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News from el Restaurante Mexicano
The monthly online newsletter from el Restaurante Mexicano magazine
November 2009
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Dear (Contact First Name),
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Industry News:
Innovative flavors drive restaurant traffic
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 Consumers are
interested in expanding their palates when dining out and want to patronize
restaurants that offer innovative flavors. The 2009 Flavor Consumer Trend
Report from Technomic finds that 42 percent of consumers, particularly males
aged 25 to 34, are more likely to visit restaurants that offer new or unique
flavors. Interesting findings include:
· Two-thirds of consumers
(66 percent) say discovering a new flavor at a restaurant can persuade them to
return for the same dish, and more than half (55 percent) say
they may try other dishes there.
· Over a third of consumers
(35 percent) are willing to spend more on a meal that incorporates new or
innovative flavors.
· Among less broadly
established ethnic cuisines, those of high interest include Spanish (72
percent), Hawaiian (71 percent), Tex-Mex (69 percent), Greek (66 percent), and
Caribbean and Mediterranean (66 and 62 percent).
· Garlic, pepper and smoky
barbecue flavor profiles dominate entrée menus. Global influences are also
prominent, specifically those with Mexican, Asian and Italian flair.
www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091021005897&newsLang=en
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Independent Restaurant Watch: Zolo hosts '151 Days of Tequila'
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Through
M arch 31, 2010, Zolo Southwestern Grill in Boulder, Colo., is celebrating its
menu of 151 tequilas with a "151 Days of Tequila" promotion. Events include
Tequila 101, a Dec. 8 tequila primer on the history and terminology of tequila
that will include food prepared by Chef Brett Smith; a tequila dinner Jan. 21;
a tequila fest Feb. 21; and the March 21 finale, El Jefe de Tequila, a
delicious tequila-inspired dinner to benefit a local charity.
Throughout the 151
Days of Tequila, customers who order a shot of tequila will be entered to win a
trip to Jalisco, Mexico. Customers also can join Zolo's Tequila Club, or visit
the restaurant on the first Tuesday of each month for Tequila Tuesday, an event
featuring a $35 prix fixe menu paired with tequilas.
www.zologrill.com
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Chain News:
Pizza Patrón
signs Dallas stadium extension
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The
95-unit Pi zza Patrón has signed a multiyear contract extension with the American Airlines
Center, home of the basketball Dallas Mavericks and hockey Dallas Stars. The collaboration began in 2008. The pizza chain
recently unveiled new Latin-themed concession environments to kick off the
2009-2010 season at the arena.
pizzapatron.com
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Retail/C-store Report: Sedano's
Supermarkets expands to Orlando
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 Sedano's Supermarkets will
acquire three Albertsons supermarket locations in Central Florida. Its first expansion beyond its South
Florida headquarters brings the number of stores to 33 in
Florida.
sedanos.com/pressreleases.php
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Vendors
in the News:
Robot
Coupe offers R602V
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With its
all-m etal bowl unit and vegetable prep attachment, the Robot Coupe R602V
variable-speed combination performs all your food processing tasks. Prepare 2000 servings in less than 3
hours with its vegetable prep attachment and prepare the smoothest sauces,
purees, salad dressings in just minutes in the bowl unit.
robotcoupeusa.com; 800/824-1646
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From the Archives: Hispanic holiday traditions
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 Reprinted from
the 2004 Buyer's Guide issue of el Restaurante Mexicano, © 2003 Maiden
Name Press LLC
The holiday
season is a great time to attract customers with menus and promotions based on
Mexican traditions. Here are just a few ideas:
· Las Posadas
(The Inns). For nine days before Christmas, Hispanic families re-enact the Holy
Family's search for shelter with candlelight processions, feasts and fiestas.
Restaurants could offer a special Las Posadas menu from Dec. 16 to
24 featuring some traditional Mexican holiday foods (buñuelos, tamales,
ponche, for example). You could also set farolitos (little lanterns) at the
entrance to your restaurant, or even use them as tabletop decorations.
· The
Poinsettia. This popular Christmas flower is native to Mexico. One legend has
it that a girl walking to church was sad because she had no gift to present
Jesus on Christmas Eve. She made a bouquet from weeds growing along the road,
and when she laid it at the Nativity scene, the weeds became bright red
flowers. In addition to decorating with poinsettias, you could offer poinsettia-shaped
bizcochuelos (cookies) on your dessert menu, or present a small plate of them
with the check at the end of a customer's meal. You could also have young
customers color pictures of poinsettias (possibly on a place mat or page that
explains the legend of the poinsettia). Find a picture of a poinsettia kids can
color at christmas-santa.tripod.com.
· Noche de los
Rabanos (Night of the Radishes). This Dec. 23 event is one of Oaxaca's most
popular fiestas. Participants carve radishes into elaborate figures, then
create scenes (the Nativity, for example) with the radish "people."
The celebration commemorates the introduction of the radish by Spanish
colonists in the mid-19th century, according to a story at festivals.com.
Though Oaxacan radishes typically are the size of yams, you could create a
display (possibly as a tabletop decoration) using the smaller white and red
radishes found in the U.S., and give customers a brief history of the event.
You could also feature radishes in a special salad.
Recipe archive: restmex.com/recipes
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| Recipes
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To find holiday
recipes visit restmex.com/recipes/0306posadas.shtml for links to recipes for Bacalao Navideño (Christmas Cod); Bizcochuelos (Anise Cookies);
Ensalada de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Salad); Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings
Bread); Crema Poblana (Poblano Chile Soup); Medallones de Puerco con Mole de
Hierbas (Pork Medallions with Herbed Green Mole); Ponche Navideño (Christmas
Punch); and Tamales Dulces (Sweet Tamales).
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