Friends,
There has been a lot of discussion lately about portion size. My doctor is a very good friend and a very good customer as well. He thinks I’m a terrible patient. Despite this, I still consider him a good friend! We’ve had numerous conversations over the years about restaurant menus and portion sizes. His belief is simple – eat whatever you want – including dessert, just keep the portions under control. Of course he can eat just one bite of dessert! My philosophy has also been simple – put the best quality and best image on the plate and calories and fat levels be damned. Wisdom must certainly come with age because I finally have been convinced by my good friend, the doctor, and even more so by the many visits I make to other fine restaurants, that portion sizes need to be and are indeed smaller. Putting wisdom to practice, I have gently adjusted the Ridgway Bar & Grill menu to reflect the reduced and therefore healthier portions. The plates still look great, the quality of the product is still great – just the volume has changed. As a side benefit and not an insignificant one, many of the prices on the menu have been reduced too. The problem we faced is that big portions required an equally sizable price tag. Now, when you dine at Ridgway, you can splurge for dessert (you saved on both calories, fat and dollars). The familiar lazy days of summer have hit once again and it seems everyone is out beating the bushes trying to scare up more business. We’ve found the downtime lets us reconnect with some of our yearlong customers. We’re constantly talking to friends we used to see frequently and would like to see more often. BOGO is still part of our summer promotion until the end of September. Click HERE for BOGO coupon. Almost each day, I see someone in the restaurant or somewhere else – perhaps even the Wellness Center –who I remind to come visit us at the southern-most end of town. Tony’s bakery has a wonderful selection of baked items for the summer. I’m rather fond of the cream puffs! Call Emily for your special pastry needs. Emily and I will be planning the pastry line for the fall in the next few weeks. I am excited about the new pastries we’ll have at Tony’s and on the Ridgway Bar & Grill menu. At least one or two will test my newfound smaller portions philosophy. I’d love to hear your thoughts on our pastry additions. Feel free to make a suggestion on our Facebook page. A reminder to all wine lovers out there. Tony’s Off Third is truly an extraordinary wine boutique. Surprisingly large and well stocked. If you know and love wine, you owe it to yourself to visit Tony’s Off Third. Check out Sukie’s new online wine retail site. To wrap things up, I want to tell you about a trip I made to Philadelphia in mid June with Wynne and my children. We had several terrific meals, but one stood out as a standard of perfection. If you have the opportunity to dine at Vetri in downtown Philadelphia, do so! If you go, listen to the sommelier and follow his directions. Don’t even try to plan your own path for the wines. The food, the service and the wines were all impeccable. We’re all well and working hard to get ready for another busy season. We’re especially excited about our plan to host a memorable 40th anniversary party in the fall! Hope to see you soon and we’ll talk about food.
Your Friend,
Tony
