Stone Grill

Has any one had any experience in using "Stone Grill"? It's a volcanic stone, heated to 400c,
placed on the table,(in a ceramic insulated dish) with the raw food placed on it, just before being presented to the customer. The customer then cooks it themself.
I'm looking at using it as an added "novel idea" at my restaurant. I'm curious to know what, if any results, (from customers) any of you may have had.

By Flattop (Flattop) on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 09:01 pm: Edit

Why would you want to let the customer "cook" for themselves? That sounds like an invitation to sanitations problems that could come back to bite you later.

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 12:50 am: Edit

Fifteen years ago I helped open a new hotel. The Restaurant developed a menu around the "Stone Grill" theme. It's a variation of the Japanese Hibachi grill idea.

When the stone first arrives at the table the food sizzles when placed on the stone, after five minutes or so that sizzle is no longer there. The stone still has plenty of heat to cook but it's a slow heat, people wanted the sizzle and we were constantly having to send out "fresh" stones. We only had twelve to start with in an forty table restaurant. What a nightmare. I learned real fast that try to heat the stone up quickly on the open stove top flame was a bad idea. They heat unevenly and they cracked. At some ungodly price per stone and calculating the number we would have to buy to cover the whole restaurant, well we drop the Idea pretty fast.

Flattop could be right about the food safety thing, can you imagine the HACCP Nazis arriving and telling everyone in the dining room that they need thermometers, plastic gloves and a sanitizing bucket at the dinning table.

By Point83702 (Point83702) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 03:01 am: Edit

I ate at a restaurant in Bensheim, Germany called Munikum where, apparently, the hot stone (heis stein?) was their theme. An a la carte menu was offered also, but it appeared that everyone came for the rock. They featured a lot of wild game (ostrich, kudu, etc.) and it was kind of fun, though gimmicky. I thought it would be a great place to cook, all you'd have to do is heat up rocks and place raw meats on platters with greenleaf. I'll also add that it was fairly pricey and busy.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 06:31 pm: Edit

Can you say "strict liability"!
It's like flambe, you assume the risk of knowing it can burn someone by accident so, if you do it and burn somebody there is no defense! You have to pay!
Plus the sanitation issue, can you imagine? how many items can you put on one stone? will it keep temp. to cook chicken or pork thoroughly?
You may not even have these regulatory issues in Australia? Do you? Maybe stricter?

By Steve9389 (Steve9389) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 11:54 pm: Edit

I was once in Korea several years ago on business, and someone asked me if I liked barbecue. I said sure, and he took me to a place with a hole in the ceiling over every table, and a charcoal grill in the middle of each one. The waitress brought out bowls of kim chi and plates and plates of thinly sliced beef in a heavenly marinade. We cooked the meat ourselves and had one of the best meals I've ever had. I just wonder what would have happened if it was raining.

By Flattop (Flattop) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 03:00 am: Edit

Steve were you stationed in Korea or just visiting? I was there 85-86 in camp casey. In case you don't know, what you had is called bulgogi. I've got the recipe if you want it. I used to visit many of the off the beaten path eateries there. Satintation was nonexistant in nearly all of them with the exeption of the nicer ones in bigger cities.

By Steve9389 (Steve9389) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 08:24 am: Edit

Acutally, Flattop, I used to own a publishing company and we printed books over there. (Color book printing is prohibitively expensive in the U.S.) I was in Seoul for a week to visit our printer. If I remember correctly, bulgogi (which is delicious) is made at the table, but on a portable burner much like sukiaki in Japan. This was actual barbecue over an open fire, without any of the veggies that come with bulgogi.

By Esjay (Esjay) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 08:41 am: Edit

Chefmanny, We heat the stones to 400 celsius, and they hold the heat for about 45 min.
The meat is stored & handled exactly the same as you would in the kitchen. We have HACCP, (Hazard Analasis Critical Control Point), which means we need to record temperatures at various times, from delivery, storage temperatures, service, etc.
It creates a mountain of paper, but, it indicates where, if any, problems can occur with bacteria.
The meat is put on the stone just as it is leaving the kitchen, the customer then slices it, and cooks each slice, served with different sauces, Chicken Breast with Orange & Cracked Black Pepper, Barramundi with Corriander Relish.
We are making the stones in different sizes, depending on the amount to be cooked.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 09:21 am: Edit

And the legal issues? Or can you just shoot the lawyers in Australia? (Wishful thinking right?)

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 11:02 am: Edit

Esjay,

Just an aside..... what is barramundi like? if anything?

By Esjay (Esjay) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 09:58 am: Edit

Chefmanny, the laws over here are similar to yours, BUT, if people are advised of the dangers,(when the hot stone is placed on the table) and they choose to put themselves at risk, the case is usually thrown out of court. It is expensive and time consuming to sue, and any way, I let the insurance company take care of those issues, that's what I pay them for. Most of my customers are "inbound tourists" from Asia, only on holiday for 7 - 10 days.(the burns should have healed by then.....)
LADYCAKE. Barramundi is a salt water fish, white flesh, found in the Coral sea. Firm, plump flesh,
expensive to buy, but worth the money.
The coriander relish gives me the East/West flavours. Fresh coriander, shredded coconut, palm sugar, fresh chopped ginger, fish sauce(nam pla)
lime juice, minced chilli...... sensational.
I use it with the Barramundi, mainly because of the Asian flavours, and the fresh Australian seafood, ........East/West Fusion. or is that confusion.....

By Basil (Basil) on Friday, October 24, 2003 - 08:15 pm: Edit

Hey Flattop I would love to have the Bulgogi recipe you mentioned. I currently use a family recipe passed dn from my Ex, it's good, however, the Bulgogi sauce recipe would be better for what I'm doing. Oh, by the way, I have made a few stops in Korea over the years (Pusan, Osan, and Seoul)and if your recipe is as good as I remember it, then I would have to say I hit the Loto. Thanx in advance. My email: cuban@miamigrille.com Basil

By Chefa1a (Chefa1a) on Tuesday, November 25, 2003 - 09:36 pm: Edit

I heard of a steakhouse concept like that in New Jersey. They seared a filet 16-20 oz (for two people) around 45-50$ send it out the waiter carves it and the customer can finish cooking it to his liking. a few sides roasted potatoes and veg medley

the place is jammed every night

un upscale fajita