Hits and Flops

Food Arts has this cool section every so often where chefs share dishes that were huge hits, and also dishes that might have seemed like good ideas, but didn't sell. If you'd like, please share YOUR hits and flops.

What dish has just been inspired and really cool, and also had the added advantage of appealing to the guest? OR maybe was a total surprise ("They LIKED it?!").

AND...

Which dish was well thought out, the cooks loved it, the wait staff loved it, the bussers loved it, and it died when it hit the table?

Just curious! Chefrev

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 12:24 pm: Edit

Shrimp and Scallop Strudel...very simple, labor intensive though. All it is is chopped shrimp and scallops, sauteed in olive oil, white wine, lots of fresh sage, drain the juice, mix w/ mascarpone, let it sit until cool and wrap in phyllo dough, you can make an app. size or a dinner size. We served it w/ a lobster creme sauce and people loved it. I thought it would be a way to get rid of some seafood but, it was such a hit we put it on the menu.

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 07:37 pm: Edit

Hit: Just a simple dessert consisting of cookie bars like linzer, brownies, chocolate chip-pecan, and lemon;then biscotti, espresso creme brulee and ice cream. Called it Cookies and Cream. It went over so well we could never take it off the menu.

Flop: Fall menu; we wanted a vegetarian dish for the Granola crowd from the local college. Came up with a mix of sauteed and grilled veggies and mushrooms with white truffle oil, root vegetable purees, all arranged around a steamed baby pumpkin. It was a glorious looking dish, and it had some great flavors, but people didn't get it. It was also hard getting consistent sized pumpkins from the local growers. It was replaced mid-season.

P.S.: Manny that strudel sounds excellent! Love to try it some time.

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 11:34 am: Edit

Hit: A green chile bisque. Simply made, pureed cream soup, just like it sounds. Onions, garlic, mild green chiles. Sauteed 'till tender and pureed. Finished with a few white chocolate curls on top. Incredible smash!

Lots of Mexican influence in this area, food and otherwise. This soup has been one of the most requested recipes.

Flops: Banana Torte. Wonderful moist banana cake layered with caramel, banana bavarian, and fresh fruit. Couldn't give it away. The staff loved it. (Maybe they just wouldn't sell it so they could snack ??? Hmmmmm!)

It always disappoints me when I try something I think is wonderful and the public won't even give it a shot. Oh well.

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 11:49 am: Edit

Chefrev
Some friends of mine in Sebastopol (northern California) had a dish on their menu with wild mushrooms in a very - I do mean very - spicy risotto in a little pumpkin, that was incredible. The risotto alone was too spicy to eat, but with the pumpkin it was perfect. It too had some roasted root vegetables. I really liked it and it went over well for them. It is true that northern California is a world unto themselves though.

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 04:56 pm: Edit

Ladycake:
LOOOVE risotto! That would've been good too.
I think the problem with our pumpkin dish might have been that it was too busy. Too big, too many flavors, too much stuff rising from the plate...who knows. It looked like a Thanksgiving centerpiece more than something you'd eat.

Well I liked it. Whadda THEY know anyway. This was, after all, central PA, near Cornell Univ.