Eat Out For Less!

Other than the typical coupons, Groupons, happy hours, and early bird specials, there are ways you can reduce your bill in a restaurant.

1. Have a drink and an appetizer at home first. This has become a tradition for me and my friends. First of all, it's nice to have some time at home to relax before going out. Secondly, it's a nice way to build excitement for your dinner. It also means you can order less food and less wine or cocktails at dinner. It's also easy; I usually make a little board with 2-4 of the following: cheese, fresh fruit, raw veggies, hummus, nuts, dried fruit (dates and apricots are nice), wasabi peas, salami, etc. (You can also tailor it to you health or diet goals.) Added bonus: If you are in a group, this lets that one friend who's always late off the hook.

2. If you are drinking alcohol, skip the soft drinks, iced tea, or coffee. They add at least $5-7 to your bill for two people once you add tax and tip. 

3. Order a bottle of wine instead of glass pours. You will get more for your money. Many restaurants price their glasses as either a third or a fourth of the bottle cost to account for their spoilage liability. Typically you get 4 large or 5 medium glasses from 750ml. This is especially true for sparkling wine, as glass servings are smaller and you get much more.

4. Don't be afraid to ask your server for a budget-friendly recommendation! A great server will be happy to oblige. Just factor this in when you tip and give extra for the consideration (see my tipping note below).

5. Split an appetizer, salad, and an entree. Portions are generally huge, so this is usually plenty of food for two. It also lets you try more than if you just ordered entrees. If you are worried about a split plate charge, you can just say "We're sharing everything, so an extra plate would be great." If you are still hungry just order a dessert...

6. Order several appetizers as dinner. This is one of my favorite things to do because I like to try as many things on the menu as possible. Appetizer portions are typically larger than I expect, so we order 3 and it's usually perfect.

7. Go home for dessert and a nightcap. Personally, I find dessert to be the most frequently disappointing aspect of a restaurant meal. Nothing is worse than a stale, dry chocolate cake or a mushy 5-day-old tiramisu. Sometimes it is fantastic, but I usually prefer dark chocolate, sorbet, or gelato (or a great port or limoncello) from my own stash.

8. Call ahead if you are celebrating something (birthday, anniversary, etc) and mention it. Restaurants who do nothing special (free dessert, etc) for a special occasion are just lame.


On a side note, please remember to tip your server well. I always tip a little extra if I am purposely trying to lighten up my bill. Developing a repoire with a great server is also a nice way to get a fantastic experience on a repeat visit. Many of us have served at one point or another, and it is not an easy job. Nothing is more frustrating that the patrons who drink water and split the cheapest sandwich on the menu. I don't fault anyone for what they order, but I hope they realize that servers live off tips, not their sub-living-wage hourly pay. As in any industry, providing great service really adds to the experience and should be rewarded. In the restaurant industry, that means tipping well. Cheers to getting more for less! 

Cafe Patachou (the original)

I must confess, I love the Patachou brand.  This will not be my most un-biased review.  It will, however, like everything on this blog, be completely honest.  The entrepreneurial spirit in me loves how Patachou started, its evolution, and what it means to Indy today.  I happen to call Martha Hoover, the chains proprietress, an acquaintance.  Martha was formerly my neighbor for 5 years after moving back to Indianapolis after being in Atlanta for awhile. I find Martha to be everything fantastic about successful women in business:  a true visionary with an exacting sense of what she wants and how to get it done.  She is also a great conversationalist and very involved in our community.

My admiration of Martha aside, the foodie in me just loves what Patachou stands for.  Martha Hoover wanted a neighborhood eatery that would provide the type of food she cooked for her friends and family:  fresh, locally-sourced when possible, and French inspired deliciousness.  So she created it.  I give thanks for this often, as I find myself in one of the Patachous frequently.

What is Patachou?  A quick search revealed the following:

-Patachou was the stage name of Henriette Ragon (born 10 June 1918), a French singer and actress. After very humble beginnings, she was awarded as Officier of the Légion d'honneur in 2009. Plenty of her performances are available on YouTube if you are interested.

-After some more serious Googling of the term "patachou," and no actual definitions of the word itself, I have 2 hypotheses.  First that the name came from "pâte à choux," "cream puff pastry," in French. Or perhaps the term originated from the actress's stage name.

-The moral of this little exercise is a somewhat surprising one: 6 out of the top 10 Google search results for Patachou are in reference to the Indianapolis Brand (dozens of reviews, interest pieces about Hoover, et cetera). It is such a lauded establishment that it is hard to find the actual meaning of the word. Now that's what I call impact.

So how was my lunch? It was delicious as always.  I was having a business lunch with a colleague and our server let us linger over our lengthy conversation well beyond finishing our meal.  I had the Hippie with a Benz omelet (mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and feta) with a side of whole wheat cinnamon toast.  It was more food than I could eat, which is saying something.  The omelet was perfectly prepared, the toast was house-made, thick-cut bread and the fruit cup was fresh and filled with seasonal berries and more. Yum.

It's not the cheapest place to eat for breakfast or lunch, but the serving sizes are generous and the ingredients are only the best. I've heard people complain about the cost before, and I never understand why given the portion size, as well as the freshness and quality of the ingredients and preparation techniques.  I give Cafe Patachou a 4/5.  It is such a treat every time I go (and yes, I have had wonderful experiences at every Patachou in the city). Cheers!