RISE - Menu Monitor

Menu Development |
Wine flights are a good choice for diners looking to sample different styles of wine to complement a meal. Outlets of Newport
Beach, CA-based Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar offer six Discovery Flights themed around a wine region or variety.
Purple Café & Wine Bar restaurants in Seattle, Kirkland and Woodinville, WA, menu 18 different wine flights, including some
with unusual selections. At some restaurants, such flights do not even consist of wines, but instead could be single-malt
Scotches, Belgian ales or tequilas. (Nation’s Restaurant News Online 11/16/06)
Veal is a way for operators to add a delicate, sophisticated flavor to their menus. Norman’s in Coral Gables, FL, menus a
Mongolian Barbecued Veal Chop, which has been marinated 12 hours in hoisin and plum sauces, honey, sriracha and
peanuts, paired with grilled Japanese eggplant tossed in olive oil and lightly dressed mesclun greens. At Lacroix at the
Rittenhouse in Philadelphia, guests can dine on Caramelized Milk-Fed Veal Chop, pan-roasted to caramelize the chops and
finished with butter, cocoa nibs and herbs, paired with housemade fig jam and cipollini onions. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse &
Wine Bar locations offer patrons Broiled Veal Chop, 14-oz. veal chops seasoned with salt and cracked black pepper with
béarnaise sauce and a side of asparagus. (Restaurants & Institutions 5/01/07 p49)
Elegant steakhouses are appealing to a new clientele with revamped menus and elaborate bar décor. By broadening diningroom
menus beyond steak entrées, pairing appetizers with wines by the glass, and introducing children’s menus, many finedining
restaurants, including Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, are attracting women,
young professionals and health-conscious diners who previously shied away from steakhouses. Ruth’s Chris has experienced
growth after providing more flexible menu options, including smaller portions of regular menu items, along with a new design
for the bar and lounge. Similarly, Fleming’s has created a more contemporary design for the chain’s bars and added a “Flights
and Bites” promotion that matches three appetizers with three wines for less than $20. (Nation’s Restaurant News 9/3/07)
Personnel |
Nancy Schneid, Director of Marketing
A. William, III Allen, CEO
Dirk A. Montgomery, CFO
Irene Wenzel, V.P. of Purchasing
Paul Avery, COO
Jennifer Caper, V.P. of Development
News & Other |
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar reported for the fourth quarter ended December 31 same-store sales rose 3.5%.
(Company Release 2/1/07)
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Scottsdale, AZ, is being sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission. The suit alleges that male employees were sexually harassed by male managers and it also claims that some
employees were dismissed for complaining. OSI Restaurant Partners Inc., the chain’s owner, says that the lawsuit is without
merit and it will vigorously defend itself. (NRN Daily NewsFax 4/11/07)
OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. reported for the quarter ended March 31 same-store sales system-wide declined 0.5% at
Outback Steakhouse, 1.3% at Carrabba’s Italian Grills, 0.7% at Bonefish Grills, 2.1% at Roy’s and rose 3.3% at Fleming’s
Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bars. For the five weeks ended March 31, same-store sales system-wide fell 0.1% at Outback
Steakhouse, 0.7% at Carrabba’s Italian Grills, 1% at Bonefish Grills, and 1.6% at Roy’s, and grew 0.7% at Fleming’s Prime
Steakhouse and Wine Bars. (Company Release 4/5/07)
OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. reported April same-store sales grew 1% at Outback Steakhouse, 1.1% at Carrabba’s Italian
Grill, 1.9% at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 0.7% at Bonefish Grill and 0.8% at Roy’s. (NRN Daily NewsFax
5/4/07)
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