Customers First

customersfirst
Seafood Sam’s
Cape Cod, MA
www.seafoodsams.com
Co-owner Jeffrey Lewis sums up Seafood Sam’s as simply
“a casual, friendly place that serves good food fast. That’s
about it. It’s not rocket science.” Yet few fast-service seafood
restaurants can claim the same kind of success Seafood Sam’s
has experienced since first opening in 1974.
Consistently
Delicious
Deliciously
Consistent
Seafood Sam’s secret recipe: the freshest local seafood
served with fast, friendly service at a reasonable price.
“Back then fast-food seafood was the big thing,” remembers
Lewis. “We wanted to offer the freshest, fastest seafood around
at a reasonable price. Over the years, we’ve made little minor
tweaks to keep up with the times, but we’ve stayed pretty close
to our original inspiration.” Currently, Seafood Sam’s has grown
into four separate Cape Cod locations. Lewis jokes, “They’re a
little out of the way. People have been known to get lost looking
for us. Some arrive surprised to have actually found us, but once
they take a bite, they’re glad they did!”
Unsurprisingly, Seafood Sam’s has a nautical theme, from the
marine-inspired decorations to the lobster-shaped beepers that
let customers know their orders are ready. When pressed to think
of anything about Seafood Sam’s that strays from seafood, Lewis
responds with a chuckle, “We have things like chicken, spaghetti
and hot dogs on the kids’ menu.”
Fall 2007
Seafood Sam’s doesn’t aspire to revolutionize the seafood industry
with new techniques. “Just about everything we do here revolves
around fried or broiled seafood.” The best seller at Seafood Sam’s
is the seafood platter, piled high with fried scallops, shrimp, fish,
and clams or oysters, as well as sides like hush puppies and onion
rings. “We take the freshest seafood we can get our hands on,
then lightly bread and season it. Then we fry it fluffy and golden
brown. It’s not spicy at all, and it’s served with tartar sauce.”
By not messing with a recipe of proven success, Seafood Sam’s
has maintained a reputation as the place to go for the best
seafood. “Consistency is the key,” says Lewis. “We take pride in
maintaining the same level of integrity since 1974. That’s why
people associate the name of Seafood Sam’s with great, fresh,
quality seafood at a good price.”
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customersfirst
Rudy’s “Country Store” & Bar-B-Q
Texas Hill Country
www.rudys.com
It starts with a fantastic concept. The décor, the food, and the
preparation all play a large role. Next, you have to have terrific
people. They’ll have to perform; they’ll have to deliver. General
Partner Robert Wolf says this is how Rudy’s “Country Store” &
Bar-B-Q has grown from a small country store in Leon Springs, TX,
into a growing chain of 20+ locations in three states.
Deep in the
HEARTof
Texas
100 percent oak wood-fired pits slow cook premium dryrubbed meats to perfection at Rudy’s. Just add sauce to taste.
“Rudy’s combines an authentic, natural, old-barnyard look with
good, old-fashioned central Texas-style barbecue,” says Wolf.
“Rudy’s grew straight out of a central Texas meat market. All
these guys really knew how to do was sell meat.” Newcomers and
regulars alike line up to order premium meats by weight. “And
you can get it exactly how you want it,” says Wolf. “Thin cut,
moist off the top, corner piece. You name it, you got it.”
By far the most popular item at Rudy’s is the brisket, or what
Wolf calls “the foundation of Texas barbecue.” “We maintain
the same style pit, concept and wood as we originally intended.
Slow cooked in an oak-filled pit and rubbed with our signature
spices.” Different premium meats range from brisket to turkey
breast, pork loin, ham, chicken, sausage (both with and without
jalapeños), St. Louis cut ribs and spare ribs, as well as prime rib
and peppered tenderloin on the weekends. “We also cater to the
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vegetarian crowd,” jokes Wolf. “Our smoked potato cooked in our
oak grill is like barbecue for vegetarians.”
Wolf and the Rudy’s team try to pick out the newcomers and
welcome them accordingly. “Whenever we spot someone slowly
browsing the menu on the wall, we offer a sample and a quick
explanation of how to order here. It might seem a little scary at
first, but one time through the line is all it takes.” After that, Wolf’s
convinced you’ll become a repeat customer with repeat accolades.
“We want you to love it,” explains Wolf. “If you’re hungry for
great meat from a place where the No.1 ingredient is great service
from great people, Rudy’s is your place!”
Fall 2007
Flame Steakhouse and Wine Bar
Springfield, MO
www.flamesteakhouse.com
Mike Jalili, co-owner and executive chef of Flame Steakhouse
and Wine Bar, says that in order to be successful, you actually
shouldn’t be preoccupied with success. “Every member of our
team, from the hostess who greets customers at the door to the
dishwasher who cleans their plates after they leave, understands
making a buck today isn’t important,” says Jalili. “We’re only
concerned with giving our customers the best dining experience
they ever had, so hopefully they’ll return soon.”
Prime
Time
From off-the-menu orders to special seating requests,
ask and you will receive at Flame Steakhouse.
At Flame Steakhouse, you won’t hear a waiter say “no” to any
customer. “We insist that every guest is totally satisfied, and
we will do everything possible to make our customer happy,”
explains Jalili. “Any request, if it’s possible, it’s done. If it’s
impossible, we’ll find an alternative. Service is truly the top
priority here. We meet every week to discuss new ways to make
the dining experience at Flame the best it can be.”
When the people of Springfield and the surrounding towns crave
dry-aged top sirloin, porterhouse, rib-eye, Kansas City strip or
filet mignon, paired with an extensive wine list of more than 400
varieties, they flock to Flame. “Our eight-ounce filet, cooked
crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside in our 1500°F oven,
is our most popular steak. But our lobster macaroni and cheese
and our soufflé prepared three different ways are a real hit as
well,” says Jalili. Steaks at Flame are dry-aged in an on-site dryFall 2007
aging room for anywhere from seven to 45 days to create a more
concentrated steak flavor, as well as to help tenderize the meat.
Aside from the incredible service and steaks, patrons of Flame
Steakhouse fall in love with the restaurant’s overall character.
“It’s such a beautiful building,” says Jalili. “Impressive windows
overlook downtown, and the high ceilings and hardwood floor
combine modern décor with classical style.” Locals and visiting
business customers consistently praise the experience. “We get
people who have dined all over the world. They tell me they’d
put Flame against the best.”
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customersfirst
Flying Star Café
Albuquerque, NM
www.flyingstarcafe.com
Flying Star Café is just your typically atypical neighborhood
hangout. Vibrant colors and stunning architecture surround an
interesting mix of mismatched seating—from oversized booths
and unusually small tables to bar stools at the counter. Flying Star
Café co-owner Jean Bernstein says, “Back in 1987, we wanted to
offer casual food, coffee and drinks in an eclectic scene. Today
all our locations offer plenty of choices for guests to personalize
their dining experience.”
an
OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD
experience
Photo courtesy of www.itsatrip.org
Enjoy an eclectic mix of flavors, people and décor at all six
Flying Star Café locations (with three more underway).
The variety is necessary to appeal to Flying Star Café’s diverse
clientele. “Everybody walks in the door,” says Bernstein, “rich and
poor, young and old, solo knowledge nomads with WiFi Internet
and big groups catching a football game. We’re the neighborhood
stop where people from all walks of life can take a break without
going out of their way. We try to be ‘on the way’ and part of life’s
everyday routine.”
The food selection is even more varied than the seating and
clientele. While describing the local and organic ingredients in
the healthy salads and sandwiches and comparing that to the
“disgustingly rich” macaroni and cheese served with fried chicken
on top, Bernstein remarks, “It’s fun. People have the opportunity
to be really bad or really healthy. But of course, quality is always
important. Everything has to taste really good and be offered at an
exceptional value.”
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Since they roast their own coffee, create cakes from scratch and
make all meals to order, Flying Star Café has become a modern,
everyday eclectic treat for Albuquerque residents and their guests.
“I’ve been to restaurants all over the country,” says Bernstein.
“I’m still surprised when I hear things like ‘I wish you were in my
hometown; we have no place like this where I’m from.’”
Bernstein credits Flying Star Café’s 20-year success to her amazing
staff and her customer-driven philosophy. “We constantly
approach our operation as if it were new. We look and taste
everything like a customer, and mind the product every day.
Whenever we’re interested in rolling out new food, we’ll give it a
try and ask ourselves ‘If I were a customer, would I enjoy this?’”
Fall 2007
Noodles Italian Café & Sushi Bar
Naples, FL
www.noodles-cafe.com
Because the stereotypical Italian chef is said to know little outside
of Italian cuisine, Noodles Italian Café & Sushi Bar owner and chef
Seth Berman made a conscious effort to spend time “noodling
around the world” for different flavors. The result is an original
blend of French, Cajun, Mediterranean, Hawaiian, Asian and
Italian cuisine, along with a separate, independent sushi bar with
its own energy and feel. That’s quite a mouthful!
Spices
of
Life
The
Dine in custom-tailored booths at Noodles and
enjoy fusion-style cuisine in the lap of luxury.
“We’re tailored for Naples, a community of only about 300,000
people,” says Berman, “but 300,000 restaurants as well! There
are many restaurant owners and former restaurant owners who
have been in the business for many, many years living here. And
they expect good food.” The variety of flavors that Noodles offers
sets it apart from the saturated Naples restaurant scene.
“Our best-selling item on the menu right now is our chicken
with artichoke hearts pasta that comes in a basil cream sauce.”
The chicken and artichoke hearts are sautéed with sundried
tomatoes and black olives and served over house-made spinach
fettuccine. “But people are surprised by how much they enjoy
nontraditional items,” adds Berman, “like the Pasta Bayou,
with spicy blackened chicken, smoked mozzarella and andouille
sausage over house-made pepper and cumin fettuccine.”
Fall 2007
The varied menu mirrors the assortment of guests who walk into
Noodles on any given day. “It’s amazing. We have 12-year-olds
who drop in for sushi and gourmet coffee,” says Berman, “and
then there’s the older crowd who prefers lamb shanks that fall off
the bone or traditional spaghetti and meatballs.” But regardless
of their age or palate preferences, Berman just wants them to
have a good time. “You’ll never hear a customer say ‘Can I
have more water?’ or ‘Can I have the check?’ but you will hear
people say this was the best eggplant Parmesan or veal Parmesan
they’ve ever had. And as long as they had a wonderful meal, felt
welcomed, left with a smile and were completely satisfied with
the service, then we did our job!”
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customersfirst
Pinocchio’s Ristorante
Amherst, MA
www.pinocchiosristorante.com
Pinocchio’s Ristorante was established in 1978 and acquired in
2000 by Chris Brunelle, who was intrigued by the college-based
market and the potential for growth. In 2005, however, disaster
struck: a fire threatened to close the place forever. Today
Pinocchio’s is back with a vengeance. The flagship has been
restored, three “On the Go” franchises are flourishing and plans
for two additional “On the Go” locations are underway.
(Re)Built
from
UP
the
ground
Pinocchio’s fine Italian cuisine made from scratch can be
enjoyed in a beautiful restaurant setting or taken on the go.
“The flagship is something I’m very proud of,” says Brunelle.
“You typically don’t rebuild after a fire like that.” But the demand
for a child-friendly, casual, restaurant/bar could not be ignored.
“We offer fine northern Italian cuisine at family pricing in a
warm, inviting atmosphere at a great location. Simple as that,”
explains Brunelle.
While the “On the Go” locations mostly sell pizzas and calzones,
the flagship specializes in signature dishes such as lobster fettuccini,
filet Gorgonzola and a risotto pescatore that’s a seafood lover’s
dream come true. From the chicken Marsala and chicken piccata
to the cannolis, everything at Pinocchio’s is made from scratch.
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“I don’t do the cooking, or even pretend I know how to cook,”
says Brunelle about his role in the kitchen. “I work on the business
side—growth, marketing. Quality is my focus. I’ve learned to
delegate without micromanaging. Through the years, I’ve learned
people don’t always do things the way I would, but by enabling
them to embrace responsibility, they have achieved success in
their own way.” Still, every Pinocchio’s location has a common
thread that unites them all. “By sharing a name, we maximize
our buying power, name recognition and marketing strength,”
explains Brunelle. “But we also all share a passion for quality, a
desire for growth and loyalty to stick together. And every time we
build another restaurant, I learn more about hiring, training and
what to look for in people.”
Fall 2007
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