Resturant Menu Feedback Needed

[Boss Llama]

Here's my feedback on it, which comes from the perspective of a potential diner with no professional cooking training, and very finicky tastes.

Salad - Is it only Spinach and Bacon, or are those just the main elements? If there's anything else included, list those things, including dressing, oil & vinegar, etc. Vegetarians won't be pleased that the salad has bacon in it - if they omit that, is it simply a bowl of spinach? As a non-entree salad, there are probably some non-meats that would make it more flexible and less faddish (bacon is a huge fad right now, as we all know, but will it last?).

Soup - Sounds good.

Bread - This is the important one to me. Pretty much everybody in my family judges restaurants on the bread, and remembers them the same way. I can more readily describe the bread I had at a dozen fancy sit-downs than I can the entrees. A quality seasoned foccacia, olive bread, or soft twisted loaf will earn high marks. If you do classic dinner rolls, make sure they are damn good.

Vegetable - I'm not qualified to speak here, as I don't eat nearly any veggies, but anything in olive oil and garlic can't be bad.

Starch - There are many preparations of Pilaf, with various ingredients and consistencies. Like with the salad, be as descriptive as possible. I like to know the components of a dish before I order it, and having it in writing saves trouble for everybody.

Dessert - Sounds good.

Beef Entree - Tuscan grilled sirloin is awesome - ditch the egg though! This isn't breakfast, I don't want an egg on my steak. A good steak will stand quite well by itself, though I certainly approve of the cheese (I like cheese on pretty much anything). Dice up that egg and add it to the pilaf, or hardboil it for the salad or something.

Chicken Entree - Sounds good, but don't forget the accent over the e in Suprême. Supreme sauce is what you get at a fast food joint, Suprême sauce is what you get in French cuisine.

Seafood Entree - Though I don't like shrimp personally, the preparation sounds delicious. My only concern is that the Asian-inspired flavors may not mesh well with the rest of the menu, which feels like a tour of the Mediterranean.

Vegetarian Entree - I looks tasty to me, though I've heard from vegetarians that they get tired of basic pasta options. You could keep with the pasta staple and the Mediterranean theme, but perhaps spice it up a bit, by doing something like a vegetable couscous dish. I'm out of my league on specifics here, but that's probably what I'd try to aim for in your position.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Hope they're useful!

[Clay Pigeon]

Beef Entree - Tuscan grilled sirloin is awesome - ditch the egg though! This isn't breakfast, I don't want an egg on my steak. A good steak will stand quite well by itself, though I certainly approve of the cheese (I like cheese on pretty much anything). Dice up that egg and add it to the pilaf, or hardboil it for the salad or something.

I must disagree with you. One of the best suppers I ever had was pork belly with root vegetable spaetzle and a sunny-side up egg on top.


If you've ever had a bandeja paisa you'd know that egg goes excellently with steak. As does avocado and grilled onions. Now I'm hungry...


/I don't do accent marks of umlauts.

[Bakuryu]

Instead of a regular bread roll, go with something like a crostini. You can use just about anything as a topping - and you can get more out of less, as crostini tend to be simple to prepare, but often are much more attractive presentation-wise, resulting in something you can charge a lot for a little.

[Cpt._Keyes]

People will ask for substitutions or something stupid like instead of frying the egg, they want it scrambled. No. It comes as is described on the menu; "the Denny's restaurant is down the street you undeserving peasant."

They will also want things omitted from the recipe because they might be allergic to them.

Salad - spinach leaves with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon vinaigrette dressing.

Customer: "I would like the salad without tomatoes please."
server: "Sorry I can't do that"
Customer: "Fine, won't get a salad on top of the rest of what I was going to get" (You just lost money, not only from a customer not ordering more, but also that you would have the advantage of a greater profit with no tomatoes) ... server also won't get a good tip for saying something like that.

this isnt chili's, the menu...is the menu... allergic or not...and the price is for the whole meal...you will pay the 16 bucks for a steak dinner even if all you eat in the thing is the egg topped on the steak


Also an idea for the vegie...whenever I cook for vegies...I made a chicken dish...and then replace chicken with artichoke...it actually serves as a very good chicken replacement (chicken alfredo, chicken and mushroom etc)

my main complaint however is the "classic dinner roll" I'm having a horrendous thought of you reaching into a plastic bag of rolls and plunking it down on the plate...the bread needs to be rethought...and use oil vice butter

[Boss Llama]

At less than 20 bucks for a full meal, it may not be Chili's or Denny's, but it ain't the Taj Mahal. While it's fine not to allow substitutions, the idea of not allowing omissions is absurd. Unless the requested omission is an actual mixed component of something that cannot be unmixed, there is no reason but ego to insist on adding it if the diner requests otherwise. People want what they like, and if a person requests that some component be kept off, keep it off.

[bullet4o1]

I was sold when you said Bacon.

[Cpt._Keyes]

At less than 20 bucks for a full meal, it may not be Chili's or Denny's, but it ain't the Taj Mahal. While it's fine not to allow substitutions, the idea of not allowing omissions is absurd. Unless the requested omission is an actual mixed component of something that cannot be unmixed, there is no reason but ego to insist on adding it if the diner requests otherwise. People want what they like, and if a person requests that some component be kept off, keep it off.

the price though has nothing to do with it...*generally* that's the menu...and that's what is in the kitchen ...to keep overhead down and freshness up

if you are talking about just removal of an item...that's fine but dont expect to substitute...or a price reduction

[LadeeeDuke]

Sounds good individually. The only thing that you may want to consider is mixing lighter fair with the heavier fair. I keep seeing cheese, butter, and other fat ladden things and my stomach moans a little. Loka's idea about the cucumber is true. In addition, I've found that salads are wonderful way to bring color and texture to a menu . . . if done well.
Also, if a chef has a ton of sauces on everything, it tells me the quality of the food is lacking and he is probably trying to cover up for what is lacking. Fewer ingredients done very well is also very appealing.

[Larry]

coming from a person that eats Ramen noodles and frozen pizzas 4 days a week, everything sounds good, but to improve the salad add shredded cheese. I don't even know what the rest of those are lol, ill have to google them.
edit: Fried potatoes are the best, put those in there somewhere, and that menu will blow your mind.

[Boss Llama]

if you are talking about just removal of an item...that's fine but dont expect to substitute...or a price reduction

Aye, that's all I'm talking about; removing something without replacing it. Sounded a bit like some folks were suggesting that shouldn't be allowed.

[BlackHawk]

I like Soup Nazi's idea, if I did that I would probably change the goat cheese on the steak to Feta. I am still consdering doing a classic wedge salad. Chef Alford did one for a chef's dinner and it came out great. Add in he did radish roses, which he has taught me how to make, and it made the dish look very high end

As for the sauce there is only one dish that uses a sauce directly, that is the chicken. I did that because I could not find a good price for chicken breast with skin on, which is great when the skin is nice and crispy. Since I could not get skin on, I added the spreme sauce (and I know there is supposed to be an accent) to bring a little more flavor

I may have to change the seafood dish. When I did the menu in class it was right before shrimp prices went through the roof.

I am not happy with the pasta myself. I have yet to find a stricktly vegetarian pasta I like. I am on a 6 hour car ride tomorrow (for an ice carving competition) with the chef who used to teach the class, so I may talk to him about ideas.

The bread will be made not store bought. I would like to change it but I may not have it in my budget. They do taste great though, I make them for events already and they are quickly grabbed up.

I am really good with rice pilaf, and I add a few more tweaks like saffron and diced roasted red pepper. I actuall have had times where I have had to make it for the food prep II class because no one in the calss could make it right (Food prep II runs the kitchen for lunch when it is open to the public)

I do know I am heavy on the olive oil, and need to find a acid to cut it with.

But over all the bigest issue is that I am on a tight budget. I have do do everything for $6.78 or less while still providing full service white table cloth level food. It's not an easy thing to do.

As for removal of items, that can be done. Subs is a little more difficult depending on what they want to sub, but we are taught to work with the customers on this

[The Spanish Inquisition]

The reason for not allowing subs in school restaurant is because everyone is learning. If you are allergic to tomatoes and tell the waiter you don't want tomatoes, there is a very good chance that the guy making salads doesn't understand tomato allergies and that you can't even get a drop of tomato juice on anything. Salad guy most likely has already prepared a few salads ready to go and then just picks off the tomatoes.

It's only through experience that you learn to not get burned on things like this and the school setting is just not the place to test your luck.

[BlackHawk]

That is true in a highschool level class, but this is an advanced college level class, and food safety, including allergen awarness, is part of the grade. We treat this like a real world resturant, the only thing is we can not be fired, though we can be failed

[Soup Nazi]

I like Soup Nazi's idea.

Thats the first time I've heard that in a while! XP

As a foodie myself (and also my name sake here), I enjoy good foods and appreciate the care and hard work it takes to make something that much more special. I commend you for trying your luck at such a demanding profession. Such as it is, I still find that being a real chef would be too hard for me. I can make a great meal for myself and a few friends and family, but I wouldn't be able to take the heartache of having people eat my art all the time XP

What are some of the available types of seafood you have to work with? Same thing with veggies! I'm sure you know, local ingredients is often cheaper and fresher.

[Boss Llama]

Impressive challenges you're working with, BlackHawk.

Another fun pasta to work with if you're still considering stuff for the vegetarian plate is Orzo. I don't think you'd ever do it with a rice pilaf, but IIRC you said the vegetarian dish didn't need to have a starch accompaniment. Stir-fry it instead of just boiling, and add whatever you like (I'm sure you know better than I do). It does taste good with a bit of lemon or other citrus in it, which might help with the acid side you're hunting.

Feta is definitely great with sirloin. Good choice (imo).