Teasers!!

Trends change all the time in this industry as in most businesses. The key is staying one step ahead of the trend I guess. But I also feel like getting too roped up into a trend can be a bit treacherous as well. As a Trend is a trend. That's it plain and simple. They come and they go. As quick as they came, it's yesterdays news. I am thinking constantly about what is gonna keep my business going strong? How can I continue to stay in the game? What do I have to offer the public to please their palate and their wallet? How do I get my guests to become regulars? How do I get them to come weekly? We do the small plate/large plate concept so people can eat big or on the lighter side. We have done nightly specials, but for us the menu changes so often every night is special!! lol 

What about a Teaser of sorts??!!

 Giving our guests that full fun of flavors, but in a smaller portion and less cash out of your stash!!   

Maybe you are just coming to have a cocktail with friends and want to try a little something while gabbing with the girls or you are heading home but stop for a beer after work with the guys and need a little something to nosh on! Above is our blackened shrimp (hints of curry & cumin) served with jasmine rice, and brandy jalapeno apricot butter, and buttermilk dressing. Priced at $6 for 2 large shrimp can you beat that!! Still made with many local ingredients!! We still will always hold true to our farm to table concept. We have another small plate teaser which is a house made honey biscuit with Dominion Valley seared ham, and local honey. Simple right?? But so good to eat, and nice on the wallet again at only $6!! 

I love this idea. I'm one that when I go out I want to order like half the menu. My husband is always like really Jodi. Yup!! I want to try lots of different things, I love Food!! It's a perfect trend for those that can't decide. I could care less about the cost, but I know I'm not the norm on that end of things. So come on out and try out our Teasers this weekend and let us know what you think!! Feedback is great! Let us know if you want us to keep Teasing You!!

A look back.... Celebrating 8 great years!!

Wow this is opening night 8 years ago 11/21/07!! Man my kitchen looks pretty much the same. I still occasionally sport the braids. Have ditched the white chef coat(per request of my staff) & the hat (per request of my husband) and have moved on to a more suiting bandana and vintage apron!! A bit more me!

 A big thanks to my mother for scrapbooking this night cause back then I never took pictures, heck I didn't even text. (my kitchen kids had to teach me how to do that! lol)

As I look back this week as we are on the cusp of our celebration party (really it should be next weekend for the actual date but I hate competing with hunting) I think about all the wonderful people that have been here over the years, staff and customers, all the changes we have made, all the awesome food and service we have put out, and all the goodtimes. It has been a crazy 8 years!! The stories I have to tell.....

But really I thank each and every person that has ever worked at the café and been part of its success!! Each person was a piece of the puzzle to the success of this restaurant! Whether big or small and good or bad. It all made it what it is today.

I have a crew now that I think is gonna help make 2016 be an amazing year!! Some are new, some have been here for years and some have come back and made a second run. Some just patronize and enjoy!! (like a few of the faces here below)

HaHa this picture brings back memories that I can laugh at now. Moments after this picture was taken the coat rack filled with coats broke free from the wall and a restaurant full of guest coats were laying in a heap on the floor. I was mortified. I walked out of the bar and into the kitchen, I had no clue how to deal with this on opening night. I believe my brothers and staff started hanging all the guests coats on the iron gate at the bottom of the stairs. My brothers came the next day and rehung the coat rack with anchors. Mind you the coat rack was existing I never did anything with it when we came into the space. My husbands response was apparently no other restaurant was ever that busy to have that many coats hanging on it!! This was an amazing response from my husband who is a glass half empty kinda guy. He surprises me sometimes. After 8 years of this old building and just the restaurant business in general I can handle just about anything I get thrown at me.
Customers you have made this journey happen. I don't know what else to say other than Thank You!
On the eve of this night I just hoped people would come through the door and continue to. I really was scared I wouldn't make it a year. It was a giant gamble. This business isn't easy. I was the new kid in town and now Im the oldest exsisting restaurant downtown. Sure don't want my time to be up. I fought kicking and screaming to keep this going and I'm gonna continue to bring you all creative fun food! I want to keep you all guessing what's up my sleeve and wanting you salivating for more!!Come Celebrate and Share Memories and Make More this Saturday Night!!!!!
Thank you to you all!!

Wow Factor!!

So I have been recently reading a book about customer service. It is actually about the Ritz Carlton. After Reading this book, it so much helped me to realize I needed to change some of the ways I handle and think about things with my customer service. Another restaurateur gave me the book. I'm so glad he gave me the book. I felt that even my employees could benefit from this. So I bought a bunch of copies and have asked them all to read it. I think there is only a small handful of them that have actually started to read it. But those that have are already having a new mindset!!
So last night I sit down and have a glass of wine with one of my servers. We are chatting about the evening. The goods and the bads. She didn't want to tell me the bad but we talked and tried to learn from it and she handled the situation as best she could. Then she told me she also had a "Wow" moment!! I said "Really"??!!
A "Wow" moment is a reference in the book. First off I was elated that she is reading the book, and then that she is really doing things from the book.
Ok so I'm sure you are wondering what is a "Wow" moment??
Well basically it is doing even the smallest thing to make a difference in a customers experience. Going that extra inch or mile, doesn't really matter how big or small. Just that little something extra to make a guests experience that much more special or memorable.
So I guess we had a couple in our bar for cocktails, people that have been here before. Last night they just had cocktails and had told the bartender that the wife wanted Mexican so they were heading down the street for dinner. Well they finished up and left. A little later while the bartender realized they forgot their credit card. The bartender told this server they forgot there card and said where they were headed. This server took it upon herself to grab the card tell the other servers to watch her tables and literally ran down the street to the other restaurant, find them and return there card. She didn't want them to have a nice evening out and then go to pay for their meal and not have their card to pay for dinner. They were so appreciative.
She truly did have a Wow Moment!
Funny thing I knew nothing of this as I was out talking to guests in the dining room and never even knew she was sprinting Main St!!!

A night out on the town!!

Last night was the husband and I's first evening out without our little guy since he arrived!!
I got a recommendation from a few people of a place to go checkout in Milwaukee. So we did! We went down to Walker's Point to Morel!! It was a gonna be a great evening regardless because it was our first date night! On facebook today I posted that we went out, someone commented where does a chef go eat??? Well this chef does have her favorite places to dine, but I wanted something new because last night was a big deal for us! I asked some people I trusted with an upper hand in the Milwaukee scene! Both responded with Morel was a great place and it was!!
We had a reservation, but upon arrival I asked if we could sit and have a cocktail first. After sitting there a bit I said to the hubby, "lets eat here". When is the last time we got to sit at the bar together!!
So our evening began, we sampled small plates, had entrees, and finished with desserts and craft cocktails, microwbrews, and great wine throughout! Everything was top notch! I couldn't have been more pleased with our whole evening. Funny thing happened at the end of the evening, I payed the bill, tipped my bartender and also gave him a cash tip to divide between the kitchen staff. Yes the kitchen staff. Please don't think I'm asking you to frequent my café and tip me. I'm not at all. Even when I bartend behind my bar I give all the tips to whoever I'm working with. I'm the owner you choosing to dine/drink with us is all I need! Back to tipping the kitchen, so this place has an open kitchen. I have worked in these types of kitchens before I hated it. It is not easy for me to keep my mouth shut, not swear, and not be able to listen to my own music preference while cooking. Oh and hoping I don't do anything to make myself look stupid. These 4 guys last night had to cook for a dining room full of people, execute everything perfectly (no where to hide from the public), and entertain. Not my cup of tea. But like I have said in previous posts that Hollywood has changed this industry. These 4 chefs did a great job, so yes I threw them a tip too. It was great the bartender walks over gives the sous the tip I over hear him tell him they got tipped the sous says, "whatever?" bartender says "i'm serious" Sous says "you're f#@$%&* Serious?" they talk a bit more I over hear again "nobody has ever tipped us" he then comes over thanks us, shakes our hand, tells us that was awesome asks if we want to do a shot together! We declined explained we had a 45 min drive and tell him everything was great and buy himself something other than a Miller high life (we saw them grab out of the cooler a bit earlier for the kitchen staff). All in all we had a great evening and everyone there was part of it! We in the industry work nights, weekends, holidays, long shifts, don't eat dinner till midnight or later cause we are helping strangers have enjoyable evenings and making memorable meals. I just wanted these guys to know I appreciated it! Sometimes the smallest gesture makes the biggest impression!