Conceptually divergent
After writing my last post about Peppermill Grill, I went back and perused the press release announcing the restaurant concept. Finding it utterly humorous, I’m going to pick it apart here. Here’s the link, in case you need it.
…the Peppermill Grill menu is designed around the flavor profile alluded to in the new concept’s name. Whether on a burger, steak, or pasta, an array of peppercorns and other flavors will be featured in many of the menu items.
I can remember a few dishes having peppercorns mentioned, but I don’t believe I ever thought “Wow, look at all these amazing ideas they came up with for using peppercorns!” I think my burger might have had peppercorns somewhere in it (it was blackened, so maybe in the rub?), but R’s pasta seemed to be lacking them and so was the appetizer. I mean, of all things, they could have thrown some peppercorns into the bland dipping sauces.
Servers are Flavor Ambassadors who bring peppermills with various spices right to the table.
Can you demean a person anymore than referring to them as flavor ambassadors? Probably not. Peppermill Grill is not the United Nations of taste buds, I can assure you. A restaurant should never imply that diplomacy is needed between the kitchen and the diners. And bringing the spices and peppermills right to the table? That never happened. Nor did I see it happen at other tables.
Choosing and adding flavor will be a part of the dining experience at the Peppermill Grill. Peppercorn selections will offer diverse flavor profiles that can be mixed together for new combinations.
R’s volcano chicken pasta thing could have used some pepper, and I probably would have allowed them to crush some over my burger if they wanted. I think this concept was something they thought would be amazing when it was first created, but they found that focus groups didn’t like lots of pepper (assuming they even thought to use a focus group), oops. Seriously, where were all these unique flavor combinations?
To give them some credit, at least there were real peppermills at the tables. But, to give discredit where discredit is due, said peppermills were filled with ONLY black peppercorns. No unique flavor combinations there. The least they could have done was offer a blend or even three different mills, each filled with a different kind of peppercorn just like barbecue joints do with their sauces.
An eclectic collection of artwork will create the feeling of a spice marketplace.
You guessed it, entirely missing was any decor indicating you were inside a spice marketplace. In fact, the decor was more 1950′s supper club with a modern twist. This was certainly a bold new concept gone awry.
The press release was from October, 2005 and there clearly was a diversion from original concept to the restaurant that was built. With the Madison location being their proving grounds, I’m thinking the only thing they’ve proven is that this concept won’t last long.