Professor S
05-17-2010, 02:29 PM
My wife and I have been brainstorming ideas for a Restaurant/Bar recently, and we've come up with two that we think are pretty good. We'd like to get your feedback.
The Hall (the name is weak, we know)
The idea behind this place is that it could be a family/group style restaurant for those who want more than Italian. Its kid of a mix of The Cracker Barrel and Buca Di Beppo. The decor is that of a large Colonial Inn, with wooden beams, large stone fireplaces (with roast pig turning on the spit on weekends).
The Bar - The bar would have a large selection of mainly micro-brews, with months "guest" beers. Lager served cold. Ale served at room temp. Ample wine and booze selection, but the beer selection is the draw. Lighter beer is served in German style beer mugs. Darker beers (porters, stouts) served in wooden flagons.
The Food - Like Bucca, food is served family style in the dining room (bar has sandwich selections and apps like Scotch Eggs). The style is simple. Roasted meats, potatoes and root vegetables. Hearty soups, stews and pot-pies. My signature dishes would be garlic and rosemary crusted rib roast and a selection of "pot pies" (basically all stews and thick pot-pie like concoctions are served in freshly baked, fluted pie crust bowls that are baked separately. Just ladel the stew into the crusted pie plate/bowl)
On the weekends, local musicians would be invited to play old folk-music on ancient instruments (there are a lot out there, and they tend to be cheap)
The experience is to be one of a "raucous (but safe for kids) good time"
Speak Easy
This bar a restaurant is exactly what it is named for: A 1920's speak easy. My wife and I thought of this when we were in Scotland and Ireland last summer. My wife loved Rum and Coke, but whenever she ordered one, the bartenders would look at us strangely and serve a shot of rum and a bottle of coke.
After doing some research, we discovered why: The cocktail is an American invention. During prohibition much of the booze was so vile that bartenders in speak easys hads to find a way to mask the bad taste. Ergo, the cocktail was born. Classics like the Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, Rob Roy, etc. all stemmed from this time period. The bartenders were chefs behind the bar, wearing velvet red velvet jackets and bow ties. Jazz music played and people danced and drank and had a great time.
So, the idea is to capture the zeitgeist of that time period and open a modern speak easy. The front of the house is a casual fine dining restaurant (with alcohol served, of course), but the bar area is in the back of the house. There is a side entrance if you just want to go to the bar, the door having a heavy sliding metal window. There is a VIP area, but in order to get there you have to know the password (this password changes often, but is part of advertisements on the radio and in print).
The drinks center around cocktails. High quality cocktails. No mixes. Only house made simple syrup and freshly squeezed fruit juices.
The food is American style casual fine dining with a lean towards a fancy steakhouse (think Sullivans but not ala carte): A large selection of steaks and fresh seafood.
The decor is all Art Deco (Empire State Building Style) and the waiters wear high-waisted tuxes and waitresses are dressed as "flappers".
While I think this might be a hit in the states, the plan is to open it in large British and European cities. If Irish Bars are commonplace in America, why can't an American style bar/restaurant be the next big thing is Europe? With an emphasis on high quality cocktails, I think it could be very different and a big hit.
The Hall (the name is weak, we know)
The idea behind this place is that it could be a family/group style restaurant for those who want more than Italian. Its kid of a mix of The Cracker Barrel and Buca Di Beppo. The decor is that of a large Colonial Inn, with wooden beams, large stone fireplaces (with roast pig turning on the spit on weekends).
The Bar - The bar would have a large selection of mainly micro-brews, with months "guest" beers. Lager served cold. Ale served at room temp. Ample wine and booze selection, but the beer selection is the draw. Lighter beer is served in German style beer mugs. Darker beers (porters, stouts) served in wooden flagons.
The Food - Like Bucca, food is served family style in the dining room (bar has sandwich selections and apps like Scotch Eggs). The style is simple. Roasted meats, potatoes and root vegetables. Hearty soups, stews and pot-pies. My signature dishes would be garlic and rosemary crusted rib roast and a selection of "pot pies" (basically all stews and thick pot-pie like concoctions are served in freshly baked, fluted pie crust bowls that are baked separately. Just ladel the stew into the crusted pie plate/bowl)
On the weekends, local musicians would be invited to play old folk-music on ancient instruments (there are a lot out there, and they tend to be cheap)
The experience is to be one of a "raucous (but safe for kids) good time"
Speak Easy
This bar a restaurant is exactly what it is named for: A 1920's speak easy. My wife and I thought of this when we were in Scotland and Ireland last summer. My wife loved Rum and Coke, but whenever she ordered one, the bartenders would look at us strangely and serve a shot of rum and a bottle of coke.
After doing some research, we discovered why: The cocktail is an American invention. During prohibition much of the booze was so vile that bartenders in speak easys hads to find a way to mask the bad taste. Ergo, the cocktail was born. Classics like the Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, Rob Roy, etc. all stemmed from this time period. The bartenders were chefs behind the bar, wearing velvet red velvet jackets and bow ties. Jazz music played and people danced and drank and had a great time.
So, the idea is to capture the zeitgeist of that time period and open a modern speak easy. The front of the house is a casual fine dining restaurant (with alcohol served, of course), but the bar area is in the back of the house. There is a side entrance if you just want to go to the bar, the door having a heavy sliding metal window. There is a VIP area, but in order to get there you have to know the password (this password changes often, but is part of advertisements on the radio and in print).
The drinks center around cocktails. High quality cocktails. No mixes. Only house made simple syrup and freshly squeezed fruit juices.
The food is American style casual fine dining with a lean towards a fancy steakhouse (think Sullivans but not ala carte): A large selection of steaks and fresh seafood.
The decor is all Art Deco (Empire State Building Style) and the waiters wear high-waisted tuxes and waitresses are dressed as "flappers".
While I think this might be a hit in the states, the plan is to open it in large British and European cities. If Irish Bars are commonplace in America, why can't an American style bar/restaurant be the next big thing is Europe? With an emphasis on high quality cocktails, I think it could be very different and a big hit.