It's been a while since I have wrote a Resturant Impossible Follow-Up. I started writing these on a whim and it has been a great source of search engine traffic for the site, so I keep on doing until it's not! This episode Robert visits a restaurant called Ducky's. It's a family business where emotions are running high (hmmmm....sounds familiar!)
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Problems Robert Had to Address
1. Two words - canned food
2. Boring decor with little creativity
3. Service is not efficient
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Canned Food
I often wonder what these people are thinking. Do they ever watch the show? In fact they showed they did, as the owner waited for Robert to make his patient "yuk" face, where he spits food into a napkin. So you think they might have learned a lesson or two, like getting rid of canned food. People can open cans at home (not that they should). It's always better for the bottom line to go fresh. Restaurant takes these shortcuts because it's easier for them in the kitchen. Just so no to canned food. It may seem like a savings not it's really not.
The Recipes
Crisp Onion Burger | Print the recipe
This burger is made with 80/20 beef (20% fat) with onions, thousand island dressing (yuck!) on brioche buns. Nothing super creative here, but Ducky's isn't a gourmet joint, so simple and tasty is what they need.
Blackened Snapper, Red Pepper Sauce, Cheese Grits and Corn Relish | Print the recipe
A blackened snapper fish is served with a red pepper/apple juice sauce. It is served over grits with a corn relish. A fancier dish, but nothing that can't be made by a decent cook.
Interested in more Food Network recipes, check out my post on the Best Food Network Recipe I Ever Made
Follow-Up
With a strong family presence and passion I knew this place wasn't going to at least make it to the airing. But does it has a long term future? Will it be along to pass down to the next generation? Here are some comments I found online that should how Ducky's is doing.
This first one is from Yelp:
Saw the RI show. Tell Amanda to get rid of that stupid stud beneath her lip and cover the tattoos on her right arm. Both are turn-offs to most of the public.
Amanda is a little rough on around the edges, but she seems to have the passion for the business and it has to start there to be successful. This comment doesn't really help us see how the place is doing. So let's see what else is out there. Let's see what's on Trip Advisor:
Nice clean place, service was fair and friendly. I liked the Catfish but the grits and red pepper was cold. The rest of my party were equally disappointed in their steak dishes.
Problems with the kitchen getting the food out hot. Robert didn't spend any time really working with the service (at least what we saw on camera). Two days isn't a lot of time to turn every aspect around. This show is about giving restaurant owners a leg up, but if they don't take the ball and run with it on their own, they will end up on the closed list (and a lot of places have not made it). Let's look at 1 more comment from Trip Advisor:
Thankfully, Chef Robert Irvine left the personality when he made over this restaurant in late July 2013. (Show will air in late August or early September). As a Kokomo landmark restaurant, Chef Irvine left the good food and excellent service alone and just gave it a very nice "face lift". Interior is very welcoming and attractive.Had a great burger and fries for lunch with soda refills coming so fast, we hardly noticed it! We've always enjoyed their breakfast and lunch, but with the new floor, updated décor and slimdown menu items....whew! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! And that was today's special...Hoosier Chicken and Noodles. Give it a try!
Nice positive comment. I found a few other similar to this one. The place isn't without it's problems. they can keep on tweaking things that might be a plc
Have you been to this restaurant, what did you think?
If you want more Robert Irvine recipes, here are some of his available cookbooks:
This cookbook contains 111 recipes many with complete timelimes and several that are gluten free. An example of the kind of recipes you will find are Lime-Cured Shrimp and Roasted Corn Chowder, Porcini-Dusted Pork Chops with Cremini Mushrooms and Golden Raisins over Horseradish-Scented Potatoes.
In this book Robert shares his personal stories (including cooking for First Lady Laura Bush) and cooking philosophy. There are also recipes to be had like Black Angus Beef Tartare with Toasted Brioche and Fried Quail Egg, Roasted Duck with White Bean Ragout.
Trish
I knew right away this restaurant would fold. Nobody seems to know how to cook. Weak father, weak family. Girl with the stud in her face and dumb tattoos. Old, bitter red haired bitch. Why can't these girls go out and make a life of their own? Too much therapy-type conversation, too much sniffling, then the annoying hugging and comments about new generation taking over. How many times do I have to hear the word awesome? Just shut up and get on with it is what I say. How on earth can you come back from so much debt selling $8.00 hamburgers? Isn't anybody thinking in this family?
They're obviously lost without Grandpa.