tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post3472007332574043166..comments2023-09-19T11:55:33.528-04:00Comments on Food Network Gossip: Restaurant Impossible - Zest Bistro, Lemon Tree Grocer UpdateMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917581663732710258noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-64849750412235229202015-04-09T21:35:24.476-04:002015-04-09T21:35:24.476-04:00Just like this show, Bar Rescue started out instru...Just like this show, Bar Rescue started out instructive and with a story, but it, too, eventually migrated too far in the tacky reality show direction. Educated/smart people like reality too, just without the fake fights and purely emotive plots. I'd love to help choose the businesses to pick; that'd be so cool!HC212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-72691562594275149792015-04-09T21:29:42.150-04:002015-04-09T21:29:42.150-04:00I loved this episode. This typifies the businesses...I loved this episode. This typifies the businesses I'd like to see on this show -- intelligent, respectful/respectable and hard working people who were just at sea and lost within their own ideas. I like when Robert educates owners give some supportive words along the way.HC212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-17011964739198685752015-04-09T19:52:56.438-04:002015-04-09T19:52:56.438-04:00IMHO, the owners didn't research their market ...IMHO, the owners didn't research their market well enough. The mini-Whole Foods concept could work, but not in Downers Grove. For those unfamiliar, it is a suburb roughly 30 miles outside downtown Chicago. Nearby residents are families with children. They don't have the time or money for expensive dinners and wine. A better location would have been somewhere on the north side of Chicago where there is an abundance of upper income, single and newly married without families types would have the time and money to be a Lemon Tree customer. In that Downers Grove location near a train station, a better business model would be more in line with a 7-11 than the current LT model.makinthemagicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-8864065093173938052015-04-09T19:40:48.737-04:002015-04-09T19:40:48.737-04:00So many questions. Why do they make things hard f...So many questions. Why do they make things hard for themselves with building inspectors and condo rules? Gimme the old days where they go into a free standing dump and work like dogs for 36 hours straight. Also, if people did say the merch was too expensive, who's going to buy the expensive pre-made meat balls and pasta salads? That crap will also go stale pretty quickly, so they're right back where they started. They need high traffic or they will tank. Plus, they can't make money from the bistro alone. Seriously, if the neighborhood doesn't buy all their food there, they are toast.Julie Butlernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-58934219437733532032015-04-09T19:33:16.024-04:002015-04-09T19:33:16.024-04:00It reminds me of the living plant wall at the now ...It reminds me of the living plant wall at the now defunct Cave Inn. They had to get rid of that in short order. They just couldn't keep it up. Then again they could keep the restaurant up eitherJulie Butlernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-61080299721590489892015-04-09T13:33:36.618-04:002015-04-09T13:33:36.618-04:00The pizza place was Mamma Lucrezia's.The pizza place was Mamma Lucrezia's.MoHubnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-14921430856261734612015-04-09T13:20:36.145-04:002015-04-09T13:20:36.145-04:00There was another place where he thought the food ...There was another place where he thought the food was excellent, but I can't think of where it was. :p It was a male chef, maybe season 8? That's all I got. There was that pizza place (the one with the competing brother across the street) where he ate the whole thing, too.Ripplinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-71049664809590792892015-04-09T13:13:03.774-04:002015-04-09T13:13:03.774-04:00The idea for this episode sounded a bit odd, but i...The idea for this episode sounded a bit odd, but it turned out to be fairly conventional. (though this is technically three in a row with multiple locations...) First impressions were that the place is dark (fine/expected for a restaurant, not a grocery store), possibly loud with that concrete floor. The restaurant seemed brighter afterwards, but the store was the same. Maybe it wasn't as dark as I thought. The bistro wall was a big improvement over that stupid curtain! It's nice when things don't look like an afterthought anymore.<br /><br />The tax deal is interesting and wasn't mentioned on the show. That's definitely more pressure for them.<br /><br />P.S. Did anyone else think of Emo Philips when they heard it was in Downers Grove? ;)Ripplinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-16245038110932040372015-04-09T12:54:46.198-04:002015-04-09T12:54:46.198-04:00Stacey Poon-Kinney's The Trails got good marks...Stacey Poon-Kinney's The Trails got good marks for its food. The issues there were more about limited operating hours and customers who would order a cup of coffee—with free refills—and sit around all day socializing without buying any food.MoHubnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-82358025978390169472015-04-09T12:51:46.311-04:002015-04-09T12:51:46.311-04:00DiCecco pasta is pretty mainstream. I get artisana...DiCecco pasta is pretty mainstream. I get artisanal pastas from Williams-Sonoma and Zingerman's. If I want DiCecco, I can go to my regular grocery.MoHubnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-89980834268477214632015-04-09T11:54:12.970-04:002015-04-09T11:54:12.970-04:00Unless its Chipotle ketchup which is always 5+ buc...Unless its Chipotle ketchup which is always 5+ bucks for some reason.Mitt Zombienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-75712279799520566562015-04-09T11:52:37.209-04:002015-04-09T11:52:37.209-04:00Bah, another relationship based episode.
Why do pe...Bah, another relationship based episode.<br />Why do people throw good money after bad though? If you lose a million dollars you will keep losing money in these types of businesses.Mitt Zombienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-40531135902467784792015-04-09T11:22:35.397-04:002015-04-09T11:22:35.397-04:00Nice, intelligent folks with an educational backgr...Nice, intelligent folks with an educational background for the food industry. No issues with cleanliness or food quality......GOOD!!! I wish them well. What was the other restaurant that Robert did not have an issue with the taste of the food?Cakesternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-16820663893522616142015-04-09T04:55:48.385-04:002015-04-09T04:55:48.385-04:00I think that's what made this episode so good!...I think that's what made this episode so good! Robert loved the food, and even said Tim clearly knew what he was doing...so Robert had no reason to pitch a hissyfit. I am really hoping for the best for these people...David Rofulowitznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-88356611352858570442015-04-09T04:34:08.073-04:002015-04-09T04:34:08.073-04:00You know, my understanding of the purpose of the r...You know, my understanding of the purpose of the rescue was that the food in the bistro, while good, was severely overpriced. As a result, they weren't drawing people into the bistro with the hopes that they would do any grocery shopping, AND that was compounded by the fact that they only carried "high-end" grocery items (although I can go into my local grocery chain and buy an $8-$9 jar of pasta sauce if I really wanted it that badly!) which weren't fresh looking/displayed properly.<br /><br /><br />The problem was that when RI went into that really nice condo community to talk to the tenants, they basically all gave the same answer: the bistro food and grocery items were all overpriced, hence they had no reason to eat or shop there.<br /><br /><br />I echo your sentiments about these folks...and I think Jessica had a better understanding of the surrounding demographic than Tim and Shaun combined.<br /><br /><br />Well, this is one group of people that I am definitely rooting for!David Rofulowitznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-22000484044985794842015-04-09T04:00:34.618-04:002015-04-09T04:00:34.618-04:00Yeah - they were definitely trying follow the '...Yeah - they were definitely trying follow the 'Whole Foods' model. <br /><br /><br /><br />On paper, it sounds pretty good: a 'mini Whole Foods - just outside your doorstep.' And to me - someone who has no knowledge of the area - it seems as if the location should be able to support a higher-end, niche 'grocery.' You're in the suburbs of a major metro area inside a really nice condo community filled with lots of people who commute into Chicago for work. That sounds like a viable demographic. <br /><br /><br /><br />But, clearly, it wasn't. <br /><br />I wonder if they did any actual market research BEFORE they opened the grocery or if they just made assumptions that their store would work...???<br /><br />I do kinda like this bunch. They seemed to be well-intentioned people who really just needed some good, tough business advice. <br /><br /><br /><br />I'm already curious to see how things pan out after they start stocking their shelves with more 'mainstream' items.RI_FANnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-80137053819922797302015-04-09T03:48:39.598-04:002015-04-09T03:48:39.598-04:00I agree. The wife seemed to be a very underutilize...I agree. The wife seemed to be a very underutilized when Robert showed up. I think both of the guys finally saw the light and recognized that putting Jessica in charge of marketing will be better for the business than having both of the guys kinda grasping at straws when it comes to 'pushing their brand.'<br /><br /><br />Although, I do understand how Shaun could feel 'outnumbered' by the husband/wife partnership that's always looking back at him from the other side of the table. But I really don;t htink Jessica was trying to pull a Yoko Ono. She's clearly a smart. capable person. I think she just wants to get in there and do here thing.RI_FANnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-37683778797521470952015-04-09T03:18:41.581-04:002015-04-09T03:18:41.581-04:00Tonight it seemed like RI was back to form.No scre...Tonight it seemed like RI was back to form.No screaming and crying. The owners seemed positively clueless and I hope Irvine's visit opened their eyes. How many people are willing to pay $6 for a bottle of ketchup ? Very few would be my guess.<br />I was put off by the "hanging wooden crate gardens". Those plants will be dead in a week and the boxes will need to be taken down or constantly re-planted. And how does one water plants over and next too tables ? What about when the bugs find the plants ? Yech !<br />I continue to be unimpressed by the ridiculous design choices made in almost 100% of the episodes.Everything is so artsy-craftsy and anti-design. I hope this episode is able to turn around the fortunes of these nice,but ill-equipped people. Robert LOVED the food !!!<br />That was a first. Congrats to the chef.BlueDesertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-21674149406123613402015-04-09T02:12:53.730-04:002015-04-09T02:12:53.730-04:00What you said, and I had my doubts initially too. ...What you said, and I had my doubts initially too. I hope future episodes will run along the same lines but I'm not holding my breath, lol!David Rofulowitznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-15324484939313132592015-04-09T01:27:58.404-04:002015-04-09T01:27:58.404-04:00If I'm not mistaken, didn't Robert see tha...If I'm not mistaken, didn't Robert see that they were selling $3+ boxes of pasta (I think the brand was DeCecco)? The truth is, I could just as easily go into my local grocery store chain and buy that same brand of pasta, To add on to what you are saying, which I agree with, if they wanted me as a loyal customer they'd have to provide me with either some personalized service or with something that I knew I couldn't get at my local chain grocery store.David Rofulowitznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-25330640113271633192015-04-09T01:07:45.927-04:002015-04-09T01:07:45.927-04:00Agreed. I was skeptical when I read this bistro wa...Agreed. I was skeptical when I read this bistro was inside a grocery store, but this episode was like old times. This is the show I like watching.autumndandelionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-13140406452385476052015-04-09T00:10:44.275-04:002015-04-09T00:10:44.275-04:00For once, a good episode in my opinion. I felt li...For once, a good episode in my opinion. I felt like the guys were lost and really deserved Robert's help, and he was able to set them on the right path without a lot of screaming and yelling, remarkably enough. I don't think they would have been in this position in the first place if they knew how to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that Jessica had. Seems to me that she knew mostly what the problems were and how to fix them. I thought Robert's crew did a great job with the remodel, and that the bistro portion of the place actually felt like a real restaurant separate from the grocery store.David Rofulowitznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8808060991534955915.post-79135381643585669812015-04-08T23:36:30.478-04:002015-04-08T23:36:30.478-04:00Great ehow never miss it.Great ehow never miss it.Jeff Branchnoreply@blogger.com