tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post8401919094463371170..comments2023-10-08T20:53:14.164+11:00Comments on Deep Dish Dreams: Fine Dining. A tale of two birthdaysstickyfingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14861830835308131738noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post-67044277031421392892008-03-05T17:34:00.000+11:002008-03-05T17:34:00.000+11:00This comment's a bit late (sorry!) but I just had ...This comment's a bit late (sorry!) but I just had to tell you that on one of my annual trips to Melbourne, I dined at Pearl. Because my name is very similar to that of a writer from Gourmet Traveller, Geoff Lindsay came out personally to say hi to me and my companion. It made my evening (together with the excellent food and service) even though he probably realised I wasn't who he thought I was!OohLookBelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11031489606743430354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post-76376435670937245672007-12-24T16:36:00.000+11:002007-12-24T16:36:00.000+11:00What a disappointing sounding evening! I don't thi...What a disappointing sounding evening! I don't think I've ever experienced anything as memorably bad as that, at that kind of price range. At most, the evening is forgettable. Not that it's any consolation. "Bland" is certainly not something you would expect to be using as a description of the food!Yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03479173213358780490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post-8883170016225801352007-12-24T11:44:00.000+11:002007-12-24T11:44:00.000+11:00Thanks everyone for you comments. What a crazy tim...Thanks everyone for you comments. What a crazy time of year this has been. I hadn't intended to post but I felt I had to belt this out before it dissipated into the Christmas quagmire in my mind. <BR/><BR/>I hope everyone has a peaceful and comforting holiday.<BR/><BR/>In Advertising and Marketing everything revolves around the USP - the Unique Selling Proposition - a term coined by legendary Ad Man Bill Bernbach. The point is it's vital to cut through the crap and distill what it is that makes you/your product unique.<BR/><BR/>When I advise clients on their projects and businesses I explain that the most successful ventures use this principle to focus on their strongest selling point and to build everything around their USP to the same high standard. <BR/><BR/>The business principle is thus: The Chef concentrates on producing what they do best - take George Calombaris as a case in point. He moved too far from what he does well at Reserve, but has re-branded himself successfully by incorporating the food of his childhood at The Press Club with his love of experimentation. <BR/><BR/>Then if you are positioning yourself at a price point, you must offer standards relative to that price across the other aspects of the business. That comes by understanding your target market and their expectations. It is arrogant to presume that people willing to pay $$$ will happily swallow anything because you have a good reputation.<BR/><BR/>Lastly, just as the chef knows their stuff, you must have an opposite number on the floor with as much experience to run the front of house to a similar level. And in this day and age it doesn't hurt to have a Sommelier too. Waitstaff can't be expected to have a full knowledge of a burgeoning winelist in order to assist the customer.<BR/><BR/>The bottom line in fine dining is that it is not for the everyday. As Gobbler pointed out, when you have dug deep to spend this much it is for a special treat, and restauranteurs need to put their egos aside to recognise this.stickyfingershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861830835308131738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post-76242601174459346962007-12-24T09:22:00.000+11:002007-12-24T09:22:00.000+11:00Yes, at that price you really expect better servic...Yes, at that price you really expect better service. I really hate it when waiters (resses) reach acros and do anything.Just read Service Not Included about the opening of Per Se in NY - the amazing thing was the level of detail on the service as well as the food.Ed Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00579789564673979283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post-14101373466868517862007-12-24T07:03:00.000+11:002007-12-24T07:03:00.000+11:00Wow, great read sticky.You lightly touched on the ...Wow, great read sticky.<BR/>You lightly touched on the reasons you like to eat out when you commented on my Rockpool post but this has fleshed it out heaps!<BR/><BR/>I am right there with you on this one. I think someone with the capabilities & talent that Esposito has would heve been better advised to open a brand new place devoid of any old expectations & perceptions. Toofeys for me was a place, albeit an excellent one, of its times & imprinted itself on our collective culinary conscientiousness, a place for simple well cooked seafood of unquestionable quality. Also its very essence was wrapped up with the personality of Michael Bacash, an un-tanglable quandry for anyone who wants to trade on the same name, that is of course unless you want to continue the seafood theme.<BR/>Also & this is just me talking out of my date as per ususal, the days of a purely chef driven & focused restaurant seem to be well over. People understandably want the whole package these days. Sure there are a few around where its obvious food is the main priority but many chefs fail to make that basic of connections that the service staff & atmos are just as integral-some would say more important, depending on the type of place of course.<BR/>I have read the rewiews of this place & I detected a willingness to 'want' to like it, perhaps just for the pedigree of places that he has worked, however they dont seem to be all that impressed.<BR/>Pearl on the other hand seems to negotiate these issues completetly & it is validating that point that Geoff & his team can remain rellevent, exciting & inspired after all these years.<BR/>You summed it up perfectly for me sticky when you said 'You were made to feel special'.<BR/>Thats what its all about I reckon.<BR/><BR/>Oh & have a Merry Xmas to you & Mr Stickfingers!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7700505313257578551.post-79444280786056276012007-12-23T22:46:00.000+11:002007-12-23T22:46:00.000+11:00Oh my! What a sorry tale at Esposito at Toofeys. I...Oh my! What a sorry tale at Esposito at Toofeys. I imagine we are all in sympathy with you... can't see how the restaurant could defend itself on any count. It troubles me greatly that higher-end establishments can get things so wrong, and having experienced similar elsewhere, it contributes to my reluctance to venture into the $$$ zone for fear of exactly this disappointment.Duncan | Syrup&Tanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01622774774260733216noreply@blogger.com