Author: Parker | Restaurant Rentals & Sales Archive

July 26, 2019July 15, 2019

{Noah’s Eat} Review: Cena – Tampa

Cena – Authentically Unique!

One thing that chefs struggle with is how do they stay true to their culinary heritage while still innovating? How far do they push the envelope, yet not lose the essence of a dish? This can be even more problematic with Italian food as many of the dishes and recipes are sacred! Well, Chef Michael Buttacavoli has found the sweet spot in this conundrum, and I don’t mean with just the delicious gelato! I visited Cena with my wife upon the recommendation of a friend, and the experience was extraordinary. From our host Joe (from Comack), to our server Marissa, all the way to speaking with Michael, who is not only a great chef, but a great guy!

Cena has a great vibe, a bit old school, but also a bit industrial. Our meals were amazing, the menu is rotational, and always features in season ingredients; starting with the Antipasti and Insalata. I had the Octopus salad, which was spiced up with some Calabrian hot sauce and fried cauliflower. Now I’m a bit of an authority on octopus, having eaten my way across the Iberian Peninsula, where they hand out awards to the tapas bar that serves the best pulpo. The Cena version of this was fantastic, with some innovative surprises in flavor and texture. My wife had the baby kale Cesar; the chickpea croutons were an awesome touch! And Michael is not afraid to use anchovies to keep it authentic. We had the gnocchi for a pasta course, which was equally inventive as the octopus. The tomato sauce included braised oxtail, again a combination you’ll not find almost anywhere! The gnocchi had a finishing touch of being lightly braised in the skillet, which gave it an even deeper flavor and texture. Absolutely delicious. My secondi was the Parmesan crusted halibut, which was seared to perfection with a fabulous faro and risotto. Again, another twist on a theme, but next level in flavor! This superb meal was finished off with gelato and of course, some house made limoncello!

In addition to my Iberian escapade, my wife and I recently made a trip to Sicily, where needless to say food is a way of life. I would put the meal at Cena on this level of the best cuisine we sampled. Plus not only is the food exceptional, it is an exceptional value! They are transitioning to a new menu as I type this so get to Cena and have the best of the old AND new world!

July 12, 2019July 12, 2019

5 Types of Capital Funding for Restaurants

It can be exceedingly difficult to operate a successful business in the hyper competitive restaurant scene. The ultra slim profit margins across the board and fierce outside competition can be a challenge to manage. A simple lack of capital can be the ultimate ruin of even the most successful restaurant. Many inexperienced restaurateurs run into a slew of hidden costs and liabilities that can easily run all of their capital funds dry.

Let’s discuss a few ways in which restaurants can increase their available on-hand capital.

Bank Loans – The most traditional route for most business owners to accrue additional funds for business operations is via bank loans. This route is particularly advantageous for well established restaurants with proven financial success and solid business credit scores. However, this can put start-up and smaller restaurants at a disadvantage in regards to availability to funds.
Business Partners – One way to increase available capital without taking on additional debt is to have a business partner. A reputable and trustworthy business partner can be hard to find, especially when for a business that is still relatively small and unproven. Although it can avoid taking on debt, a business partner will assume more control on general operations as they are buying a ‘share’ of the business.
Personal Funds – It is very common for restaurant owners to use at least some of their own personal capital to fund a new venture . It is a wise way to avoid the burdensome liabilities of debt, especially when opening a new, unproved restaurant. However, it can be awfully risky to invest one’s life savings into a business or borrowing from rich relatives in hopes of turning a profit.
Crowdfunding – A new accessible form of funding for restaurant owners that have a large email list and social media following. Popular platforms include Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Go Fundme. Essentially, this is an option to have restaurant patrons become involved in helping to start or grow a new concept.
Private Equity – The last option of garnering funds pertains to private equity funding, which is essentially a group of private investors pooling their resources together to invest in a business. Private equity investment in the restaurant industry has been at a steady growth for years. Similar to having a business partner, restaurant owners can have access to additional capital at the cost of relinquishing some overall control on the business. The ideal candidates for private equity funding are experienced operators with plans to open more than 15 units. Here is a site with some of the top private equity lenders. https://aaronallen.com/blog/restaurant-private-equity-firms

Capital Funding Considerations

All restaurant owners whether big or small, can have access to additional funds for their business. The best option ultimately boils down to each restaurant owner’s personal needs and goals for their business. Whether the goal is to grow, consolidate debt, or future renovations; there is a source funding at their disposition.

June 28, 2019June 28, 2019

{Noah’s Eat} 4Rivers Smokehouse – Bounty of Brisket

To many, anything to do with barbecue (BBQ) is sacred. There are even entire TV shows and week long festivals dedicated to the subject! The arguments about who has the best BBQ invokes the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s….Eastern vs. Western North Carolina, North vs. South Carolina, mustard based vs. vinegar based, chopped vs. pulled, beef vs. pork. And it’s not lost on me that in some parts of the US the term barbecue is a verb, and in other parts it’s a noun! Pity some of the folks in the north who thought a Sloppy Joe was BBQ. I’ve eaten at countless BBQ joints all through the south, in Texas and even in California (where there are very few!).

Which brings me to 4Rivers, where I have a long and even personal history with, dating back to the first location on Fairbanks Ave in Orlando. John Rivers opened this location as a “Barbecue Ministry” in 2009, around the time we met. I was working on the Cheerwine soft drink brand, the official soft drink of Carolina BBQ. John was buying and bootlegging the nectar of the Carolinas down to Florida from our plant in South Carolina, before Cheerwine was available in the state. He was so dedicated to the BBQ experience; he even brought down the original formula, made with real cane sugar and in an old school glass bottle. This was also a big differentiator in a state packed with BBQ restaurants. The other aspect of 4Rivers that makes it unique is the amazing brisket, as virtually all BBQ joints in FLA are pork centric! Simply stated, 4Rivers has the best brisket I’ve had in all of Florida.

The 4Rivers experience is a delight. It is cafeteria like, where you order off the overhead menu. The sides are equally amazing, many of these recipes from the mind of the owner, and all delicious. On this trip I had the brisket sandwich, collard greens and green beans. Love. The brisket is moist, the collards are seasoned and the beans are perfect. Oh, did I mention the on site Sweet Shop? Two words: Red Velvet. Seriously, everything in a 4Rivers location is made with care and the employees are genuinely glad to be there! You will be glad to be there too.

June 21, 2019June 19, 2019

Managing Rising Labor Costs

How business savvy restaurateurs are turning a profit in the highly competitive food service industry

The economy as a whole has been undergoing a massive shift due to the widespread adoption of technology and automation. The restaurant industry is no different. The reshaping of our modern day economy has created a huge deficit in the workforce of the food service industry. The shortage of workers along with an increasing minimum wage, has created a costly dilemma for restaurant owners.

Cost of Business

The labor costs in the restaurant business can vary depending on the nature of the locale. When operating a fast food style restaurant, one can expect a margin of 25% on labor costs of total revenue. On the other hand, fine dining and table service restaurants typically operate with a margin of 30-40% on labor costs of total revenue.

Restaurant owners are obliged to get creative with their resources in order to keep labor costs down and gross profits up. The last resort of cost cutting in the restaurant business is to pass on the rising costs back on to the consumer; this, can alienate your loyal clientele and negatively impact overall sales. And, it is much harder to push on other substantive operating costs, such as lease costs, as prime locations usually have a waiting list of people behind the current tenant, who are more than willing to pay the rate.

Help Wanted

The process of hiring new staff is costly and time consuming. It involves vetting, interviewing, training, and managing personnel on the job along with all of the other unexpected contingencies. Thorough training and scheduling of staff can help workers maximize their productivity on the job and minimize unnecessary costs such as overtime pay.

Although the federal minimum wage has plateaued at $7.25 since 1991, some states have successfully pushed for higher wages, such as in the state of California, where the minimum wage is currently set at $12 an hour. At the state and federal level, there is the ever-present, looming push for higher minimum wage hikes, which is another pressure point to the bottom line for restaurant owners. Time will tell how operators will handle the inevitable rise in wages for hospitality workers, but we suspect, that particularly in the lower priced point concepts, automation will continue to take on repetitive and mundane tasks to attempt to keep overhead down. The payback period on a $10,000 piece of equipment can easily be less than one year and much less in a rising wage environment.

June 14, 2019

The New All-American Bar

Orlando, FL – Imagine all of the fixings of a high class bistro in an inviting sports bar atmosphere; welcome to American Social Bar & Kitchen. The good folks at American Social are intent on elevating the sports bar’s typical ambiance and menu with a hint of class and sophistication all around. The classic pub fare is upgraded with black truffle pizza, goat cheese croquettes, and mahi tacos.

Paul Greenberg, Rick Mijares, Laurie and Tony Mijares Jr. the founders of American Social Bar & Kitchen, share their vision for bringing a world class bistro sports bar experience like none other. The newest location will open in late spring at 7335 W. Sand Lake Road.

May 13, 2019May 1, 2019

{Restaurant Review} THE MILL Works

A recent visit to The Mill in Tampa exposed a new and worthy dining experience in south Tampa. The Mill is housed in the space previously occupied by Ceviche and after a lengthy renovation the space is large and open, full of texture and décor drawn from nature. They have kept the large, covered dining patio but they’ve put their own stamp on it with the installation of a large, functioning water wheel where the fountain used to be.

Open for dinner and weekend brunch, The Mill offers a menu of imaginative delights that you won’t find at many other Tampa restaurants. There is a distinctive southern flair (sweet pickle brined fried chicken and apple cider sorghum braised pork belly) as well as European-inspired fare (grilled avocado panzanella, bourbon ajo dulce triggerfish and a succulent charcuterie offering). The Vegetable Charcuterie has an impressive list of delights including pastrami cauliflower and roasted turnip gratin dauphinoise to name a few.

There are many dishes that I have put on my “must try” list including the fork tender Rib-eye (grilled or Pittsburgh finished with blue cheese butter), the Dueling Duck, Diver Scallops and the cider-braised Mussels. They also offer less-obvious cuts such as ostrich and bison. Oh, yes. Please.

The Meatloaf Wellington was more of a miss than a hit due to the soggy crust and bland cheese sauce. Seemed to be a case of trying too hard. However, the Heirloom Watercress salad was fabulously satisfying and the careful preparation was spot on.

A strong craft cocktail list and half a dozen intriguing desserts round out a menu that clearly reveals a creative team with a sound instinct for unusual pairings and inventive reimaginings.

Service was attentive and our “to-go” bag was gifted with a couple of perfect oatmeal raison cookies. Aaahhh…sweet!

Find The Mill at 2500 W. Azeele St, Tampa, 33609

813.603.8786

www.themillrestaurants.com

themillst@themillrestaurants.com

Elizabeth Fendrick

May 10, 2019April 29, 2019

{Restaurant Review} Lucky Dill – Tampa, FL

Noah’s Eat – Lucky Dill – Get (Over) Stuffed

So, I developed my taste for deli food as a youngster being I spent my early years on the south shore of Long Island, a stones throw from The Big Apple. To say the food was authentic would be a colossal understatement. I make my home in northern Florida now, and I’m still astonished that there isn’t even a semi-authentic deli within 100 miles! Fortunately I travel quite a bit and recently even made the pilgrimage back to NYC where I took in all my favorite cuisines….one being Ben’s Kosher Deli on 38^th St. This is relevant because you need to know my standards are pretty high! I also recently took one of my frequent trips to the Tampa Bay area, slipped off of I-275 in the Westshore area and came upon The Lucky Dill Deli. Perhaps the pastrami was wafting my way! They bill themselves as “Home of the Sandwich That Ate Brooklyn,” and let me tell you the size of this sandwich did not disappoint…. every bit the three fisted size of a Katz or Carnegie Deli! The menu is very extensive, with many more items “coming soon.” It goes far beyond the usual deli fare, including burgers, wraps, chickwiches, wings and more. More importantly, they have the core menu items that any real deli should have… giant sandwiches, noshes, soups, salads, and even the staple, Dr. Brown’s Soda!

I dug in on a straight up, hot corned beef on rye, with mustard only. With Ben’s still fresh on my mind, the competition was high, and this baby was up to the challenge. First it was massive, but more importantly it was delicious, just the right combination of lean and fat. My buddy opted for The Rachel, and The Dill has an extensive list of Reuben’s as well, even one that pays homage to the local Cuban. The Reuben was every bit as good (and big) as my corned beef. Capped off with a Dr. Brown, this LI kid was feeling pretty satisfied!

It may not have the sights, sounds and smells of NYC deli, but The Lucky Dill puts out a mean deli sandwich!

May 3, 2019April 29, 2019

{New Restaurant} Brass Bowl – St Petersburg, FL

St Petersburg, FL – The highly anticipated grand opening of the Brass Bowl Kitchen & Juicery at 656 Central ave, premiered on April 17 to a clamoring public. The Brass Bowl aims to bring gourmet, flavorful and healthy dishes to the community in a no-fuss take out setting. There’s also a huge emphasis on using locally sourced ingredients for their seasonal menu items. The Brass Bowl offers a creative menu full of innovative fusions such as the unrolled sushi bowl, pad thai with zucchini noodles, and 24 hr sous vide hanger steak.

The owner Robert Newhart and executive chef Jason Gordon, shared a vision to bring a high class gourmet experience with a health conscious frame of mind. Owner Newhart has had a long struggle with weight in the past and chef Gordon has specialized in crafting healthy, delicious cuisine throughout his career. These two brains are behind the vision and success at the Brass Bowl Kitchen & Juicery.

April 29, 2019

Maximizing your Restaurant Real Estate Space

Walk into any cafe these days and you’ll most likely be greeted by the sound of patrons tapping away at laptops, creating the next big thing. Millennials, side-hustlers, startups and freelancers are turning trendy local coffee shops into offices. But hipster coffee spots with cold brew on tap aren’t the only places that can capitalize on this trend. Almost any restaurant can hop onboard the co-working train by partnering with sites like Kettlespace and Spacious. These sites help remote employees find coworking or meeting room space to rent in their areas.

The idea is that restaurants can rent out their space to digital nomads to generate revenue after hours or at slow times. Employees pay a monthly membership fee to the sites and participating restaurants receive a cut of those fees.

Transforming your restaurant real estate into a co-working space isn’t just a way to bring in extra revenue- it can also be a part of your marketing mix. You may become the new favorite dinner spot among employees who discover you via the co-working networks.

If you haven’t yet leased a space for your restaurant, you may want to consider looking for features that would make your eatery an ideal co-working space. Spacious offers these guidelines for their spaces:

Closed for lunch
Gorgeous interior with natural light
Seating for at least 100 (ideally more)
Street level access

For example, if you open at 5pm for dinner, you will have a good window of time for workers to come in. It also helps to have a private dining room.

The most important features are the amount of space you have and the aesthetic appeal of your restaurant. Spacious and Kettlespace take care of the rest. The companies provide coffee, tea, snacks, and even power strips for your working patrons.

So why not make the most of your space? Sign up to become the next best co-working hotspot!

April 19, 2019April 5, 2019

Introduction – Rita’s Franchisee

We caught up with Humza Chowdhry, an entrepreneur who, along with his wife, Annie, operates several Rita’s Italian Ice units in California. He shared their restaurant franchising journey with us:

RRE: What are your professional backgrounds?

Humza: I’m a structural engineer and general contractor. (He founded H.C. Structural Engineering). Annie is a high school counselor.

RRE: How did you find out about Rita’s?

We learned about Rita’s after trying it down in Southern California.

RRE: What got you interested in Rita’s?

The taste, quality and uniqueness of the product.

RRE: How did you decide to purchase a franchise?

We fell in love with the concept, sold our home, and dove right in.

RRE: How many units do you operate?

We operate five units across California.

RRE: Where is Rita’s currently looking to expand?

Las Vegas, Nevada and Ventura County

RRE: How do you go about finding locations? Do you use a commercial real estate broker?

We have a mix of software and use of brokers to help identify potential markets which would follow our successful store trends.

To find out more about owning a Rita’s Italian Ice store, visit www.ownaritas.com