Issues → March/April 2007 → Interact → 10 Things to Do →

Student for a Day

by Brandon M. Whitestone

This restaurant concept and accompanying menu are from my a la carte class at New England Culinary Institute. At times, we were in class six days a week from 1 to 11 pm, working on the restaurant line.

Restaurant Concept for Alimento Del Paese

Alimento Del Paese is a relaxed, fine dining restaurant, featuring rustic Italian and French cuisine with an American twist. The menu will include many "comforting," and "home-cooked" entrees, with an upscale flair in an intimate, 50-seat location in downtown Seattle, Washington.

The entree presentations will not be ostentatious as many fine dining restaurants are, and will instead focus on simple, rustic presentations that highlight the main ingredients.

My food tends to focus on the key elements in each dish, and has a simple, yet impacting flavor profile that brings out those key ingredients, without overwhelming them with additional "garnishing" flavors.

The main focus of the restaurant will be an exhibition-style kitchen with a handmade, brick-and-slate wood-burning oven that will be used for all oven-fired entrees and breads, to lend a smoky, rustic essence to the food.

Additional kitchen features will be a wood-burning grill and rotisserie, one French-style flat top, and a deep fryer. The kitchen will be illuminated with halogen track lighting, as well as non-directional recessed can lights in the ceiling. Floors will be seamless, non-slip, and grease-resistant resin. The floor will be angled into drains, and contain hose hook-ups for easy cleaning. All equipment is on wheels with quick disconnects for easy moving.

The pickup window will look out into the dining room, and will be adorned with a maroon and black marble surface. Heat lamps with red bulbs will add to the ambiance, as well as lend functionality by heating plates, and keeping food warm as it waits for pickup. The visible wall beneath the pickup window will be made of cherry wood.

In the dining room, the walls will be painted a mix of red, orange, and brown, as these colors stimulate appetites and foster a jovial mood among diners. Wood molding and doorframes will be painted gloss black. The floors will be a mix of slate tiles and cherry hardwood.

There will be a bar, featuring overhead glass racks, and temperature-controlled, glass-fronted wine lockers on the wall behind the bar. The counter top will be made of maroon and black marble to match the pickup window, with black leather-covered bar chairs made of cherry wood.

I anticipate drawing local and tourism customers, who are looking for a new face in the restaurant scene. My concept is not entirely original or remarkable, however I will attract and keep customers by offering a consistently high quality experience, with frequent menu changes. My staff and I will constantly work to exceed the diner's expectations.

Brandon's Menu

First Courses

Panzanella

Tomatoes, Red Onion, Garlic Focaccia, Frisee and Balsamic Vinaigrette
$9

Soupe de Crouset

Chicken, Fresh Pasta, Parmesan and Walnuts
$9

Soupe d'Epautre

Lamb, Barley, Seasonal Vegetables
$10

Cold Tuna "Confit"

Olive Oil, Eggplant, Peppers, Olives
$10

Prosciutto and Kiwi

Potato Blini, Clover Honey
$10

Grilled Octopus

Warm Roasted Potatoes with Bitter Greens, Smoked Bacon, Mustard Vinaigrette
$16

Cod Brandade

Olive Oil, Black Truffle, Baguette Chips
$16

Charcuterie

Rillettes de Porc
Herbs and Spices, Rustic Bread
$10

Duck Confit

Fig Chutney, Toasted Brioche, Fresh Chevré
$12

Terrine of the Day

With Dried Fruit and a Fresh Herb Salad
$15

Foie-Gras Torchon

Balsamic, Strawberry Jam, Brioche Toast
$15

Entrees

Seared Monkfish

Pancetta, Pan Roasted Sunchokes, Tomatoes, Bacon Vinaigrette
$24

Oven Roasted Halibut

White Beans, Tomatoes, Kale, Smoked Paprika Nage
$28

Seared Duck Breast

Orange-Cranberry Couscous, Baby Spinach, Anise and Pink Peppercorn Sauce
$26

Lamb Shanks

Soft Polenta, Haricot Vert, Rosemary Demi-Glace
$28

Wood-Grilled Bone-In Rib Eye

Pommes Frites, Creamed Spinach, Sauce Vin Rouge
$32

Seared Hanger Steak

Golden Raisins, Orzo, and Toasted Pine Nuts with Carrot-Coriander Puree, and Beef Jus
$26

Cassoulet

Duck Confit, Pork Shoulder, House Made Sausage
$20

Grilled Bone-in Pork Chop

Pecan Crust, Sweet Potato Puree, Yellow Wax Beans, Sauce À Mélasse
$24

Butternut Squash Napoleon

Chanterelle Duxelle, Pickled Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Spinach Cream Sauce
$19

Dessert

Concord Grape Sorbet

Peanut Brittle, Creme Anglaise
$6

Lemon Cheesecake

Raspberries, Vanilla Crust, Mint Sorbet
$8

Chocolate Souffle Cake

Dark Chocolate Sauce, Strawberries, Coconut Ice Cream
$8

Peach Tarte Tatin

Almonds, Maple Reduction
$9

Artisan Cheese Selection

Three Imported and Domestic Cheeses, Fruit, Nuts, and Crostini
$18