Boulud To Open New Pan-European Brasserie

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Oy! The food writing world is all a-twitter with the upcoming opening of super chef Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen & Bar in NYC!

Grub Street gave us a full look at the menu after a recent foodie preview. Dubbed as a ‘Pan-European brasserie’, the menu includes a great selection of seafood bites, burgers, and sausages, with the occasional veal tongue (take it from me – don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!). A full ice-cream cart rounds out the dessert options.

Despite early rumors about the menu, Boulud recently batted down the idea that DBGB is a burger joint. Our friends at Zagat have the video to prove it!

Originally slated to open in late April, Gothamist tells us we should expect an early June opening of the highly-anticipated space with a ‘kitchen supply’ feel, complete with pots and pans donated by fellow master chefs. Eater NY has a great selection of pics of both the menu and the space!

I can’t wait for a visit to DBGB in the fall while I’m in NYC for the 2009 New York Wine & Food Festival! Yay!

New Menu-Labeling Laws Proposed Across US

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Hot on the heels of new legislation in Multnomah County (where Portland resides), the Oregon House of Representatives recently approved a new menu-labeling bill that would affect food service operations statewide. The proposed bill, similar to ones already passed in King County, Wash., New York City, N.Y., and Philadelphia, Penn., would require restaurants to display calorie counts for each of their food items, with fines up to $2000 for restaurants who do not comply.

New York Governor David Paterson also recently proposed that the city’s menu-labeling law be extended statewide. The New York  legislation ‘would require chain restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and mobile vendor operations with 15 or more units nationwide to post calories on menus and menu boards at the point of purchase. Restaurants would also be required to post calories on drive-thru menus.’

“More than half of American adults are overweight or obese and the rates of obesity have tripled in children and teens since 1980,” Paterson said. “This legislation will help New Yorkers make better decisions about what they eat and will encourage more healthful choices, which will have a significant impact in reducing obesity.”

Similar legislation is being considered in Oklahoma, Indiana, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, and South Carolina.

Personally, I’m curious whether the menu-labeling will negatively impact restaurant business (‘Oh my! Look at the calorie count on that dish!’) and/or whether it will impact a diner’s decision.

Would the new laws change the way you eat?

Mother’s Day at L’Absinthe, New York

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Fellow food writer Bret Thorn wrote a short piece recently on his visit to L’Absinthe in New York. It seems their absinthe drinks are a not-to-miss for anyone in the NYC area. It turns out their food isn’t too bad either, with Time Out New York nominating them for Best Bistro last spring, and Zagat reporting that their food is ‘worth every euro’!

If you’re looking for a great place for Mother’s Day brunch, I recommend you check out L’Absinthe. Their Mother’s Day menu includes:

• Lobster Salad, Guacamole, Tomato, Fennel, Lemon and Honey Ginger Dressing
• Omelette, Fresh Morels, Asparagus, Swiss Cheese
• Poached Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and Salmon Caviar
• Pan Seared Sirloin Steak,  Green Pepper Sauce, Green Beans and Potato Galette
• Duck Leg Confit Served Crispy, Sauteed Potatoes with Frisee Salad and Fava Beans
• Atlantic Organic Salmon, Crunchy Wheat Vermicelli, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Scallions and Miso Sauce

And if you’re still in search of a Mother’s Day gift for your foodie Mom (or your foodie wife, girlfriend, significant other) Food & Wine’s Emily Kaiser suggests the recently released Cooking Bundle from Nintendo DS, which includes a copy of their step-by-step instructional software, Personal Trainer: Cooking.

Portland’s Vindalho Delivers the Indian Goods

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

While I certainly would never label myself a ‘restaurant reviewer’, as I like to leave the actual restaurant reviewing to the actual restaurant reviewers, I do love to write about the great food moments that happen. (And sometimes, the bad food moments as well!)

Last week, I had the chance to dine at Portland’s Vindalho, which touts itself as modern Indian, ’spice route’ cuisine. I had such a marvelous experience, I posted my thoughts over at Accidental Hedonist. You can also check out my upcoming interview with Vindalho’s Chef de Cuisine, and Portland’s current reigning Iron Chef, David Anderson, on Super Chef blog as well.

Starbucks Reports 77% Drop in Quarterly Earnings

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Ouch! Is Starbucks headed in the way of the big 3 auto dealers? After raking in cash, and expanding exponentially over the last few years, the coffee giant has been hit hard by the challenging economy.

This week, Starbucks announced that their second quarter earnings for 2009 saw a 77% decline in quarterly earnings, with the average customer spending 3% less per transaction. The company noted, however, that their reduction and reorganization plans had saved the company $120 million for the quarter. Owner Howard Schultz remains confident that Starbucks is headed in the right direction.

“Our focus on delivering value while staying true to the premium quality and values of the brand is paying off,” said Schultz.

In an effort to stave off slumping sales, Starbucks closed nearly 800 stores over the course of 2008, while trying to lure in customers with new coffee brewers and smoothies. By the end of 2008, Schultz was encouraged that his coffee brand would continue to grow.

NY Times’ Bruni Suggests Moving Bread to the Menu

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Author Frank Bruni has a great post today on his New York Times blog, Diner’s Journal, commenting on the recent move of many restaurants to begin charging for their ‘extras’, namely the standard bread and butter.

It seems many diners have a problem with being charged for items that were previously complimentary, so Bruni tries to take an alternate view, suggesting that more restaurants charge for bread and other assortments. He offers that perhaps, with charging for such items, you’d receive a higher quality of item, rather than the kitchen leftovers. He refers to the bread and butter starter listed on the Momofuku Ssam menu:

Here’s it’s $8 for those people who really care about bread and butter and are really planning on eating this bread and butter. Everyone else can simply move on to the next menu item.

I wholeheartedly agree with his assessment of many restaurant visitors who would rather pay for the bread and butter (and other complimentary items) when they wanted it, rather than having bread service included in the entree prices.

Moreso, the reason restaurants are needing to charge for such items is certainly because the lack of overall menu sales. By reducing pricing on main menu items, and eliminating the ‘free’ stuff, restaurants will inevitably save more money at the bottom line. I say absolutely!

Weekly Newsbits: GMOs in Your Kitchen, Swine Flu Renamed, Restaurants Resume Hiring!

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

A few of our favorite newsbits from today:

Rose over at A Little Bit of Green (which I found via Twitter from Real Food Media) has a great list of seven products you have in your kitchen that may be genetically-modified. I’m pretty surprised to see natural cleaning products on the list.

What do you do when there’s an unkosher flu going around? You rename it! Israel’s Health Minister, Yakov Litzman, has renamed the swine flu. I’m not sure if it helps or if it just offends a whole new group of people.

Could it be? Is it true? Nation’s Restaurant News is reporting that hiring is on the rise within the food and beverage industry. Though it’s still a bit low, at least 20% of restaurant managers who participated in a recent industry survey said they plan on adding to their staff over the next year.

What Food Items Are Surviving The Economy?

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Fast Company’s Anne Lee recently did a great rundown of what’s still hot in the food and beverage industry despite the economic downturn, complete with handy-dandy graphs.

What’s not selling? According to Lee:

• Bakeries
• Movie theatre concessions
• Coffeehouses
• Organic food

Though I’m disappointed, I’m not surprised at all to see organics on the list. Despite local production and lack of traditional pesticides, organics are still, surprisingly, the highest priced items in the store (or on the menu).

What’s hot these days? Instant food like macaroni & cheese, sandwich fixings, and brew-it-yourself coffee. Why? Experts say it’s the ‘comfort food’ factor.

It hits the spot when people are “feeling at home or feeling miserable,” says [Bill Patterson, a senior analyst at consumer market research firm Mintel].

Five Tips for Handling Bad Waiters

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

There’s nothing I have less forgiveness for than watching a restaurant customer berate a server. First of all, it’s always obvious to me when customers haven’t worked within a restaurant environment, because they’re quick to antagonize the hostess, the bus boy, the server. Secondly, the bad customer almost always harasses the server for items that are beyond his or her control, such as a wait for food or wrong substitutions.

But what happens when it really is a server issue? Whether it’s a lack of knowledge of the menu or the inability to provide service with a smile, how do you deal with bad service? This week, Andrew Knowlton over at Bon Appetit’s The BA Foodist offers five tips for handling a waiter who falls short of your expectations, including eating at the bar and telling everyone you know about the bad experience (ha!).

In addition, my two suggestions are this:

1) Folks have forgotten that tips are just that – complimentary cash for great service. I’m still amazed at how often I eat out with friends or family members, the check comes, and the person paying the tab still leaves a tip, even if the service was mediocre, or worse, dismal. My best tip experience was down in Australia, where servers are paid a top wage and tips are rarely provided by customers. If the service doesn’t warrant a tip, don’t leave one.

2) If you really experience bad service, really, truly, don’t be afraid to notify the restaurant manager. During one awful birthday dining event, we had a waiter who was a little too cocky, rudely bantering with my husband when he inquired as to the preparation of a dish. When I asked that my steak be very well done, instead of medium or medium rare, the waiter snidely commented that I should order fish instead, painfully unaware that my fully-cooked meat request was a requirement as a heavily-pregnant woman. When he stepped away from our table, I was quick to flag down the restaurant’s manager, relating our unhappy experience and requesting another server. The manager was more than happy to accommodate.

Going Organic On Earth Day

Posted by Jennifer Heigl

Organics, sustainability, ‘locovores’, oh my! In honor of today’s Earth Day celebrations, I’ve compiled a small pile of newsbits with a green focus. Remember – you don’t have to think about sustainability just one day a year. Reduce, reuse, recycle every day! Be cognizant of your carbon footprint, from your car to your lunch! Encourage your favorite restaurants to utilize locally produced, organic food stuffs. Build a composter in your own backyard! The environmental-friendly possibilities are endless. Happy Earth Day!

Today’s Los Angeles Times has a great article on ‘tackling the ethics of eating’. From buying local to producing food in your own backyard, you can incorporate sustainability with every meal. Love that steak dinner? According to author Mark Bittman, “Eating a typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivalent, energy-wise, of driving around in an SUV for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home.” Ouch.

Thinking about developing your own organic garden? The Wall Street Journal’s Neal Templin takes a look at just how much money you can save by producing your own veggies at home. Especially in these tough economic times, a garden space may just the money-saver you’re looking for. Even the Obamas are doing it!

CNN also took a look at the benefits of buying your food items from local producers. Supporting regional farms and farmers by becoming a ‘locovore’ can help to reduce your family’s carbon footprint, not to mention the advantage of knowing how your food is being produced, from pesticide use to distribution.

Finally, as I’ve preached to many other restaurant and food service owners, offering a sustainable, earth-friendly business can oftentimes edge out your competitors. Nation’s Restaurant News reported on a recent study finding that 73% of consumers are purchasing ‘green’ products when making their buying choices. This includes supporting companies with sustainable business practices as well as providing recycled items, biodegradable items, and, of course, organics. Just keep your eyes open for greenwashing!