdom and consensus pointed the fact that patrons were dissatified with the portion size, such an easy thing to fix, there was an almost stubborness to correct what I like most diners considerd a fatal flaw. Too bad. I hope to eat Moreno's food again somewhere soon.

←

This comment, coming from the 2005 eGullet-Dayquil Wine Tasting Awardee, I take very seriously.

[Keith Talent]

I wonder if anyone from Vicks has approached the Riedel people about producing specific DayQuil and NyQuil glasses. I for one would prefer to take my medicine from a fine Austrian piece of tailor-made crystal. I'd also like a cough syrup decanter for my bathroom counter.

[*Deborah*]

I think the DayQuil glass is a bit wider at the rim, while the NyQuil one curves back in to concentrate the unique nose and centre the liquid in your furrowed tongue whilst imbibing.

[Vancouver Lee]

I wonder if anyone from Vicks has approached the Riedel people about producing specific DayQuil and NyQuil glasses. I for one would prefer to take my medicine from a fine Austrian piece of tailor-made crystal. I'd also like a cough syrup decanter for my bathroom counter.

←

Never happpen. The existing Dayquil/Nyquil cups were plastic so they don't shatter when your shot of medicine knocks you on your ass. Can you imagine the liability lawsuits Riedel would have to defend?

[Daddy-A]

[host]

Meanwhile ....

Remember that topic? Let's stick to it please.

A.

[/host]

[nwyles]

I find it incredibly sad when a restaurant goes dark. It is not just an investment or a job, it becomes a part of you. I certainly look forward to seeing where he pops up as I have had the pleasure of his cooking on a few occasions, one on a more informal, chefs around a table sort of affair. I understand the room has been sold. I wish the new owner all the best in a challenged location.

[canucklehead]

I am sorry to hear about Bis Mereno. I'll be honest and say that I have been concerned for a while. The night I went (for a special horse based tasting menu) - it was pretty quiet.

The food was very good - but I will have to agree with KT and say that given the prices they charged - they were in competition with all of the serious rooms in the city. The portion sizes were fine - but for less money I could have dined at West, which is setting the bar right now for fine food.

One thing was undeniable - you could really see how much passion and heart Moreno put into the operation. I hope that he finds a new venue for his food. I am sure it is heartbreaking to put yourself out there but still, somehow, not connecting with the diners in the city.

Hmmm - I think that I may be projecting my personal life here. I am going to have a little lie down now.

Edited October 13, 2005 by canucklehead (log)