home-style restaurant [General]

2012 Jan 29
I was just wondering if there are any restaurants around that would serve a large group with bowls of particular items like you'd get at a family get-together. You know, like a big bowl of mashed potatoes and another of cooed carrots with a big patter of meat to pass around. It just occurred t me that I don't think I've ever had that experience in a restaurant setting, besides at a big table of asian food.

I just got a romantic hankering to ask someone to pass the gravy. Oh, and maybe a few of those biscuits, too. Thanks.

2012 Jan 29
Ramsay is always converting troubled places into homestyle restaurants. They traditionally do well to. But this has been in the states.. is this a type of restaurant that was common here in Ottawa at one time?

2012 Jan 29
Oh, I have no idea. When I said 'romantic', I suppose I meant the way that mom used to serve up every single dinner we ever had.

2012 Jan 30
Lynne Crawford opened up her restaurant in Toronto
In the family style and it is doing very well. Maybe someone will follow suit in Ottawa!

2012 Jan 30
I guess you mean besides Asian restaurants? Actually, I've had communal plates at La Cabana as well.

The last wedding I went to served their meal homestyle. It was a first for me and it was very appreated. I hate being served a big plate of food and wasting it, so being able to take a portion size for my appetite was great. I'd love to see this style of dining come into vogue.

2012 Jan 30
Damn. Why do I always have to be thinking ahead of the curve?

I guess I'll just have to host more big dinner parties. Easter is coming around, too.

2012 Jan 30
If you are willing to travel we had a fantastic experience in Savannah. Ten of us sat at a large table while food in dishes and plates were brought out. We got to know our fellow dinners a bit in the 45 minutes of feasting. If you are willing to stand in line at 10am for an hour you can be the first sitting. You even clear your own dishes to the kitchen before leaving.
www.mrswilkes.com/

2012 Jan 30
I heard the other day that Fraser Cafe was doing family style dinners on Sundays now. I haven't been but it would be worth checking out if it is true.

2012 Jan 30
Ken V I have fond memories of Mrs. Wilkes. Here is a place in Ephratah New York that I visit once a year:
www.saltsmans.com/
The mains are ordered individually, but the sides are served family style. If you order different mains and share, the portions are so huge that it might as well be family style.

2012 Jan 31
My bachelor party at Murray Street was done family-style, and it sounds like it was exactly what you are looking for.

We ate a hell of a lot of pork (head and leg), and had the most fantastic carrots, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, and gravy passed around as sides. (I'm surprised I remember so much of it, considering how much I drank.)

Definitely worth a call to see if they can do it!