How Not to Win Customers

Mural
Originally uploaded by Darrell

We had about 45 early-evening minutes to kill between appointments, so we decided to cruise up the road looking for appetizers and a Diet Coke.
We noticed a "Now Open" sign outside a familiar place with a new name and a brand new look. There was an open parking spot right in front, so we whipped in. What for a long time was Bear's is now Actors Cafe. It is a kind of Sardi's in miniature, I guess. The decor attempts to be reminiscent of Hollywood, and there's a nice mural on one wall featuring famous faces. Photos of not-so-famous other pretty people are framed and line the walls.
We were the first (and only) paying customers there for the half-hour we stayed. The appetizers were fresh and tasty. The service was prompt and friendly. The waitress was pretty. The manager, a man named Caeser, was engaging.
So, I'm inclined to go back soon to give dinner a try. There was one circumstance that left me wondering, though. When we had been there about fifteen minutes, a man walked in. Caeser advised us he was the owner. His name, in a possessive way, is above the name of the establishment (Nightbyrd's Actors Cafe). There he was, the man with his name on the sign, with two middle-aged paying customers sitting in his restaurant.
He never spoke to us. He didn't make eye contact. He didn't ask us how the food was. When we left, we walked within three feet of him and he didn't invite us to come back.
I don't know what to make of that. I guess we don't look like actors.

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Breaking Out of the Restaurant Rut

Lila's Cakes & Chocolate, 440 Olive St.
Originally uploaded by mikerosebery

We love to go out to eat, no matter what time of day. It's fair to say that most days we have to talk ourselves out of going out. It would be easy to take the path of least resistance and patronize the chain restaurants, but I try to help the local restaurant owner whenever I can.
One of The Bosses and I recently took a noonday diversion to Shreveport's Highland district and ducked into Lila's. We thought we would be getting away. Sadly for us and happily for Lila and her family, it simply wasn't the case. We saw some high-profile people from work there, as well as a couple of local celebrities. So, I guess we were among the last people to be let in on the news that Lila's is a little midtown gem.
As you can see in Mike Roseberry's photo, the place has an old-school charm.

More recently, my wife and I found ourseves in Broadmoor at dinnertime, so we ducked into Rollin' in the Dough. The place was packed, and after eating there I know why. It was fantastic. We saw some people we know and confessed it was our first time there. It looked like somebody slapped them. They literally flinched. Their faces showed complete surprise, kind of like "Are you kidding me?"
The place doesn't have much curb appeal, but obviously its food, reputation and loyal customer base are enough to help it thrive. They were doing a robust take-out business, too.
Both of these new culinary encounters came to pass because I got out of my neighborhood. I recommend it.
I'm glad we have usual complement of chain restaurants, but I get a little embarrassed eating there sometimes. (I admit I ate at Olive Garden this week and it was pretty good.) My mother-in-law loves McAllister's Deli, for instance. She has a friend in from out of town, and that's where they went to lunch. That makes me a litte uncomfortable because I think it shows a lack of imagination. McAlister's, Friday's, Ruby Tuesday, whatever. It's all like McDonald's. You can eat there anywhere.
We need to support places that are unique to home. Can anybody say Herby K?

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