Tomatoes aren’t only anymore for dinner. Eat Dessert Tomatoes!

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Tomatoes aren’t only anymore for dinner. Eat Dessert Tomatoes!

Move over chocolate, there’s a new sweet contender seducing our taste buds! When we think of preserved tomatoes, images of pasta sauce, soups, chile and salsas come to mind. Now, fancy Tomatoes for Dessert, yes, tomatoes! They make for fantastic sweet delicacies from Tomato Sorbetto and Jams to a fantastic Tomato Cheesecake. Below you’ll find a scrumptious recipe to sink your teeth into provided by ANICAV – the Italian Association of Canned Tomatoes Producers – representing the world’s finest European preserved (canned) tomatoes grown under the Mediterranean sun and produced in Italy by time-honored methods.

The Greatest Tomatoes from Europe are not a specific BRAND but European and Italian canned tomatoes in general. Specifically, EU canned tomatoes 100% Made in Europe – 100% Made in Italy and they’re as versatile as the savory dishes we enjoy them in such as pizza, sloppy joes and enchiladas. Now, you can create sweet new dessert favorites with The Greatest Tomatoes from Europe!

Recipe:
Tomato cheesecake
Time 1h30m Difficulty Medium Serves 6
The biscuit (base):
* 5 oz biscuits
* 1 stick butter
* 2 cups fresh basil
* For the filling:
* 5 oz sugar
* 4 egg yolks
* 1 lb buffalo ricotta
* Peel of 1 lemon
* A pinch of salt
Extra virgin olive oil
*

For the topping:
* 6 oz tomato passata (pureed tomatoes)
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 tablespoon of sugar
* 1 stalk of celery
* 1 teaspoon salt
* Gelatin

For the biscuit base, blend the butter with the basil. Then crumble the biscuits and add them to the butter and spread the mixture into a cake tin and leave to solidify.

For the filling, whip the egg yolks with the sugar and a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Whisk the ricotta and add it to the yolks. Place the filling on the base and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, leave to cool and proceed with the tomato topping. For the topping, finely dice the celery and add the tomato passata, cook for 8 minutes. Strain and add water, sugar, salt, and gelatin. Boil for a few minutes and then sieve the topping onto the cheesecake and let it cool. For the jam: put all the ingredients in a baking dish, cover with greaseproof paper and cook at 210°F for at least 10 hours, thus obtaining tomato jam.

European tomatoes! The Real Art of Europe! Culinary Masterpieces for You to Try.

Innovative Concept, Taffer’s Tavern by Jon Taffer

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Innovative Concept, Taffer’s Tavern by Jon Taffer

Taffer’s Tavern, the innovative restaurant concept created by award-winning hospitality expert and world-renowned business consultant Jon Taffer, signed its first multi-unit franchise agreement to bring five locations to Georgia. Featuring a high-volume, hoodless/ventless restaurant format with a small footprint, Taffer’s Tavern disrupts the casual dining segment by leveraging the latest technology to produce high-quality food and beverage offerings without the need for a commercial kitchen. The first franchise location is anticipated to open in Atlanta by next summer.

The concept’s Georgia franchise partner, Five Guys Taverns, LLC, signed a multi-unit deal to bring to life a concept that builds on Taffer’s decades of hands-on consulting experience and offers a best-in-class beverage program coupled with the most interesting, delicious bar fare. With a streamlined kitchen design and advanced food preparation methods, Taffer’s Tavern requires less space and fewer employees than traditional casual dining restaurants.

“We were immediately drawn to the idea of ‘tavern dining’ and creating a gathering place for people that provides unique, superior menu items at an affordable price,” said Hemant Suri, new Taffer’s Tavern franchisee and member of Five Guys Taverns, LLC. “Jon has managed to engineer a restaurant concept that streamlines operations without compromising the food quality, and we are thrilled to be the first franchisees for this break-out brand.”

Leveraging his extensive industry knowledge and business acumen, Taffer has defined a “new casual” dining experience and franchise offering with Taffer’s Tavern. To facilitate growth for the emerging brand, Taffer has partnered with Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and Qdoba Mexican Grill, as the exclusive franchise development partner for Taffer’s Tavern.

“Taffer’s Tavern is my solution to the inefficiencies and pain points associated with the restaurant industry that I have witnessed over the years,” said Taffer. “By reimagining traditional operations and eliminating the need for costly hood and ventilation systems, Taffer’s Tavern will disrupt the industry, enable franchisees to maximize their investment and deliver a first-rate dining experience. Georgia is a prime market for the first Taffer’s Tavern concept and I look forward to working with Five Guys Taverns, LLC to bring my vision to Atlanta — and beyond.”

Together with Fransmart, Taffer is currently seeking experienced franchisees to continue bringing the Taffer’s Tavern concept to the 50 largest media markets throughout North America. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.fransmart.com/Taffers-Tavern.

About Jon Taffer:
Jon Taffer is a highly-reputed Entertainer, Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Thought Leader with more than 35 years of success in the entertainment, hospitality, and nightlife industries. Leveraging extensive global experience with powerhouse brands and award-winning ventures, Jon is a valuable asset for companies seeking guidance on transformation, training programs, and “reaction management strategy.” His broad areas of expertise include product and brand recognition, merchandising promotions, customer acquisition, product marketing, go-to-market strategy, television, and public speaking. Starring as the host and Executive Producer of Bar Rescue on Paramount Network, the high rated show is currently in its seventh season. Bar Rescue is a non-scripted reality show that spotlights Jon as he saves failing bars from looming closure, utilizing his four decades of unprecedented industry experience and trademarked Reaction Management strategy to consult on everything from menu design to cost management; the show is on track to exceed 170 episodes in 2018. Concurrently, Jon runs Taffer Virtual Teaching, his digital teaching platform, and Taffer Dynamics, his business consulting firm. Over the years, he has consulted for a range of well-known brands, including the NFL Network, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels, Peninsula Hotels, TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Famous Dave’s Barbecue, Wolfgang Puck Express, Anheuser-Bush and the N9NE Steakhouse at Palms Casino Resort. Jon has been featured in numerous international publications such as Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times, among other prominent media outlets. He has appeared as a guest on shows ranging from Rachael Ray to Jimmy Kimmel Live to Good Morning America and continues regular appearances on Varney & Co. on the Fox Business News, and as a guest on many other major news networks. For more information, visit www.jontaffer.com.

About Fransmart:
As the leading franchise development firm in the country, Fransmart turns emerging restaurant concepts into successful national and global brands. Founded by Dan Rowe, the man who identified and grew brands such as Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill from single unit businesses to the powerhouse chains they are today, Fransmart’s formula for success is finding emerging brands ripe for expansion and building successful multi-unit franchise businesses across the U.S. and globally. Fransmart’s current and past franchise development portfolio brands have opened more than 5,000 restaurants worldwide, and facilitated franchise investments that have cumulatively generated 1-billion in revenues to date. For more information, visit www.fransmart.com.

Perkins purchase gets confirmed by Huddle House

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Perkins purchase gets confirmed by Huddle House

Huddle House Inc. agreed to buy 342 Perkins Restaurant & Bakery locations, the company said Thursday.

The Atlanta-based family-dining brand said it expected the deal to close on Oct. 21. Terms were not disclosed.

In early August, Perkins & Marie Callender’s Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection and closed 29 Perkins Restaurant & Bakery and Marie Callender’s restaurants.

The company said Huddle House executives will manage the Perkins units out of the company’s Atlanta headquarters. “There are no plans to convert any existing units to Huddle House restaurants or vice versa,” the company said in a statement.

“Strategically, this is a very good fit,” said Michael Abt, Huddle House CEO, in the statement. “Both Huddle House and Perkins are breakfast-first concepts, and we pride ourselves on our ability to bring families together through remarkable food and homestyle meals.”

Abt added that “we believe that we can further utilize Huddle House’s existing platforms and financial backing to strengthen the growth of the Perkins brand.” Sentinel Capital Partners sold Huddle House in February 2018.

Abt added that “this acquisition is by careful design and calculation, as the brands fit well together serving complementary markets but supported by similar resources.”

Combined, Huddle House, which had 344 units at the end of its fiscal year in April, and the Memphis, Tenn.-based Perkins restaurants would total nearly 700 locations. Huddle House said the two brands would generate more than $800 million in sales.

For Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual Top 200 census, Huddle House executives projected U.S.-systemwide sales of $245 million from a year-end 344 restaurants, including 42 company-operated units, for the fiscal year ended in April, while Perkins reported U.S.-systemwide sales of $592.6 million from a year-end 356 locations, including 117 company sites, for fiscal 2018 ended in December. Perkins repored U.S. average unit volume was essentially flat for the past four completed fiscal year, fluctuating up and down between $1.67 million and $1.68 million, as its U.S. store base declined by 7.7% across that period.

The Perkins system has 342 restaurants in 32 states and Canada, of which about 100 are company-owned.

Qu Launches New Enterprise POS Platform to Solve Menu Mayhem and Data Fragmentation for Restaurant Operators

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Qu Launches New Enterprise POS Platform to Solve Menu Mayhem and Data Fragmentation for Restaurant Operators

Qu, a rapidly growing tech company creating omni-channel POS for enterprise restaurants, just announced the launch of its new data-centric platform. The company is pioneering a concept hailed as unified food experiences to solve the fragmented ordering, production, and brand management chaos experienced by restaurateurs.

This is poised to be a game-changer for enterprise restaurant operators. 

Qu believes restaurant chains should be able to manage changes, when, where, and how they need—instead of based on arbitrary templates created by vendors. Which is why their new POS platform aims to give operators limitless control of configurations through a revolutionary enterprise management hub. Central to this hub are the industry-first features of Dynamic Stores and Dynamic Items. These features deliver increased levels of flexibility and customization operators desperately need to efficiently manage their business and accelerate revenue generation through data-driven intelligence and reporting.

“We’re on a mission to end the menu management madness that’s causing massive amounts of fragmentation and inefficiency and holding back enterprise operators today. Fast-casual and quick service restaurants have been constrained for too long by POS solutions that fail to offer the flexibility, control, and dynamic features they desperately need to create brand and revenue-boosting guest experiences.” Amir Hudda, CEO Qu POS

The platform redefines expectations for “next-gen POS” by providing one consistent and open API structure, supported by a centralized core processing engine irrespective of whether the order originated in the store, through the operator’s website or third-party delivery services. This data-driven foundation enables operating teams to manage all menu and item changes in one place, customizing them based on context and attributes. 

Qu’s enterprise POS now features:

  • Qu-1MENU Management System, a unified menu system that allows users to holistically manage cross-channel menus through one centralized dashboard, supported by one master menu and dynamic items.
  • Direct Third-Party Delivery Integrations processed through the 1-MENU management system alleviate the business and operational challenges introduced by third-party delivery services.
  • Enterprise Management Hub: 
    • Dynamic Stores provide more granular control and data governance. Operators get endless flexibility, with six ways to configure store groups: by menu, store location, employees, tax, discounts, and service charges. Especially useful for large brands with franchisees as the dynamic groups enable inheritance and tagging across categories.
    • Dynamic Items give operators the freedom to customize items, layer multiple dimensions and add attributes based on context—all without ever changing the master item. Operators can configure every item to have unlimited dynamic contexts including dayparts, order channels, pricing, promotions, imagery and much more.
  • Integrated Digital Suite delivers a consistent brand experience across online, kiosk, and mobile channels with rich, branded templates, improving the overall guest experience. 
  • Flexible Hardware Options include everything from terminals, tablets, and kiosks to self-order screens and hand-held devices.

All of these features together deliver a unified food experience. With the industry’s first connected POS platform backed by a single database and a single set of APIs; consistently processing everything from food ordering and production to brand experience. 

In the fast-moving digital economy, it’s undeniable that multi-unit operators will continue to grapple with technology complexity and revenue challenges until they’re able to consolidate menu systems onto a data-centric, open API platform with one unified codebase. Qu’s agile POS platform was designed specifically to solve the omnichannel chaos. With intelligent menu design, guest personalization, and strategic pricing and promotions in real-time enterprise operators can more confidently improve order accuracy and speed, consistent experiences and ultimately stronger profit margins.

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About Qu

Qu is transforming restaurant POS beyond its current fragmented state into a manageable, unified experience for enterprise operators and guests alike. Our platform works at the critical intersections of order experience, production experience, and brand experience to deliver a unified food experience that helps solve the technology crisis operators are in today.

Laser-focused on quick service and fast-casual restaurant success, we constantly apply speed, flexibility, and innovative thinking to deliver solutions that drive healthier bottom lines.

We’re delivering the industry’s first truly connected in-store and digital ordering platforms, powered by one common core, making tangible those lofty ambitions for data-driven guest experiences. Based in Bethesda, MD, Qu is backed by leading restaurant entrepreneurs as well as Silicon Valley investors that have also backed Google, Salesforce, Uber, and Dropbox.

Wendy’s to add 20,000 workers to fire up the breakfast grills again in 2020

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Wendy’s to add 20,000 workers to fire up the breakfast grills again in 2020

Wendy’s said this year it will infuse $20 million and hire 20,000 workers to open its doors for breakfast system-wide next year in a bid to grow sales and unit volume. Currently, the burger chain offers breakfast at 300 of its audience-appropriate locations, like airports, but next year that will extend to all of the brand’s 6,700-plus stores system-wide, a news release said.

Though the chain has previously tried to get the first daypart meal off the ground in previous decades, this time the brand said it will build a menu of items around the biggest hits from other times of the day, including a breakfast “Baconator,” Frosty-fied Frosty-ccino and a honey butter chicken biscuit, since any QSR player today has to have a chicken in the ring. 

“Launching breakfast in our U.S. restaurants nationwide provides incredible growth opportunities,” Wendy’s President and CEO Todd Penegor, said in a release about the daypart addition. “We are well-positioned to pursue it. We believe we have the right team and structure in place, and we put Wendy’s fan favorites on our breakfast menu to set us apart from the competition.”

And the chain will beef up the team that they do have in place, saying that the company and its franchisees expect to hire 20,000 more crew members nationwide to support its launch of “the most important meal of the day.” 

This all takes a lot of cash, of course, and Wendy’s anticipates that the breakfast launch will require it to invest $20 million this year to make the plan come to fruition next year. As a result, Wendy’s updated its 2019 outlook to allow for that, but said all other elements of the company’s 2019 outlook remain unchanged. 

However, the company is updating its 2020 goals and long-term guidance at its Investor Day on Oct. 11, 2019, including additional details regarding the expected financial impact of entering the breakfast daypart. The company said this year it now expects: 

  • Adjusted EBITDA to be flat to down 2%.
  • Adjusted EPS down 3.5% to 6.5%.
  • Cash flows from operations of $290 million-$305 million.
  • Free cash flow down 2.5% to 7% to $215 to $225 million.

The Future of Food: How Location-Aware Dining Apps Are Changing the Industry

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The Future of Food: How Location-Aware Dining Apps Are Changing the Industry

From impossible meat to CBD in everything, there are some new and intriguing trends taking the restaurant industry by storm in 2019. Sustainability and conscious eating continue to loom large in the minds of consumers; but as far as the customer experience goes, geo-fencing is dominating the dining world. 

Restaurant delivery is a growing facet of the dining industry driven by the increase in mobile ordering and the needs of the on-the-go customer. According to forecasts by Investment Bank UBS, restaurant delivery sales are expected to rise more than 20% annually and reach $365B in 2035, up from $35 billion in 2018. Critical to this growth is the increased adoption of geofencing marketing within the in-app experience. Here’s how geofencing is revolutionizing the future of the restaurant industry.

Geofencing and the contextual experience

Despite the increasing popularity of restaurant delivery, some food merchants have a hard time mitigating the impact of delivery on their bottom line. Delivering a $10 meal with a $3 delivery fee isn’t sustainable in the long-run. Between high gas prices, wages, other vehicle costs, and the expense of packaging delivery, many restaurants will be hard-pressed to absorb the high operational costs.

Carryout seems like the best possible alternative, where “last-mile delivery” is outsourced to the customer. The primary motivation for diners to prefer delivery and carryout is convenience: delivery is more often the first choice for customers who don’t want to arrive at a restaurant only to find that their order isn’t ready and waiting for them. This is where geofencing can streamline the takeaway experience to be fast and efficient for the customer, and more cost-effective for the restaurant. Geofencing tracking within the restaurant app can help the restaurant understand location data to trigger alerts to the back-of-house, telling the kitchen when to fire up the order or when the customer is stuck in traffic. For the customer, contextually-relevant messages can be sent to remind them to start traveling to the restaurant at the optimum time, depending on how far they are.  

Companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks have begun testing in-app software that lets a customer order ahead and uses geofencing to predict when the customer will arrive. This ensures the customer receives a freshly-made order that’s ready when they arrive. As HBR describes,“on-site carry-out creates value because it outsources last-mile delivery to the consumer, who is often able to perform this task at a lower cost than the delivery company.” 

How are brands using geofencing in their in-app experience? 

The possibilities presented by geofencing are clearly powerful. Here’s how some QSRs have started experimenting with geofencing to improve the customer carryout experience. 


Source

McDonald’s tests order-ahead 

In 2017, McDonald’s began to experiment with geofencing built into its app to allow customers to create an order anywhere and pay for it through the app upon arrival. The goal of the test was to reduce wait lines, cold food, and customer congestion at McDonald’s locations across California and Washington state. With the initial success, McDonald’s has since rolled out order-ahead to locations worldwide. The app doesn’t allow customers to order outside a certain geofence, ensuring the carryout order will be hot and ready by the time the customer arrives. 

Burger King’s real-time geofencing campaign

Not one to sit out on a new technology, Burger King responded to McDonald’s use of geofencing with a campaign of their own. The Whopper Detour campaign of 2018 made use of in-app geofencing to lure customers away from a McDonald’s. When the customer’s mobile app was within 600 feet of a McDonald’s location, geofencing would trigger the delivery of a digital coupon offering the Burger King Whopper for just 1 cent. This campaign had the double benefit of increasing foot traffic to Burger King locations while also increasing app downloads, helping Burger King continuously reach customers after the campaign ended. 

Grubhub and Dunkin’ Donuts improve delivery data

Geofencing isn’t just for optimizing carryout. Dunkin’ Donuts partnered with food delivery service Grubhub to leverage geofencing for better data and customer insight. Grubhub placed geofences around the 400 New York City Dunkin’ locations to measure traffic and delivery times. According to industry analysts, Dunkin’ Donuts plans to use geofencing analytics to “optimize efficiencies, as well as order accuracy and consistency.” Geofencing can provide the detail brands need to constantly tailor and improve the customer experience no matter how the customer chooses to dine in (or out). 

Best practices for geofencing in the dining industry 

QSR brands have only begun to scratch the surface of geofencing. Beyond providing better delivery analytics and clever marketing campaigns, location context can help restaurants understand customer loyalty, impact customer engagement, and help them save on operational and delivery costs.

This article is contributed by Radar.

How kiosks have allowed AI makes offices safer and more efficient.

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How kiosks have allowed AI makes offices safer and more efficient.

Office and HR managers are trapped in an unenviable spot nowadays. They want staff to eat healthy food and have recreational areas, but are trying to do it with legacy cafeterias offering unhealthy food and operated with archaic back-office systems. 

What if we can change all this with AI-enabled micro markets and smartphone apps within the office environment for selecting healthy refreshments?

What if analytics are captured, in real-time, showing employee satisfaction scores and insights to HR executives?

Firms like Oh My Green!, a San Francisco-based wellness services provider that uses AI and wireless sensors to help employees make healthy choices; Ideum, which creates digital experiences to engage visitors in public places; and Grubbrr, a platform for kiosks, point-of-sale, mobile and online ordering, are doing just that, integrating technology within new paradigm shifting sets of solutions.

Forward-thinking HR managers are looking at AI-enabled kiosks and robot greeters for more personalized experiences in offices and cafeterias.

Robots in the office

New modalities of services will occur in businesses via AI-powered robots that are mobile and have tablets providing the following services:

  • Concierge greeters.
  • Open AI interfaces to IBM Watson or other AI engines with recommendations based on past selections and what is on sale.
  • Facial recognition to not only identify customers but also identify mood and recommend newer products and services.

Imagine kiosks in office cafeterias adapting to each individual customer: a child sees the kids meals, a teenager sees the burgers and ice cream, while the health conscious adults see the salad options as they walk up to the kiosk leveraging facial recognition.  

Analytics, AI and machine learning

Analytics, rules engines and AI engines can help with actionable advice or actions. Such actions include:

  • Trend analysis on what’s selling and what’s not, with proactive order management to suppliers.
  • AI-based pricing and discounts to sell excess inventory.
  • Machine learning to learn on-the-fly with speech-to-text and text-to-speech with cognitive and contextual learning about different food options.
  • Multi-language support.
  • A seamless user experience between AI, robots and humans.

The last point is critical. As new solutions occur, they will be “omni-convergent.” The customer journey may start on a mobile app, on a phone with an auto-attendant, or online, then continue at a drive-through or lobby with a self-order kiosk or robot, or at the table with a tabletop kiosk providing a seamless user experience — spanning voice, chat, messaging, social, email, video with both a proactive and reactive response.

A new world awaits!

Why should you have your doughnuts with beer?

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Why should you have your doughnuts with beer?

When you think of a beverage to accompany a doughnut, what comes to mind? Coffee certainly. Perhaps milk. But what about beer? The combination of craft beer and sweet doughnuts is a decadent way to explore how beer and food interact. Be it through acidity, alcohol, effervescence or hoppy bitterness, beer slices through oils and fats to refresh the palate in preparation for the next bite. And with local breweries just blocks away from some of L.A.’s best doughnut shops, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge in some experimentation.

The easy entry into the beer-plus-doughnut equation is to go on-the-nose with a coffee beer. Coffee and doughnuts are a comfortable combination, and it’s difficult to go wrong. To venture beyond the beginner’s territory, here are a few suggestions for doughnut and beer pairings.

Three Weavers Brewing and Randy’s Donuts

The starting point for any pairing is to consider the intensity of the food and the beer. Doughnuts are both rich and sweet and not subtle when it comes to flavor. So this isn’t the time for a delicate beer. To stand up to the mouth-coating and sugary confections, you’re going to need a bold beverage. The higher alcohol and more bitter offerings such as the Three Weavers Brewing Knotty double IPA or Midnight Flight imperial stout are better choices than the lighter offerings that could be lost after a bite of doughnut. Three Weavers brewmaster Alexandra Nowell suggests trying Midnight Flight alongside an apple fritter from Randy’s (which happens to be just a couple blocks away from the Inglewood tasting room). It’s a combo that works because the beer’s coffee and chocolate flavors from dark malts build a bridge from beer to doughnut. And the bitterness of the beer sharply contrasts each sugary bite. At nearly 10% alcohol, and considerably bitter, not even a heavy duty apple fritter will overwhelm Midnight Flight. Randy’s Donuts , 805 West Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, (310) 645-4707, randysdonuts.com; Three Weavers Brewery – 1031 W. Manchester Blvd., Suite A, Inglewood, (310) 400-5830, www.threeweavers.la.

Highland Park Brewery and Donut Friend

When you’re ready to move on from classic doughnuts, there’s Donut Friend, a punk-rock-themed doughnut shop in Northeast Los Angeles that’s just a few doors down from the Hermosillo Bar — home of the lauded Highland Park Brewery. At Donut Friend, you can choose a prebuilt doughnut with a punny name or build your own combination of pastries, fillings and topping to craft the perfect accompaniment to your favorite HPB brew. Brewer Grant Scholler’s favorite combo is the Angry Samoa doughnut (a cake doughnut with chocolate and caramel topped with toasted coconut) with the brewery’s Big No No baltic porter. Similar to Midnight Flight, Big No No relies on roasted malts to complement the chocolate flavors of the doughnut, and it has the elevated alcohol level (about 8.5% alcohol) to stand up to the Angry Samoa. If you get the chance to try Really Big No No — a rare variant of the porter infused with coffee and tobacco — there’s not a more on-the-nose pairing for a doughnut.

Highland Park Brewery is best known for its IPAs, and whether you’re trying the traditional bright and bitter West Coast style IPAs or the newer, hazy “New England IPA” style, you can find a doughnut to match at Donut Friend. Try the Hüsker Blü cake doughnut topped with blueberry glaze with a West Coast IPA like Hello L.A. or Bonkers. The tropical and often berry-like hop aromas will connect to the blueberries in the doughnut, and the beer’s bitterness will balance out the doughnut’s sugar. The softer, more fruity hazy IPAs might look like orange juice, but they’re a much better match for a doughnut than O.J. Try pairing one with the Hot Rosewater Music doughnut (made with rosewater and lemon glaze with pistachios) or the Yo La Mango doughnut (made with mango glazed with chili and lime zest). Donut Friend, 5107 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 995-6191, donutfriend.com; Highland Park Brewery, 5127 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 739-6459, hpb.la.

Alosta Brewing Co. and the Donut Man

Speaking of fruit on a doughnut, it’s strawberry season. And that means the famous strawberry doughnuts from Glendora’s the Donut Man are available (and the fresh peach doughnuts are just around the corner). The sweet-tart and extra sticky doughnuts are a local favorite, and there are now a couple of breweries close-by the doughnut shop. Both Alosta Brewing and the Arrow Lodge brew pub are about three miles away in Covina. Try the dry and spicy 1887 Belgian-style tripel from Alosta Brewing with a fresh strawberry doughnut. The Donut Man, 915 E. Rte. 66, Glendora, (626) 335-9111, www.thedonutmanca.com; Alosta Brewing Co., 692 Arrow Grand Circle, Covina, (626) 470-7897, www.alostabrewing.com.

New Miami Restaurants Try This Hottest New Art Basel 2019

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New Miami Restaurants Try This Hottest New Art Basel 2019

Boia De
In Miami, a neon-lit exclamation point (!) marks the location of Boia De, a funky new restaurant tucked in the corner of a busy shopping center in upper Buena Vista. Opened since June, the hidden gem is sparking excitement amongst foodies with its Brooklyn-cool vibe and modern American fare with a touch of Italian influence. If you find yourself in Miami for Art Basel, Boia De is a must. The retro-modern eatery breathes new life to the neighborhood with its casual fine-dining pedigree, eclectic décor and premium selection of low-intervention wines. With just 24 seats, it’s a small operation run by culinary duo (and couple) Luci Giangrandi and Alex Meyer; chefs with equally impressive resumes working in some of New York’s most acclaimed kitchens who until recently operated La Pollita, the beloved Mexican taco truck in Design District. Boia De located at 5205 Northeast Second Avenue is open for dinner six nights a week (closed Tuesdays) from 5:30PM to 10:30PM; and Friday to Saturday until 11:30PM. Contact: 305-967-8866 / www.boiaderestaurant.com.

Le Jardinier
Le Jardinier, a modern vegetable-driven restaurant rooted in classic French technique and created by a longtime protégé of Chef Joël Robuchon, opened on August 16, 2019. The casually sophisticated concept was created by Culinary Director Alain Verzeroli, who worked with Robuchon for 21 years and currently serves as Executive Chef of the restaurant’s flagship location in New York City. Plants play a prominent role on the menu at Le Jardinier, where local, seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs and greens are complemented by wild and sustainable fish, meat and poultry. Regional Chef Leo Pablo serves as the day-to-day chef at Le Jardinier Miami, bringing over 15 years of experience in some of the region’s top kitchens including Life-House, Stubborn Seed, and J&G Grill by Jean Georges. Located on the first floor of the bi-level plaza (with L’Atelier located upstairs), the restaurant features a lush outdoor dining area. Le Jardinier will serve dinner upon opening, with lunch service to follow. Le Jardinier will be closed on Mondays, open from 6PM to 10PM on Sunday, and Tuesday through Thursday; and 6PM to 11PM Friday and Saturday. Contact: 305-402-9060 / www.Lejardinier-miami.com.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
With locations around the world in cities including Paris, Tokyo, and New York, the South Florida outpost of Chef Joël Robuchon’s groundbreaking concept, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, opened on August 28, 2019. The highly-anticipated restaurant offers diners modern French cuisine served at a signature 34-seat dining counter that faces directly into the open kitchen, allowing for a dynamic interaction between the chefs and guests, and convivial fine dining experience. L’Atelier’s counter seating and menu format meld the interactive sushi counters of Japan and tapas style of service found in Spain, with Robuchon’s modern French cuisine. The menu in Miami features several of L’Atelier’s iconic signature dishes–including the famed pommes purée–alongside new, ever-changing seasonal creations utilizing ingredients sourced from top local and regional purveyors. The format of the menu at L’Atelier allows diners the flexibility to create their own experience by ordering a la carte or one of the various tasting menu options. L’Atelier will serve dinner from 6PM until 10PM Tuesday through Saturday. Contact: www.LAtelier-miami.com.

Sushi By Bou
Tucked away on the second floor of The Villa Casa Casuarina, within Gianni Versace’s former suite, resides Sushi By Bou, an exclusive sushi bar bringing experiential omakase to South Beach. The popular New York City concept is the brainchild of Michael Sinensky and Erika London of Simple Venue which focuses on transforming underutilized spaces within existing hotels into experiential culinary concepts. Guests can choose between a 30 or 60-minute omakase dine in the expanded suite which houses two, four-seat sushi bars with a modern neoclassic style that honors the mansion’s existing architecture and original design. Diners are encouraged to arrive early, or stay late, for private access to the G-Lounge which boasts a personal bartender serving up a selection of fine Japanese Whiskeys and craft sake cocktails in the pre-dining space complete with emerald couches and a fireplace. The 60-minute omakase experience includes 17 courses for $125 inclusive of tax and gratuity, while the 30-minute option includes 12 courses for $65 exclusive of tax and gratuity. Additionally, the suite is equipped with an ‘instagrammable’ self-service sake vending machine where guests can select their choice of three sakes for $40 or add a sake pairing to the experience at an additional cost. Sushi By Bou is located at The Villa Casa Casuarina on 1116 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach. Contact: 305-922-9195 / www.sushibybou.com.

Esotico Miami
The much-anticipated tiki-inspired concept by Daniele Dalla Pola (DDP) and Graspa Group Owner Graziano Sbroggio — Esotico Miami — opened this summer. The tropically chic restaurant and bar offers a spectacular cocktail menu reflecting global influences and overflowing with fresh, original, potent concoctions. DDP is a cocktail globetrotter and a connoisseur of tiki culture. As one of the world’s best tropical mixologists, he has traveled extensively, gaining expertise in crafting cocktails inspired by exotic and remote locales, including two of his favorite places: Hawaii and the Caribbean. Esotico Miami’s comprehensive cocktail menu contains an assortment of original creations influenced by tiki-cocktail history. The offerings include close to 230 rums, signature drinks, limited edition mugs, large-format social cocktails for sharing, and sections dedicated to Negronis, rum flights, gin and tonics, mocktails, and beer. The varied and eclectic menu, dubbed “tropical chow,” tempts the palate with a variety of seafood, meat-centric, and vegetarian options. The sophisticated 3,400 square-foot space in Downtown Miami accommodates 157 people. The colorful décor includes custom-printed wallpaper depicting lush palm trees, muted lighting, and accents inspired by the tropics. Esotico Miami is located at 1600 NE 1 Ave in Downtown Miami. Open Monday-Saturday from 5PM-2AM (Dinner menu available until midnight; late-night menu available from midnight-2AM); Happy Hour and other programming will launch at a later date; Closed Sundays. Contact: 305-800-TIKI / www.esoticomiami.com

ON THE HORIZON

Navé
Since opening Ariete in Coconut Grove in 2016, Chef Michael Beltran has garnered accolades and a ravenous following for his inventive New Cuban-American cuisine. In fact, just recently the restaurant was namechecked by The New York Times as a definitive Miami dining destination. Now, Chef Beltran, together with Ark Hospitality (the team behind Taurus Beer & Whiskey House and The ScapeGoat), is preparing for the fall 2019 opening of his newest concept: Navé. For the restaurant, which is located in Coconut Grove next door to Ariete, Beltran has partnered with none other than Chef Justin Flit of beloved Proof Miami fame to create an approachable menu of unforgettable dishes in an elegant, but casual setting. The menu, still in development, will sport proper technique and bold flavors without venturing far from the integrity of their ingredients and smart sourcing. Diners can expect to find a variety of fresh pastas made in-house, wood-fired pizzas, refined seafood and a raw bar. The cocktail program, under the direction of Beverage Director Bobby Gilardi, will feature
a number of refreshing handcrafted libations.
Press images: HERE

Frohzen
Frohzen, an ice cream shop conceptualized by Pastry Chef Salvatore Martone, a longtime protégé of famed chef Joel Robuchon, will open in October 2019 in Miami’s Design District. Known for his boundless creativity and use of innovative techniques, Martone brings his signature sense of whimsy to the menu, which will include unique creations such as ice cream cupcakes, macaron ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream “cakesicles.” Frohzen will be located on the ground floor of Paradise Plaza directly across from Le Jardinier, a concept by another Robuchon protégé. More information and images forthcoming.

Expanded Perks Launched by Grubhub for its Mobile Clients

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Expanded Perks Launched by Grubhub for its Mobile Clients

Grubhub has announced the launch of “Perks” for mobile users, featuring exclusive offers only available on Grubhub, as well as new ways to earn and redeem restaurant loyalty rewards.

“Restaurants have always used free food as a perk for their VIP diners, to keep them happy and coming back. We have now extended this practice to Grubhub diners by building loyalty tools so our restaurant partners can promote their restaurants more aggressively on our marketplace and reward their best digital diners as well,” Matt Maloney, Grubhub founder and CEO, said in a press release.

Eligible diners will now be able to choose from a range of offers only available on Grubhub from participating restaurant locations, including a free Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell; free Original or Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel from Auntie Anne’s; free 1 Dozen Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster; and free 20 oz smoothie from Smoothie King. There will also be perks offered by such brands as Shake Shack, Just Salad, honeygrow, Pokeworks, Argo Tea and more.

Perks can be accessed with a tab at the bottom of the screen in the Grubhub and Seamless mobile apps.

In July it was revealed that Grubhub’s customer base had surpassed 20 million users. The company also reported Q2 earnings with revenues of $325 million, a 36 percent year-over-year increase that beat analyst expectations. In other Q2 metrics, Grubhub posted a 30 percent year-over-year increase in active diners to 20.3 million, and a 16 percent year-over-year increase in daily average grubs to nearly 489,000. Gross food sales increased 20 percent to some $1.5 billion.

“The team continued executing in the second quarter, adding thousands of new, high-quality independent and enterprise restaurants and growing our active diner base to more than 20 million,” Maloney said at the time. “We are excited about the trajectory of our two-sided marketplace — both in terms of geographic diversity and depth in individual markets. Restaurants are increasingly valuing the incremental sales and products we provide, while diners highly regard our robust restaurant selection and consistently low transaction fees.”

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