This week, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discussed their visits to Tara Kitchen, a Moroccan restaurant run by Indian chef Aneesa Waheed with three locations near Albany, New York, one in Wildwood, New Jersey, one in Hyderabad, India, and one in the New York City neighborhood of Tribeca.
Pat and Bret took separate trips to the Tribeca location, where Pat had brunch and enjoyed the 1,000-hole pancakes, a traditional Moroccan dish made with a yeast batter that bubbles and produces all those holes, giving the pancakes a lacy quality. Bret, coincidentally, had also visited the restaurant just to get a look at those pancakes and watch the chef prepare them.
Bret also visited Empellón al Pastor for the first time. That’s chef Alex Stupak’s casual East Village bar and taqueria. He particularly enjoyed the chalupas, but also the namesake tacos al pastor, and even more so seeing Stupak, who stopped by and seemed refreshingly relaxed. Stupak is known as a very intense person, so Bret was glad to see him mellowing out.
Pat discussed a story she wrote last week that was a deep dive into recent menu innovations in family dining. Many of the big chains in that segment, including IHOP, Denny’s, Perkins and Cracker Barrel have undertaken substantial overhauls recently as they try to find the balance between attracting new guests without alienating existing ones, all while providing value.
Bret wrote about potatoes last week, and how, especially in the form of French fries, they can be a vehicle for introducing new flavors. It’s an increasingly common strategy to add lesser-known ingredients to something familiar to make them seem less scary. Bret said flavor combinations like Indian tandoori chicken or Vietnamese bánh mì can seem more approachable if you put them on top of fries.
Pat noted other places where French fries are added, like on Bobby Flay’s burgers and on Primanti Brothers’ sandwiches.
Then Bret shared his interview with Bryan Ogden, the chef of Bourbon Steak’s New York City location. He is also the son of Bradley Ogden, a pioneer in the modern American cuisine movement of a generation ago.
The younger Ogden discussed his steaks, of course, but also his and owner Michael Mina’s approach to menu development and mentorship. He also had choice words to share about paying employees what they’re worth.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
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