Monday, September 27, 2010
Cheap Eats Kaloopa — It's Like Groupon, but Better. And Local-er.
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 6:02 AM
Now two local entrepreneurs, Brett Raymond and Kim Waner-Newman, are getting in on the act with their own local discount site, Kaloopa.com. Though the structure of the site is similar to Groupon, Kaloopa is focused strictly on local establishments in the corridor between Nashville and Bowling Green. Another interesting twist to the model is that Kaloopa employs a deal meter instead of a tipping point concept. On Kaloopa, the more people that sign up for a deal, the better the deal becomes for each participant. So a $10 gift certificate to a restaurant that starts out at $5 might drop down to $4 after several hundred people join in the fun. This is to encourage users to tell their friends about the great deals.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Open Thread The Open Thread Wants You to Open a Restaurant!
Posted by Nicki Wood on Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 9:00 AM
If there were a magic formula for restaurant success, everyone would be opening one. And reviewing restaurants would be more predictive than reactive.
A taste for great food seems like a requisite for running a successful restaurant, but it's way behind other factors, such as business management, marketing skills, being a people-person, and diplomacy. Restaurant consultant James Sinclair of Onsite Consulting confirmed this in a checklist that he shared with Newsweek magazine.
On it are including important-but-eye-glazing tips like "Have a business plan," along with more interesting points like "Plan for inventory control" and "Be clear on cuisine." That last one we especially see here. How often have we complained on Bites about places that change their cuisine (*cough*Miro District*cough*)? Or places that open up near another, similar place?
It's all so much more complicated than the "You should open a restaurant!" urge. Still, you should. Open a restaurant, that is. The last five years have seen a proliferation of absolutely terrific places in Nashville. I can't recall another period like it.
If you were to open a place, what would it be? Bites' Weekly Open Thread is the place for dreamy dreams, open secrets and grumpy rambling.
Wine Wandering Wino: Enjoy Wine and a Meal at Miel (and more)
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 8:32 AM
- Bartholomew Broadbent (x3)
Your Wino has never met the man, but by all accounts Bartholomew is quite a hoot, known for his enigmatic personality. He will share stories from his adventures behind the scenes in the world of fine wine, as well as the history behind the wines to be featured with dinner: Chateau Musar from Lebanon, Quinto do Crasto from Portugal, Spy Valley Pinot Noir from New Zealand, Montsarra Cava from Spain and of course, his own Broadbent Auction Reserve.
This special evening promises to be fascinating, and the festivities will will begin at 6:30. Dinner and wine is $75 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and seating is limited. For more details, check out mielrestaurant.com, and to make a reservation, call 298-3663.
The menu that Miel is pairing with Bartholomew's wines looks spectacular:
Restaurant openings There's Always Room for Yogurt: Pinkberry to Open West End Location on Oct. 14
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 5:52 AM
Well, Pinkberry is finally bringing it's "swirly goodness" to the third coast with a new location at 2306 West End, set to open the middle of next month. A grand opening fiesta is scheduled for the evening of Oct. 14, and the shop will officially open to the public the next day. According to the press release, the VIP party will be next door to the store. But if you're not a VI enough P, anyone will be invited into the store from 6-10 p.m. to sample the treats. If I somehow wangle my way behind the velvet ropes, I promise to let you know what an Oompa Loompa really looks like.
Check out the rest of the details after the jump:
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Cheap Eats Take Two on the Takeout
Posted by Nicki Wood on Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 9:03 AM
- Mild wings from Buffalo Wild Wings
This time, when my number came up, the office was ordering Buffalo Wild Wings. Such a relief — there's a menu, and it's pretty much only wings, right?
Uh, no. It's a five-page menu with burgers, ribs, sandwiches, salads and shrimp in addition to wings. And the people at the office eat wings so often they have special orders and half-and-half combos and such.
Once all the details were on paper and I was holding all the cash and credit cards, I was tachycardic, with maybe a little constriction of the left brachial artery — that's how anxious I was.
Restaurant openings You Can't Keep a Good Beane Down: Rooster's Texas-Style BBQ & Steakhouse Opens on 12th Avenue
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 6:12 AM
Rooster has spent the last five years running Mickey Roos Texas Style BBQ in Franklin, but has decided to roll his smoker up I-65 to the big city and expand his empire. Expect the requisite smoked beef brisket, ribs, chicken and sausage as well as a selection of Texas-style steaks. In the sort of "Man vs. Food" challenge we've been looking for, Rooster will offer a free 72-ounce sirloin with baked potato and salad to any customer who can finish it in less than an hour. Miss the mark, however, and that steak-a-palooza will run you a smooth $69.95.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wine Wine Wednesday: Keep an Open Mind Edition
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 10:32 AM
- PHOTO: WWW.LIQUOR.COM
For the most part these are inexpensive wines to start with, so it might not seem like quite as much of an abomination to sully them up with extra ingredients such as liqueurs and garnishes. As we reach the first day of autumn, it's time to start thinking of adding some spice to our cocktails. Taking that grapefruit-flavored Albariño and adding just a splash of peach liqueur and a sprig of the last mint plant hanging on in your garden might be just the trick to turn a cheap bottle into something memorable.
Events Share Our Strength — Join the Third Great American Dine-Out Until Sept. 25
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 8:48 AM
Feed yourself. Help feed a kid in need. That's a no-brainer to me. To find a participating restaurant near you, check out this handy-dandy Google Map overlay.
Restaurants Sub Stop Order Pad Is A Low-Tech Solution
Posted by Nicki Wood on Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 6:48 AM
- Eloise Wood
- Big booths at Sub Stop
True, Sub Stop's central location is socko, and the roomy booths and low-key vibe make it a cozy place to settle in with a newspaper. And they do make a good sandwich, even plain kid-sandwiches like turkey and provolone with nothing else — not even mayonnaise. Especially not mayonnaise. The power of the pink exterior makes everything taste better, so it doesn't need mayonnaise, you see.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Kitchen Gear Useless Kitchen Gadget Thread Lives On and On
Posted by Nicki Wood on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 11:06 AM
- HT Nummy Kitchen
- Mickey waffles anyone?
The recent replier ZenSojourner, a 36-inch long screed on her decades-long gadget spree, wins the prize. A metal thing to rid hands of onion smell, a ceramic disc that is supposed to keep milk from scorching, a mango corer, a hamburger press and special brushes to clean the inside of the garbage disposal. That last one wins the prize, but there are at least a dozen other contenders on her list. Mango corer?
I accumulate gadgets reluctantly and am quick to purge what isn't being used. I just got rid of a little carton-of-eggs-shaped mold for making Jello Easter eggs. (Hey, it's fun if you have kids.) And the oversize cake dome that takes up half the space in the biggest cabinet in the kitchen? Its days are numbered.
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