February 15, 2006

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Asian Allures
An operation doesn’t need to be Asian to borrow ideas, inspirations and ingredients, a truth that many American menus have embraced with deliciously exotic—and surprisingly easy—results. “Asian ingredients take food to another level,” says Greg O’Neill of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.

Slam Dunks
Restaurant patrons relish the idea—and the act—of dipping, a development that finds saucy ramekins and side dishes arriving alongside everything from steaks and chicken tenders to cheese sticks. Preparation is easy, as four recipes demonstrate.

Dish R&D: Breakfast Melt
As more sit-down breakfasts give way to easy on-the-run options, the R&D team at Sodexho’s Jazzman’s Café concept created a morning sandwich to perk up a.m. sales.

Back to Basics: Spreading Good Taste
The type of attention and effort that goes into crafting bountiful bread baskets also is being directed to their delectable sidekicks such as flavored butters, oils and spreads. Three recipes help get things started.

BUSINESS

Scratching a Niche
It’s hard to fathom, but when they first started such chains as Starbucks, Einstein Bros Bagels and Jamba Juice existed outside the mainstream. And just as those have gone on to great success, a whole new collection of upstarts is hoping to do the same. Bubble tea anyone?

Frontera’s New Frontier
Chicago’s Rick Bayless has cemented his reputation in the world of high-end Mexican cuisine. Now, in partnership with Federated Department Stores, he’s made a move into quick service. But don’t expect his standards of excellence to budge a single inch.

OPERATIONS

Range Finders
A range is heart and hearth of most kitchens and operators take very seriously the task of selecting the best one for the job.

DEPARTMENTS

R&I Insider
Red-hot Brit chain Wagamama casts its gaze across the pond to Boston; Michael Lomonaco is set to run the replacement to Vongerichten’s steakhouse in New York’s Time-Warner Center; Wendy’s and McDonald’s add new menu items, one coming in high, the other low; and Menu Focus explores just how seductive braised dishes can be.

The Ten-Minute Manager's Guide to...Being Child-Friendly
Keeping kids and adults happy in the same dining room requires patience, diplomacy and smart strategies. The Ten-Minute Manager shows how operators can orchestrate a good experience for all.

EDITORIAL

Viewpoint
A restaurant critic’s stint as a server proves how crucial and vexing the job can be.