Blending In

What's the difference between a successful restaurateur and an arrogant one? Listening skills, such as those possessed by Mon Ami Brasserie (1400 Glades Rd., Boca Raton, 561-394-2428) proprietor Burt Rapoport, who recently determined that pursuing a French-themed restaurant wasn't necessarily a good idea right now. "At the onset of the...

By Jen Karetnick

January 1, 2004

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What's the difference between a successful restaurateur and an arrogant one? Listening skills, such as those possessed by Mon Ami Brasserie (1400 Glades Rd., Boca Raton, 561-394-2428) proprietor Burt Rapoport, who recently determined that pursuing a French-themed restaurant wasn't necessarily a good idea right now. "At the onset of the war in Iraq back in March, our sales dropped 30 percent over two weeks," Rapoport explains. "We waited out the summer, but the business didn't come back as we hoped. So, we did some research, identified that people really wanted good, solid American cuisine, and now we're giving it to them." Thus, a complete menu overhaul, replacing 75 percent of the dishes with 27 new items. While you can still get a crepe or a quiche, you can also now order chicken pot pie, meatloaf, Washington State oysters, and turkey club and flatiron steak sandwiches. There are even two new items on the children's menu. Bon appétit -- er, that is, cheers!

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Jen Karetnick is an award-winning dining critic, food-travel writer, and author of the books Ice Cube Tray Recipes, Mango, and The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami.

Contact: Jen Karetnick