By my count, seven restaurants opened this week (see list below).
As a former restaurant owner, this both excites and scares the hell out of me. There's nothing like the rush of a restaurant full of real, cash-paying customers on its first weekend. No more friends & family, no more test runs, no more "soft" openings... for these seven restaurant owners--it's showtime, baby.
Springtime, especially in St. Louis. is prime-time for restaurant openings, and no better time to offer some suggestions for diners who like to check out establishments right after they open:
What's cool:
- By all means go. The restaurant needs you to go. But be an observant sponge... you'll be rewarded with a fascinating display of human energy.
- Approach the visit with an open mind -- few players hit home runs the first week of the season.
- Offer commentary and criticism -- trust me, the owner wants you to. Tell him/her on the spot or even the next day, but it's important to say something. Part of a restaurant's success depends on it.
- If the experience is positive, by all means tell your friends--word of mouth never goes out of style.
What's not cool:
- Bad-mouthing the experience to others if it wasn't up to your expectations. It wasn't up to the owner's expectations either. The first several days never are.
- Bad-mouthing the experience in print. There is simply no justification for a negative review, even if it starts with "I know it was their first weekend, but..."
In short:
A restaurant has an incredible number of moving parts and syncing takes time. Diners who are high-maintenance or hypercritical need to give a restaurant 30 days--like the dining critics do--before they visit. For the rest of us: be kind, be understanding, be informative.
Open/opening this week:
Altai Mongolian Grill (Bella Vita): 9528 Manchester, Opened May 6
Stadium Sports Bar & Grill (SleeK): 999 N. Second, May 9
PW Pizza: 2017 Chouteau, May 9
Mad Tomato (Carondelet Grill): 8000 Carondelet, May 10
Joey B's (Klipper's): 189 Concord Plaza, May 11
Three Kings Public House (Riddle's): 6307 Delmar, May 13
Pura-Vegan (Nik's Wine Bar): 307 Belt, May 14
