Pub-Bistro Menu

[rlibkind]

Acchhh! Responded before I got to your last message. Good luck in your search (and keep Blooming Glen in mind).

[raxelita]

Love a well-made steak frites with au poivre or bearnaise. Definitley second getting a good beer selection, (perhaps with a highlight on philly's wonderful local brews?) and the idea of having some interesting variations on moules frites (a la Monk's).

Best of luck and keep us posted!

R

[raxelita]

Good cheese and charcuiterie.  Maybe chat up Hendricks Farms (just down Allentown Road)  and get a steady supply of their cheese... and when/if they branch out into the charcuiterie I'd bet it will be good.

I'd like to add to this. Focusing on small, local producers is a nice idea that people tend to respond to. Where I work right now, we get most of our cheese direct from New York farms. NYer's like that-- It's one of the reasons we have so many regulars.

[herbacidal]

the old Kauffman House is still empty... and bad reports have been coming about the Argus Inn for long enough that it might have been empty by now...  And isn't the old Rising Sun Inn or Bell House or whatever it was called most recently for sale too?

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Well, if they do turn out to be unresolvable, what about the places Chris mentions above?

[cdh]

All but the Argus are certainly in Montgomery County so the license wouldn't transfer. And the Argus may still be open, and has a license already. *** UPDATE*** Arielle's, mentioned upthread, is in the old Argus Inn space...

I can't think of any turnkey restaurant spaces that are closed and in Bucks County.

Downtown Quakertown had a old building being rehabbed into a restaurant last time I passed through there... certainly not turnkey... but maybe rehabbing an old town center building might be an alternative plan... lots of little crossroads villages that might work on the Lederach/Bay Pony Inn model if you can find the right building. What you need is a Drew Lewis type behind you to make that work, though.

Edited January 27, 2006 by cdh (log)

[glepore]

Well, it gets more interesting. I originally thought this to be unworkable because the "safekeeping" period for the liquor license expires on May 1, and while a transferee gets additional time, I didn't think we could hammer out the code issues in time for me to feel comfortable with the transfer. However, it turns out the Legislature did someone a big favor-the first law signed in 2006 extends the "safekeeping" period for any license currently in that status until Feb 2007. Therefore, more time. I'm going to let the seller twist for a bit first, he's got it coming.

For those that are curious as to "safekeeping", under the liquor code you can't hold a license for an establishment that is closed for more than 15 consecutive days-you then need to turn it in to the LCB and apply to get it back. Currently, you can't leave a license in that status for more than 3 yrs without losing it.

Chris-that's my dilema, I can think of a couple places to go with it just across the Montco line, but it needs to stay in Bucks. Don't have the resources to do a ground up, either in terms of capital or tolerance for risk.

Thanks to all for the support, here and in pm's etc. Keep the fingers crossed.

[kguetzow]

I know its not typical pub fare, but I love a bowl of hot, salty edamame with a good beer. Easy to make and keeps me drinking.

[herbacidal]

Glepore,

I'm assuming that an available MontCo license has not been found, or is it just that you've been so wrapped up with your current situation that you haven't had the time?

[glepore]

Glepore,

I'm assuming that an available MontCo license has not been found, or is it just that you've been so wrapped up with your current situation that you haven't had the time?

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Herb-well, the situation is that my seller is "motivated" with regard to his license-ie it might be a screaming deal. I'm going to let this deal play out until the end.

[glepore]

Revitalizing this old thread. Turns out that the problems were nothing that couldn't be solved by burying them in wheelbarrows full of money...looking more like we'll settle in mid August and open a couple months later. I hope.

There are some excellent ideas upthread. Still remained stumped on desserts, as we won't have anyone thats a talented pastry person; I hate to just used purchased desserts...

[davecap]

Glepore

Good luck.

I have been looking to open a restaurant in Chester Co. for a few years now, but getting past the liquor laws is causing my hair to fall out. Unfortunately, in PA it seems that money is the only thing that makes the world go 'round.

As far as pastry is concerned, there are plenty of desserts you can make or train someone to make with little experience - various flavored creme brulee, cheesecakes, fresh fruit tarts with pastry cream, lemon curd, etc, chocolate tarts, chocolate mousse, any flavored mousse for that matter, chocolate terrines. Chocolate goes a long way.

[judiu]

Chocolate or lemon pudding cake! Yum! Or maybe a chocolate/coffee kind of thing, with hot coffee substituted for the hot water you pour over! There's a recipe in Recipe Gullet called: Reinvented Chocolate Pudding Cake, (I'm not techno enough to know how to make that a link) that looks extremely good!

Edited July 26, 2006 by judiu (log)

[Holly Moore]

Revitalizing this old thread. Turns out that the problems were nothing that couldn't be solved by burying them in wheelbarrows full of money...looking more like we'll settle in mid August and open a couple months later. I hope.

There are some excellent ideas upthread. Still remained stumped on desserts, as we won't have anyone thats a talented pastry person; I hate to just used purchased desserts...

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A solution I used before bringing a baker on staff was to outsource to local aspiring bakers - we developed a reputation for wonderful home cooked deserts that were truly home made.

[herbacidal]

Revitalizing this old thread. Turns out that the problems were nothing that couldn't be solved by burying them in wheelbarrows full of money...looking more like we'll settle in mid August and open a couple months later. I hope.

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Careful with that. You don't want to let that push you into opening in January and its slow cashflow period, and it'd probably be better for you to start the busy December business with kinks worked out.

Both options are bad for you, but the former is worse.

Edited July 26, 2006 by herbacidal (log)

[glepore]

Sage advice, Herb. Its a very small place, so I'm not terribly worried about the timing; but your point is well taken nonetheless.

Holly, I really like that idea, I'll have to network a bit to find some folks.

And yes to the mousse and custards.

[Meanderer]

Maybe it is just the present conditions outside that are influencing me, but I don't think you can go wrong if you can come up with good, house-made sorbets and ice cream, especially when you can use in-season fruit.

[KatieLoeb]

Maybe it is just the present conditions outside that are influencing me, but I don't think you can go wrong if you can come up with good, house-made sorbets and ice cream, especially when you can use in-season fruit.

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Or you could talk to Capogiro about their wholesale operations for gelato and sorbetto. Many of the better restaurants in town use their products and I'm certain Chester County would be all the happier for it.

And Holly's idea is an excellent one.

[Alex]

Don't forget the biscotti! Several years ago, I sold lemon-anise biscotti, made from the Cook's Illustrated recipe, to a local coffee house. They keep well, don't take up much storage space, and are a nice alternative for customers who want something sweet but are too full for a regular dessert. You even can market them as part of a special package, e.g., coffee (or Vin Santo) & biscotti.

[cdh]

So, I just saw an ad for the revamped Geryville Publick House... is that you glepore?

Have any stories to tell us about the project? How's it going?

I'll have to pop up there and give the place a look.