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2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Robin Garr » Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:47 am

Best new restaurant of the year? Saddest loss to closing? New trends taking off? Old and weary trends dying? Where are we headed in 2016? Is there room for more pizza? :mrgreen: Share your thoughts on the local (and beyond) food-and-drink scene in 2015, and let's see if any patterns develop.
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Mark R. » Mon Dec 28, 2015 11:09 am

The best new restaurant of the year is easy in my opinion, it has to be Artesamo! While I was there have been several losses of restaurants in the real none of them have been that we really enjoyed or visited often. I guess if I needed to choose it would probably be Cunningham's just because of its history.

Of course in 2016 we will have at least 2 more restaurants from Fernando opening in the first half your and who knows, probably at least one more way he operates! I'm sure based on our history we will also have several other new exciting dining options before the end of the year, hopefully one of the great deli! I think we have too many pizza restaurants are ready and hopefully a few of the things close some locations.
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Bill Veneman » Mon Dec 28, 2015 3:38 pm

This year that we are about to wrap up has been a dizzy blur of comings, goings, rehashes, redo's, restarts and revamps!

That being said, it's been like damned potato chip....you can't have just one!

Martinez
Ton
Varanese
Staggers
and did I say Martinez?

Fox
Benjamin
Rosenburg
Morris & Ray

Fill in the blanks folks! The scene has exploded!
If life's a Banquet, what's with all the Tofu?

Cheers!

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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Robin Garr » Mon Dec 28, 2015 4:32 pm

Bill Veneman wrote:This year that we are about to wrap up has been a dizzy blur of comings, goings, rehashes, redo's, restarts and revamps!

That being said, it's been like damned potato chip....you can't have just one!

Martinez
Ton
Varanese
Staggers
and did I say Martinez?

Fox
Benjamin
Rosenburg
Morris & Ray

Fill in the blanks folks! The scene has exploded!


Great start, Bill! Now fill in a little block next to each saying what they did. (Or, in a few cases, what we hope they are going to do ... )
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Robin Garr » Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:46 pm

Bill Veneman wrote:Martinez
Ton
Varanese
Staggers
and did I say Martinez?

Fox
Benjamin
Rosenburg
Morris & Ray


Probably ought to add Palombino and Rogers.

But this opens a fascinating new door: All (or at least most of) our exciting new activity is coming from local chefs spreading their wings? Not that all this is bad stuff, but I'm not sure how long we can sustain this high without new blood. Am I off base here?
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Mark R. » Mon Dec 28, 2015 10:01 pm

Robin Garr wrote:
Bill Veneman wrote:Martinez
Ton
Varanese
Staggers
and did I say Martinez?

Fox
Benjamin
Rosenburg
Morris & Ray


Probably ought to add Palombino and Rogers.

But this opens a fascinating new door: All (or at least most of) our exciting new activity is coming from local chefs spreading their wings? Not that all this is bad stuff, but I'm not sure how long we can sustain this high without new blood. Am I off base here?

If you really think about it though, 5, 10 or 15 years ago we had to heard about a lot of the chefs either. Most of them came up through the ranks at various local establishments and I'm sure in the future there will be others like them coming up through the ranks. A good dining community like we have thrives on its own by developing its future.
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Stephen D » Tue Dec 29, 2015 2:04 am

Some of my thoughts:

Best New Restaurant: The Table. My vote's for them because if they can make this model work, it's a game-changer for so many people. This can be replicated locally, placed on every corner alongside Starbucks and McDonalds.

The Shining Stars: Ole' Restaurant Group. Each of these concepts is well-done, creative and fit into their neighborhoods. The hits keep coming. Staggers Group-ishness. See above.

Ten Tables.

Macro-Trend of the Year: The move from centralized dining clusters to decentralized sprawl-islands.

Food Trend of the Year: Small plates, again. Healthier options are coming to the forefront. I think ancient grains are going to dominate in the next year as people become more comfortable with them.

Standing Strong Food Trend: Farm to Table. It's going nowhere, expect more options as the farming sector figures out how to get their product to clients more efficiently. Expect more farmers adopting this model, as well. Joshua Moore is proving how creative one can be.

Tired Food Trend: New Southern. It's also going nowhere, but I feel that it permeates almost every Chef's food in the city. Mission accomplished The growth will happen as people like Rosenberg rethink that animal. We'll see.

On to the Beverage:

Beer- The good, bad and ugly. In my opinion, this sector experienced the greatest growth this year. You can't drive 15 minutes and not stumble across a burgeoning brewery Some of it good, some of it 'not my favorite.'

Wine- From a restaurant perspective, we are asking for things now that are only found in first tier markets.

Cocktails- Our strength is that Bartenders have become Ambassadors of Bourbon Whisky. Our weakness is that we have fallen behind the World in Bartending acumen.
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Robin Garr » Tue Dec 29, 2015 7:54 am

Stephen D wrote:Some of my thoughts.

Good thoughts. Thanks, Steve. Especially for declaring "New Southern" as fading. Louisville is not and has never been "Southern," and hooking on to that cultural movement was just lazy. :P
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by RonnieD » Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:17 am

Fast Casual is also starting to age and not well. In general the sector is still showing growth, but we are starting to see the weaknesses of the genre as well. Chipotle's recent struggles are in the forefront now, but over-saturation and explosive-yet-unsustainable growth are plaguing the fast casual sector in the big picture. I think we have already kind of seen that here in Louisville. (I know we went through it 8 years ago before it was cool.)

There seems to be some kind of odd hybrid local/fast casual creature emerging from the pit as local restaurateurs are taking the bones of the fast casual model and applying some even higher quality standards to it. I'm thinking something like Rumplings, Taco Punk, etc. These concepts may see more than one unit, but are unlikely to develop (or even want to develop) into multi-unit concepts. There is also a large movement to bridge the gap between food trucks and fast casual that sort of fits into this curious niche as well. I expect more growth in these hybrid areas as well.
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Re: 2015 in dining: Let's look back!

by Mark R. » Tue Dec 29, 2015 3:18 pm

Ronnie, it's interesting that you brought up fast casual because I was just thinking of that regards to the Zeggz that is going to open in Middletown. It's going to be fast casual instead of full service like the existing one. I'm really not sure that that's a good approach for the breakfast business and it certainly will be a major departure from all the other breakfast restaurants we have like First Watch and Wild Eggs. At least for us one of the major incentives to go out for breakfast is being able to be served and relax. I'm sure it's a price consideration because it requires less staffing I'm not sure how public acceptance of it will be. It's going to be interesting to watch it and see what happens.
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