On a scorching hot day in San Carlos, there was nothing more refreshing than frozen yogurt. Harmony takes it an extra step and serves 100% Organic fro yo. Softened by the rays of the sun, the mochi topping contrasted the chilly yogurt. For further crunch, the vibrant mango topping did the trick.
Ambiance.
Unlike Pinkberry and Red Mango, the decor does not portray minimalist design but instead earth tone colors resembling Whole Foods.
Taste.
After tasting over five fro yo eateries around the Bay Area, not one taste similar to another. Distinctively, the clean after taste of Harmony’s fro you is obvious. The texture is full bodied but less creamy than Quickly’s frozen yogurt.
Consultant hat.
The weather is constantly warm in San Carlos so the location is great. The organic frozen yogurts also pairs well in this affluent area. It is also refreshing to discover that the owner is not Asian, that is a first amongst the fro yo’s I have visited.
If you’re feeling the urge for haute Chinese food without spending a hefty price, the Kitchen is a great choice. Located a few blocks away from culinary giants Fok Yuen and Hong Kong Flower Lounge, the Kitchen quietly sits on a leafy street on El Camino.
Ambiance.
Entering through the modest entrance, the restaurant appears to be an upscale mom ‘n pops operation. Filled with plenty of fresh sea food, the fish tank is a gentle affirmation of a good seafood restaurant. Although I found it annoying, others seem to enjoy the plasma televisions broadcasting Chinese news. As former restaurant consultant, I have emphasized the need for the food to play center stage.
Food.
On all my visits to the Kitchen, I have found the service to be both consistent and attentive. After our tea selection, our waiter, dressed charmingly in a black vest, was ready to take our order. No pun intended, but a great way to wet my appetite was fish simmered in hot pot ($24). Arriving in spectacular presentation, the fish soup arrived in a clear dish kept warm from two burners.
Meant to be enjoyed in two parts, the fish soup is the first in line. One sip into the milky broth reveals the sea sweet flavors from hours of brewing fish fillets, bones, and vegetables. With slight dips into the soy sauce, fish fillets and green mustards can be a dish itself. Something I learned as the son of a restaurateur, Chinese food must arrive scorching hot so the two continuous burners did its role.
Another well presented dish was the baked stuff eggplant ($13). Served underneath a rich oyster base sauce, two plate long egg plants were a great vegetable dish. A brief theatric is the waiter slicing the eggplants table side. The savory sauce accented by shredded dried scallops seeped into the pillowy egg plant meat. A house special at the Kitchen is the Macau style pig leg ($13). This dish is clearly about texture. With a crispy fried skin that crackles with one bite, the salty tender pork just make a great combination and the tart sauce lightens up the dish. With a dull skin and dry meat, my least favorite dish was the half crispy chicken ($13).
Exciting my palate briefly, the satay beef stir fried with Chinese broccoli ($13) tasted great with a bowl of steaming rice. Finishing our meal, we ordered the boi fi puff and fish ma w/ bean curd ($16). Served in a simmering clay pot, the simmering broth rounded out the meal. Served chilled, our mango tapioca was a refreshing dessert. For five people, the total was $100 not including tax and tip.
As a restaurant consultant, I have seen many restaurants come and go. After interviewing Benny Chang, the assistant general manager, I got a better understanding behind the success of the Kitchen. Many reasons contribute to why the Kitchen is crowded every day for lunch and dinner. Compared to their neighboring competitors Hong Kong Flower Lounge and Fok Yuen, the Kitchen attracts customers by offering haute cuisine at value prices. Chang started out as a bus boy twenty years ago and moved his way up to become a manager. He started working in the restaurant business because he had no formal education. During his one hundred hour work week, Chang toils over his biggest challenge- controlling food cost.
Restaurant Consultant.
Two main factors contribute to the restaurants success. At the core of every great restaurant, great food is a must. Every year, the Kitchen sends their chefs to visit China to find the latest culinary dishes and techniques. No detail is amissed. In order to keep the food dish hot, plates are run though hot water so that the food keeps its hot temperature. He advises any aspiring restaurateur to first work as a wait staff to better understand the long hours of operation. It is definitely not a business for everyone.
The Kitchen
279 El Camino Real
Millbrae, CA 94030
Tel: (650) 692-9688
Mon - Fri11am - 3:30pm, 5pm - 1am
Sat - Sun10am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 1am
Price range ($15 and up)
Despite a slowing economy and high gas prices, the beverage remains strong. The American Beverage Assocation is a great place for industry news.
After graduating from college in 2000, I was hired to be the urban marketing representative for Anheuser Busch Budweiser. With a big marketing budget, I threw a big promotional Rush Hour 2 movie premiere at Sony Metreon featuring their 180 Energy Drink.
The 180 packaging was nominal but their orange flavor did not differentiate from the any other orange soda.
Eight years latter, the energy market continues to grow. Recently, Kristin M who works for a media strategy company with clients such as Mountain Dew, sent me a cap and a few cans of collectable Dale Earnhart Amp Energy drinks. Thanks a bunch.
Btw, for race car fans, let me know if you want the cap.
4 Top Energy Drink Business Lessons
1) Differentiate. In 2000, I was trying to get club managers in San Francisco to order the 180 Energy Drink. The size of the drink was the typical Red Bull size. Like a monster train rolling through town, Rock Star offered the similar tart taste similar to Red Bull but in a giant size can bring value to the table. Same size, double the amount.
Quickly, Rock Star grabbed a hold of the market especially in the club markets.
2) Target industry.
Red Bull sponsored extreme sports athletes including skateboarder and bike riders
Rock Star focused on clubs and bars.
Amp sponsors the Dale Earnhardt in the car racing circuit.
Focus on one industry and start building brand and credibility.
3) Find an empty market.
While most energy drinks have targeted the obvious such as extreme sports and clubs, a grass root energy drink can gain market but aiming at untapped markets.
Energy drinks are for people who want energy and live a busy lifestyle. So there are untapped markets.
Energy drink for
Video Gamers. Bring value by offering free game downloads, partner with mobile game companies. Mothers. They run around running errands and they often times control the food budget. An energy drink with clam colors such as pink or baby blue with parental tips, factoids, or best of all, CELEBRITY gossip. Partner up with tabloid media outlets such as People, TMZ, and Perezhilton.com for cross branding. Medical field. Doctors and nurses work odd hours, not 9-5pm. An energy drink that provides jokes or humor can provide value.
4) Find bloggers
Marketers can no longer buy the attention of consumers. Too much choices for consumers. Find bloggers who target your market and build a relationship.
Conclusion: Consumers have too much choices. In the past, beverage companies can purchase ad time on a major network. Now, too many television stations and many advertising dollars are moving online.
So not to fret, focus on the basic. Create a product worth talking about and one that has emotional connection. Word of mouth is still the most effective form of marketing, since we never see our friends as salespeople.
With my butt planted firmly on a designer chair, I am typing away as I blog from Redmango, a giant frozen yogurt on Palo Alto’s University Avenue.
As we approach the weekend, there will be countless home chefs attempting to please their loved ones and friends with a few dishes. Although the attempt may be mighty, often times food cooked at home turns out terribly.
Not only do you need great ingredients, techniques play a major part and I learned this while working for California Culinary Academy.
In a recent article in SFgate, writer Amanda Gold successfully shares cooking techniques in a great way.
“Not another frozen yogurt spot, I murmur to myself!” My friend had told me about Jubili in the Fillmore district. So after my comfort food thrill at Bodega Bistro, I trekked over to Jubili.
Ambiance. As you can tell from my blog, I am a big design freak. After all, design separates one from another restaurant. With a minimalist décor, I immediately felt refreshed. Sleek menu font and white table counter created a clean feel.
Taste. With a clean after taste, the peach is a better bet than original and strawberry. After trying countless frozen yogurt place, the main measurement texture and flavor. With a creamy light texture, the swirly treat past the test.
To balance out brain freeze, a warm cup of green tea rounded out the meal. The cereal was nothing spectacular but would make a great breakfast dish.
Differentiate. Jubili differentiates by serving great teas as well as a cereal bar. I would like to see a frozen yogurt shop start serving savory items that pair well with their menu. Something light such as a mandarin avocado salad would be great.
Froyo
Sizes/Price
Mi My Mo
($2.45) ($3.45) ($5.90)
Marketing.
Bloggers now play a vital role in helping frozen yogurt shops grow their business virally.
1) Go to www.google.com
2) Type “yogurtouille”
3) After Yelp and Flickr searches, our Campusfork blog sites arrives.
So if you’re a small business owner, I advise getting to know influential bloggers and create a great relationship. I once introduced myself to the owner of a frozen yogurt shop across from Westfield center. Being grassroots minded, I offered to take a picture of his shop and blog about his food. He told me no photos were allowed and that his public relations person would do the job. Lost opportunity for free exposure.
New Viral Campaign
- create buzz
- have bloggers provide exposure
- organic viral campaign conclusion: invite bloggers to sample your product, authentic reviews, fast exposure time, cost effective
Old School Public Relations Campaign
- find a food public relations company
- create a press release
- pray that the editors from newspaper will pick up the story conclusion: expensive, take a long turnaround times, not in your hands
As I mention throughout my blog, serving great food is just one piece of the pie. In the battle of the frozen yogurt war, restaurateurs must run an efficient operation. This includes maintaining food cost as well having enough cash flow to stay in business. Pinkberry has done this by receiving millions of dollars in venture capital money from Starbucks founder. Read “How to build a Pinkberry Copycat” for more details.
*Special Thanks: Andy, thanks for introducing me to your fro yo shop. You are a gracious host. Cheers
The pungent smell of spices wafting down the street in west Berkeley is unmistakable. Located in an industrial area on Allston Avenue , a tiny area has become the unlikely hub for Indian food. Vik’s Chaat Corner has been attracting an eclectic crowd from multi generational Indian to white collar office workers.
One step into the high ceiling restaurant, the sizzling sounds from the open kitchen and a glass container with various baked goods stimulates the senses. Chaat literally translates “to lick” and it means road side snack served on a leaf. The eating utensils resemble this - a spork and disposable containers hold the food. A quick glance around the room, most patrons enjoy their food by actively dipping their flat breads in various colorful sauces. Vik’s offer Indian food ranging in shapes and textures.
For a great summer starter, the ser puri ($4.25) excites the appetite with its cold temperature. Served on a square flat wheat chips, a mixture of potatoes, onions, and garlic chutneys result in a sweet and crunchy combination. Shaped like an oversized rolled up crepe (made from rice and lentil), the masala dosa ($7) would make a great street food. The golden crust pairs well with the spice infused potato filling creating a tasty comfort food dish. To compliment the dish, a quick dunk into the coconut chutney sauce rounds out the dish. I would only taste a small sample of the lentil soup with a watery consistency. Skip the batata vada (potato fritters served with coconut chutney-$4.25) which has a doughy consistency from the crust that destroyed the dish.
With a chewy texture from an oversized puff, the bhatura cholle ($6.25) was my favorite dish. The puff is made from small wheat flat chips fried to form a light puffy shell. The chewy puff pairs well with the intensity of the garbanzo curry and crunch onions. With a melody of flavors ranging from spicy and sweet, the mango lassi (flavored yogurt drink-$1.67) refreshes the palate.
Instead of opting for the all-you-can-eat-lunch buffet route near Berkeley campus, Vik’s offer an affordable option. Served in a plastic bento box, lunch specials deliver a dabble of many textures and flavors. All specials includes basmati rice, roti (wheat flat chip), papdis (small wheat flat chip), raita (yogurt), dal (lentil) and a main dish. The chicken special ($6.75), bathes in a light curry that I wished had more heat. Another great special was the seabass ($7.50) with fillets that cleverly soaked in the curry sauce. A vegetarian special $6.25 is available as well. Each day, new lunch specials are posted on their menu.
Adjacent to the restaurant, Vik’s also serves as a restaurant distributor. Indian beer and spices are just of the few items in their inventory. After my meal and in need of a drink or two to wash the spices down, I trekked over to Takara on Addison Street and took part in their free sake tour. The tour included a brief video and a museum tour. Stealing the show, the free sake tasting was the highlight. Patrons are invited to sample a range of sakes from dry to sweet. The clean taste of the sakes definitely offers a nice contrast to the complex spices of Indian food.
A short drive will bring you to the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory for a nice dessert. After the one hour tour, unlimited samples of the premium chocolate are available. Next to the factory, the Scharffen Berger café offers great IPA beer and chocolate drinks.
Restaurant consultant.
Cleverly, Vik’s also serves as a distributor.
3 Great reasons
1) Increase the bottom line. Restaurateurs can pick up their supplies and hop over next door for lunch. 2) Taste the product. Being purchases a big volume of spice, the restaurant menu serves up dishes that use a particulate ingredients. Sampling is key. 3) Word of mouth. With gases prices at a high, many households will revert to cooking at home. The distributor offers many products. Jennifer may cook a great Indian dish and present it at a potluck. She receives numerous great feedback and will likely suggest others to visit the distributor.
Vik’s Chaat Corner
724 Allston Way
Berkeley , CA 94710
Ph: 510-644-4432 www.vikschaatcorner.com
11an to 6pm (Tues-Friday)
11am to 8pm (Sat and Sun)
Price range ($8 and up)
Takara
708 Addison Street
(between 3rd St & 4th St )
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 540-8250 www.takarasake.com
Scharffen Berger Chocolate
914 Heinz Avenue
(between 7th St & 8th St )
Berkeley , CA 94710
(510) 981-4050 www.scharffenberger.com
Born as the son of a restaurateur, my father reminded me the power of Chinese food and that this cuisine has feed billions of people around the world. Look around, there are Chinatown’s all over the world.
Watch the clip above that I found from Angry Asian Man. Leonard Shek travels to the Pearl River Delta to unravel many details and history behind Chinese food.
A recent article Yelping for Free Food written by food critic Michael Bauer covers the abuse that some Yelpers are demanding great reviews in exchange for free food. First, I love Yelp. It is a great community to read about food remarks, not food reviews.
As a published food writer for AsianWeek, I easily can spot novice reviews from earnest members that put time, effort, and some thought into their review. Those of your out there, I applaud you. (clap,clap) Simply stating that the food was “good” or service was “lousy” without elaborating with details does no good.
Dear A hole Yelpers who are abusing the system, do yourself a favor and read my blog. Because of though economic times, many restaurant owners especially fine dining are stressed out over a few things
*paying rent *covering food cost (increase in food pricing due to gas prices) *keeping the restaurant full
So demanding free food for your lousy review is a slap in the face to the culinary industry.
Growing up as the son of a restaurateur, numerous restaurant owners work over 80-100 hours to provide great food for the community, while trying to make a living. Read about Ming, the owner of Lime Tree, his son cries when his father leaves the entire day to work.
Bastards, referring to those who request free meals.
Yelp is a great community to meet friends and discuss about food. Last week, I attended my first Yelper meeting. We were discussing the details of planning an international food event for charity. Met new friends, had some drinks and food, and felt part of a community.
{Note to restaurant owners}
Dear restaurant owners,
Do not despair and give in to these A hole Yelpers. Instead, focus on providing great service and food. A great meal will generate great word of mouth. Focus on things that are in your control.
Living with family members, let alone working with them can make life miserable. So, it was refreshing and encouraging to read about an entrepreneurial family that has had great success working with the family. Read the full article here.
3 Tips When Working w/ Family Members
1) Create detailed contracts for all maters involved with money
2) Outside of work, don’t talk about business matters
3) To avoid stalemate in decision making, one person should be in charge of leading deal
