Wednesday, October 24, 2007

What was that special again?

Melissa Clark of the New York Times did a great article “If it sounds Bad it must be Good”.

“THERE are some restaurant dishes that I order because they sound better than everything else on the menu, and there are some I order because they sound worse. My reasoning goes like this: If a chef dares to offer something as unappealing as, say, a raw kale salad, chances are it’s fantastic. I’ve played this game at restaurants all over the world, with mixed results. But when I score I score big, with a perspective-changing moment that can inspire pure glee.”

Restaurateurs need to consider all aspects of menu marketing when creating and naming items. Restaurant guests are oblivious to the expenditure of energy that is require to develop and then name an item on a menu Actually menu design is both art and science with the dull unimaginative creations holding sway in most establishments.

There are many Melissa’s out there who will trust you when you drift from the familiar and take a chance, now what was that special again?