You know there is a problem with a restaurant when one of the owners is dressed as a hot dog standing outside trying to bring in business to a place that doesn’t sell hot dogs (she couldn’t find a steak costume). It’s just another episode of Restaurant Impossible.
The Main Dish | Click here for their facebook page
Problems Robert Had to Address |
|---|
| 1. They don't really know the numbers of their business. They thought the catering was saving them when it fact they were only making 41 cents a person. |
| 2. Out dated and worn out decor |
| 3. A family that is just as worn out as the decor |
| 4. The food that is frozen and/or bland |
The Recipes
Tenderloin Hoagie | Print the recipe
A hoagie sandwich with beef tenderloin, tomato, romaine, and blue cheese dressing.
Catfish Dinner | Print the recipe
The catfish is marinated in buttermilk, then coasted in corn meal, and fried. It is served with a sauce of fresh vegetables, Old Bay seasoning, and cream.
Lesson for Home
Robert recommend them using the smaller pieces of cut up beef tenderloin to use in sandwiches. These pieces weren’t large enough for steaks, but perfect for sandwiches. This is a great lesson is not letting anything go to waste. Anytime I make something and have leftovers I look for ways to use them. I use the ham bone from a ham to make split pea soup. I use leftover chicken for salads and pasta dishes. I freeze egg whites in ice trays for later use. Think about saving money in your kitchen and try to let as little as possible end up in the garbage can.
Follow-Up
The Main Dish was recently sold to new owners. They are currently closed. Here is a statement from their facebook page on February 24th, 2012.
“To all our AMAZING customers, friends and family…..
This is a very bittersweet announcement from Ken, Lynn and our beautiful daughters Maggie and Abby. We are starting a new chapter in our lives and as bittersweet as it is, we have SOLD our restaurant to an amazing local family who we will have the pleasure of supporting on their new adventure. We have had the opportunity to lead a SUCCESSFUL small business for 7 years. We would like to Thank each and everyone of you for your love, support, encouragement and prayers over the years, we would not have been SUCCESSFUL if not for you our the amazing staff that we have.
We will be able to keep our restaurant name and who knows.
TO BE CONTINUED………………..
Our last day of service will be Thursday, February 28th.
Again, thanks to all for your support…
The Main Dish Family.”
Even though they closed down this restaurant, they at least were able to sell it for something. They didn’t just go out of business. In that regard the show probably still helped. They said they were keeping the name, so maybe they plan to open another restaurant somewhere else some day.
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.
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