One Trick Pony Restaurants

Required Eating

Posted by Lucy Baker, April 3, 2008 at 1:30 PM

Yesterday's New York Times dining section reported the opening of Totally Baked, a potato bar. That's right, this restaurant serves only spuds, split and filled with all manner of toppings from wild mushrooms to Manchego cheese, smoked salmon to pulled pork. Oh, and there are sweet potatoes for dessert, of course.

While Totally Baked may be the first establishment to pay homage to such a humble tuber root, it's certainly not the only place dedicated solely to one ingredient or dish. There's S'Mac, devoted to macaroni and cheese, in the East Village; Peanut Butter & Co in the West Village; and Rich to Riches in SoHo, where you can find every flavor of rice pudding imaginable.

The whole trend has got me thinking: if I were to open a restaurant that focused on only one food, what would it be? After much consideration I decided on the apple. It's versatile (apple soups and salads, meats braised in cider, plus cakes and crumbles) and it's also ecological. My restaurant—in my mind I've already named it Eden—would rely on locally farmed produce.

We at Serious Eats are curious to hear your ideas. If you could own a restaurant with only one item on the menu, what would it be?

57 Comments

57 Comments:

Pork belly of course! Versatile and delicious!

HoustonJoe at 1:39PM on 04/03/08

my cousin and i always used to joke that we wanted to open up a place called "wrapped in bacon," because there is almost nothing i won't eat if it's been, well, wrapped in bacon.

carriebwc at 1:41PM on 04/03/08

In the '80's, there was a chain of food-court-type places called 1Potato2. If a single-food concept could be successful today, I'm pretty sure the baked potato isn't the food to do it. Roasted fingerlings, maybe. Do restaurants (other than Wendy's) still serve the starchy baking potato?

juliec at 1:45PM on 04/03/08

I think I've already answered this in a different thread, but my roommate and I have had lengthy discussions about opening Nacho Town--It would probably be the best place on earth.

emes1 at 1:46PM on 04/03/08

tater tots

AnaisKoi at 1:47PM on 04/03/08

Wow. I'm stunned. No one's said cacao?

onalark at 1:50PM on 04/03/08

I think every college kid in America would go to Nacho Town (at least after midnight). So, there's a franchise opportunity, emes1!

anastasia7173 at 2:07PM on 04/03/08

Sandwich's. Grinders, cheesesteaks, meatball, sliders, etc.

Montana Eats at 2:13PM on 04/03/08

I always wanted to have a restaurant called "Bread and Water," that would have a prison theme. Many different kinds of bread, and well, water.

Or how about "PB&J's"? - an upmarket kind of place serving all kinds of nut butters and preserves on various breads.

rheogs at 2:16PM on 04/03/08

There's a restaurant in Ohio that I'm dying to try: all grilled cheese sandwiches!

modysoul at 2:33PM on 04/03/08

Turkey. Turkey salad, turkey stew, turkey burgers, turkey pastrami, turkey bacon, turkey bologna, roast turkey a la Thanksgiving, turkey sausage, turkey a la king, turkey soup (with noodles and matzoh balls), turkey Francaise.
You get the idea. With a cutesy name like "Gobblers".

RichardCrystal at 2:44PM on 04/03/08

That's easy. I have considered actually trying to open a Potato Latke place with all kinds of toppings!

RheaB at 2:55PM on 04/03/08

Gefilte Yourself!

The world's first self-serve Jewish fish ball restaurant.

CVilleBilly at 3:00PM on 04/03/08

"A little bit tomato," with every dish containing tomato and named after my mother's favorite phrase.

chiff0nade at 3:28PM on 04/03/08

A George Washington Carver-inspired peanut restaurant (and gift shop :-)): http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwca/expanded/peanut.htm

tacroy80 at 3:32PM on 04/03/08

If I said beans could I serve any kind of them? I guess maybe it's like serving granny apple smiths and macintoshes---or maybe it's just cheating. :)

clumsycook at 3:34PM on 04/03/08

I know there is already one in the west village but I would do risotto themed

Dolcezza at 4:23PM on 04/03/08

We ate at Peanut Butter & Co. a couple of weeks ago on our trip to NYC. Be warned: It's a very small shop--probably 5 or 6 tables. But everyone in our group liked their sandwich (with carrots & chips). My 9 year old ordered the Elvis, a grilled PB and banana. Bacon is an option but we figured he was sacrificing more than a few cholesterol points on the sandwich without bacon. S'Mac was also on our agenda but we didn't make it so we'll have to go on our next trip up.

corinne at 4:46PM on 04/03/08

Pommes Frites in NYC has the best French fries (actually, they call them Belgian-style fries) imaginable. Fries -- and a bunch of sauces for dipping -- that's it. (But that's enough)

MadameTart at 5:01PM on 04/03/08

cvillebille i would have to eat there just because the name is so awsome. I love potatoes so i would eat at a baked potatoe resturant. I also love Nacho Town it would make a profit right away due to teenagers. I have no idea what else there is as i think everyone covered everything. I am sorry to say i can't see myself eating in an apple resturant but maybe i am not creative enough.

http://organicandnaturalmom.blogspot.com/

love2cook at 6:05PM on 04/03/08

There used to be a place we used to go to in Birmingham, England called spudulike and all they did was baked potatoes, so these guys are way behind!!

We also have a place called spread in san diego that specialises in Peanut and other nut butters...

jennywenny at 6:07PM on 04/03/08

i have been saying for years that i would have a pudding-themed restaurant - not just rice pudding, but many different kinds - corn pudding, yorkshire pudding, maybe blood pudding for the slightly more adventurous. there are plenty of sweet and savoury puddings that would work.

mickeymets at 6:34PM on 04/03/08

House of Durian. Durian everything. In salad, pureed in entrees, custard (savory and sweet), in desserts, etc. No, really, I kid. Could you imagine the smell? Seriously, one that would showcase rare fruits and vegetables.

beth1 at 8:33PM on 04/03/08

anastasia: as very recent college grads we wanted to target that market! we were thinking friday/saturday/sunday lunches would be the busiest times.

modysoul: there's a grilled cheese place in KC as well...it's called cheesehead and it's right down the street from my work. can't wait to try it out!

emes1 at 10:44PM on 04/03/08

Brined things. Beets. Cukes. Kraut. Pears. Watermelon.

Erin Zimmer at 11:02PM on 04/03/08

Flashback to my Long Island childhood: a newspaper ad trumpeting the grand opening of Mickey Rooney's Wiener World, featuring an extensive menu of "international" hot dogs, including the Mexican Wiener (topped with chili), the German Wiener (sauerkraut), and dozens more. Hot dogs. Just hot dogs. Really.

baboo at 11:39PM on 04/03/08

Lemons.

On or in everything from drinks, meats, veggies, dressings, marinades, and the most scrumptuous desserts.

PerkyMac at 11:54PM on 04/03/08

rice to riches, I'm sure.

acidspit at 12:24AM on 04/04/08

madametart: yes! pommes frites is amazing. you just can't go on a weekend night any time after 1 or so, unless you want to wait forever for your fries, and be subjected to drunken college-talk during the interminable wait, no less. ugh.

modysoul: there used to be this place on st. mark's that only served grilled cheese sandwiches and milkshakes--i think it was called NY milkshake co. or something equally unimaginative. but who needs imagination when you're submerged in a delicious dairy coma? they did both things excellently and i was confused when one day they just closed up with no warning. now the place is a dumb automat where you can pay a premium for the novelty of buying shitty food that's been sitting in a display case all day. i think you even have to pay with quarters. and everyone knows quarters

i've never been to PB&co or s'mac but i've heard both places are so-so... however, the dark chocolate peanut butter that PB&co makes is absolutely ridiculous, in the eat-it-out-of-the-jar-with-your-fingers kind of way.

boltchloer at 12:25AM on 04/04/08

oh, i forgot my theme restaurant: EVERYTHING COVERED IN GRAVY. yeah, that's what i'd call it. because everything's better covered in gravy, duh.

boltchloer at 12:26AM on 04/04/08

I believe the correct name of the rice pudding place is Rise to Riches, not Rich to Riches...take it from someone who goes there three times a week, at least :)

asg749d at 7:44AM on 04/04/08

There is a chain called "Nothing But Noodles." It's a little goofy, especially considering that they sell appetizers and salad without noodles, but all of their mains are noodle-centric. They have various american, asian, and italian noodle dishes. I'm sorta thinking about their stroganoff right now.

Anyway, this place is my idea of a good one trick pony.

Kerosena at 9:58AM on 04/04/08

From the time I spent in Scotland, it seems to me like "jacket potato" shops are quite common there. My favorite was always beans and cheese.

negociants at 10:21AM on 04/04/08

Ooo - I've always wanted to open "The Bacon Cafe".. serve bacon smothered in bacon gravy with a side of bacon. OK, I know I could be more creative with the bacon, but I really just love bacon.

Or a restaurant with just cheese (as unoriginal as I know that sounds) - because I just really really love cheese.

Speaking of cheese & grilling it, I just want to know why I've never seen a grilled cheese restaurant!?

graciecat at 10:45AM on 04/04/08

Graciecat, there is indeed a grilled-cheese place in the Denver metro area. One dowtown-ish, one in Littleton. I believe they even have one kind of cheese that has the bacon already in it.

(To speak to your other love, there's also a place in Denver that will sell you a bacon steak.)

maryofdoom at 11:07AM on 04/04/08

It might be a one-trick pony, but it's not the first of it's kind. In the '80s my local mall had a "Create-A-Potato." This chain of fast-food potato places offered only potatoes that were baked and then re-heated in a bank of microwaves once your selected topping was applied. My grandfather adored this place (as an Irish immigrant he truly appreciated a restaurant devoted solely to potatoes) and I remember usually having just a potato with butter, but once ventured into a cheddar cheese topping and once tried the "Pizza Potato."

mjohnson105 at 12:16PM on 04/04/08

maryofdoom - not sure where you got the idea I'm anywhere near Denver.. my profile says Lil Rock, AR, and it ain't lying!

wait wait.. bacon cheese?! I must have it!

graciecat at 12:41PM on 04/04/08

I want to start a restaurant that serves only swedish sausage...

and I will call it Pörk

digitalburro at 1:20PM on 04/04/08

When I was younger, my friend and I wanted to open a restaurant that only served food that was served flambe.

abs294 at 1:21PM on 04/04/08

I'm sure there are plenty of restaurants that do this already but I'd open one that served everything on a stick...cuz almost everything tastes better on a stick.

manda at 1:28AM on 04/05/08

How about a restaurant with just pizza! (oh wait, that's been done).

How about a restaurant that features butter in every recipe--you could call it "Lady & Sons"

dockanz at 3:43PM on 04/05/08

Some college kids in Miami opened The Cereal Bowl across from UM. You can actually add things like Snow Caps and Marshmallow Fluff to Frosted Flakes. I'm slipping into a diabetic coma just thinking about it...

But I agree with PerkyMac - Lemons. Yum!

inblackink at 4:41PM on 04/05/08

LOL@ docknz!

I like the tomato and lemon ideas, the bacon, too. I mean, who doesn't like bacon? Well, except cardiologists.

Calichef at 8:29PM on 04/05/08

Only Small sandwiches on dinner size rolls including sliders, ham and cheese, tuna, chicken salad etc. etc. etc.

You could even have an all you can eat small sandwich buffet.

This would also lead to a large catering and party-size to go side business.

eatorama at 10:36PM on 04/05/08

cheese. i'd have cheese plates with all kinds of interesting accompaniments alongside them.

what would really be fun would be a british themed tea shop that served great little finger sandwiches and cakes and things, with lots of books and a fireplace and acoustic music on the weekends.

cybercita at 12:13AM on 04/06/08

OK, I actually went to bed thinking about this last night (sad, I know). I would open a grilled cheese restaurant. Just think of the possibilities. You could have the sample Mild Cheddar or Colby on White bread, but you could also do much more whimsical and creative sandwiches as well. For the vegans you could have Grilled Soycheese. If any of you start this, please cite me in the liner notes of your menu.

dockanz at 8:08AM on 04/06/08

Hamburgers only. But, you can get anything you can think of to put on it- peanut butter, coleslaw, chili, guacamole, french fries, beans, eggs, lots of different kinds of cheese etc. etc.

eatorama at 8:45PM on 04/06/08

"Garlique's", everything with garlic. Appetizers, soups and main dishes... I'll just bet some creative minds out there would have some dessert ideas too! Maybe baked apples/pears with a melted garlic cheese...

Lemons is a good one too!

cajunanne at 9:13AM on 04/07/08

Lemons is a good one too!

cajunanne at 9:17AM on 04/07/08

Lobster. Mmmm, I could even eat it for breakfast!

DancingShoes at 9:18AM on 04/07/08

I would love a place devoted to vanilla. I am a sucker for all things custardy and rich. Puddings, cakes, cookies, pastries. Some complimentary flavors as well - cherries, almond, coconut. That way maybe I could find a biscuit tortoni equal to the one I had in Venice the summer I turned 20.

But no chocolate, not even the white stuff.

JohnFred at 11:01AM on 04/07/08

Where's the grilled cheese in Ohio??? I wanna go...

Went to S'Mac in Manchester, CT last fall...not incredible, but not bad. Was fun for our kids.

I used to love the chain Noodles & Co. when I worked in suburban Detroit...they had every kind of noodle dish, from pad Thai to mushroom stroganoff, to noodle salads. They also had fresh-baked flatbread served with large pats of butter that was almost yummier than the noodles.

My personal choice, though...mushrooms. Mushroom risotto, mushroom soup, and I imagine you could do all kinds of dishes using portobellos to replace meat...stir-fries, sandwiches, etc. Not sure what you'd do for dessert though...maybe those mushroom-shaped chocolate truffles??

akk328 at 12:55PM on 04/07/08

..... Parmesan Cheese! The real deal --- all dishes made with Parmesan -- could get very creative!, but nothing too strange- no chocolate/parmesan desserts, etc. Other than that, it would be heaven!

P.S. Re the garlic themed restaruant -- in Madison, NJ there is a restaurant called Garlic Rose -- all garlic, all the time, every dish -- I can't go near the place and if you are with someone who does, you can't go near them for a couple of days.

ciaobella at 2:36PM on 04/07/08

Pizza! oh...i guess its been done.

ThatGirl153 at 3:30PM on 04/07/08

@johnfred--you made me think about a sauce I haven't made in a long time--vanilla bean burre blanc. The vanilla bean is opened and added into the cream and vinegar when they are reduced. Then you remove the bean and proceed as usual.

beth1 at 11:41PM on 04/07/08

Oh my gosh - a garlic restaurant! Brilliant!

eatorama - ever heard of "Cheeburger Cheeburger"? They do something like that, with all the crazy toppings & whatnot. Give 'em a google search sometime, check out the website. We got one in LR about a year ago (or so), but... honestly... when I went there it was all hype and not a lot of delivery.

graciecat at 8:30PM on 04/08/08

Definitely peanut butter. I, too, have eaten at Peanut Butter & Co. in New York (and LOVED it), but I'd love to have a more upscale restaurant and definitely an even larger menu than they currently do. Peanut butter can be used in so many ways - from sweet to savory, appetizers to dessert, Latin American to Thai flavors, and just about everything in between.....

kimberlymac at 9:47PM on 04/08/08

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