Shoutout to the 300th plate of that stupid risotto

I hit 300 orders of the same mushroom risotto on our new menu. That number hit me hard because I was sure it was a boring filler dish. Turns out, people love the simple things done right. We use a specific local mushroom from a farm near Eugene, and the consistency is key. I guess I got too caught up in fancy new ideas. Has anyone else been surprised by what becomes a real workhorse on their menu?

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3 Comments

seanm937mo ago

Sometimes the "boring" dish is the one people actually come back for.

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piper_reed7mo ago

You're right about the "boring" dish. I've seen people order the simple grilled chicken every single time while the fancy specials get ignored. It's about having that reliable option on the menu.

3

ivanhart7mo ago

But that reliable option can kill a place for me. If the menu is full of safe bets, why go there instead of anywhere else? The specials show me the kitchen cares, that they're trying something. When all anyone orders is the chicken, those specials stop coming. Then you're just left with boring.

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