The 'Restaurant Makeover' Curse

[Dan_550]

The only space I can recall seeing on this show that has become more successful would be Phil's Original BBQ on College. Great food, prices and run by great people.

They didn't even change the menu!

 

[GenerationW]

pomegranate ketchup for dip

Please tell me that doesn't really exist.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Has anyone else noticed that a lot of the Restos 'reno'd' by FoodTV's Restaurant Makeover show have either closed down, or aren't doing very well business-wise?

A couple examples I can think of:

Lub on Church St -- Gone within a couple months of the reno.
Lobby on Bloor, near Avenue -- Always deas every time I walk by
That Greek Place on Bloor, just east of Yonge (with the split; bar down, resto up) -- Closed down/changed themes?
Mustang's, John & Adelaide -- Only ever see ppl here during 'club hours'.

I'm sure there are more to add to the list, but can anyone think of any Restos that were made more successful thanks to the show?

There's also the Church Street Diner which never re-opened after the reno. and still sadly sits empty for about a year now. It was a small fun, fab-faux 50's place that was slightly overpriced but OK food, with good service in a great location.

 

[adma]

Please tell me that doesn't really exist.

"Chutney" is just a fancy word for "ketchup". So, pomegranate: why not

 

[DC83]

Please tell me that doesn't really exist.

Sure! You can make whatever you want (infact that grilled cheese recipe I quoted in my post was from a (Canadian) Food Netowork Chef :s Apples on my Grilled Cheese?!?! NO THANK YOU!

There's also the Church Street Diner which never re-opened after the reno. and still sadly sits empty for about a year now. It was a small fun, fab-faux 50's place that was slightly overpriced but OK food, with good service in a great location.

Well what on Church St isn't over-priced?
"Just give it a fancy name and the gays'll pay for it!" HAHAHA

I totally forgot about that place. I thought it turned into a bar/club? I can't believe it didn't even re-open!? Did it 're-open' on the show? I don't recall that episode!?

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I totally forgot about that place. I thought it turned into a bar/club? I can't believe it didn't even re-open!? Did it 're-open' on the show? I don't recall that episode!?

The club Straight Lounge (previously Babylon Martini Bar) is right next door to the former Church Street Diner. As I recall from the episode of Restaurant Makeover it ended with a problem about licensing the added upstairs area, lack of a permit or something like that but it never re-opened.

 

[DC83]

The club Straight Lounge (previously Babylon Martini Bar) is right next door to the former Church Street Diner. As I recall from the episode of Restaurant Makeover it ended with a problem about licensing the added upstairs area, lack or a permit or something like that but it never re-opened.

Interesting! Thank You (I was thiking about Straight, you're right!

Well I think it's pretty safe to say; looking at this Thread I don't think Restaurant Makeover really had a positive impact at all!? I wonder if that's the reason why it was cancelled?

Anyone know the 'official' reason for cancellation?

 

[Therion]

Lakes on Yonge, north of Roxborough has also closed, and I can confirm that Stoney's is gone at Yonge and Sheppard. Definitely not a good score for the show, which I actually enjoyed watching occasionally.

 

[marathe]

There's also the Church Street Diner which never re-opened after the reno. and still sadly sits empty for about a year now. It was a small fun, fab-faux 50's place that was slightly overpriced but OK food, with good service in a great location.

I think it reopened for a few months and then closed again. I get the impression that they were trying to undo what the show had done, but just ran out of money.

Damn shame as its a decent little spot. Outmatched for breakfast by Daybreak, but thats neither here nor there.

 

[ginger22]

Restaurant Makeover

graphic matt...i was just going to chime in on the rogue's restaurant makeover ...massacre

it was such a solid place before the makeover...ambience. great food with solid portions and interesting but familiar combos. comfy seating..predicable, regular table service with a healthy portion of regulars...plus 2 pinball tables, and a pool table

the makeover of the rogue in the show was terrible and made me irate, but the final product was far more sinister. ridiculous METAL chairs...small portions, food that is trying to be gastro pub but turns out to be just worse in real quality and a whole new owner/mgmt style. and took out the pool table and pinball (like, i don't even really play them...but why? were they cultivating the 'wrong' image? was it giving up too much space? -like two tables out of 34)

with this being said, i totally recommend one tries the place on their own, b/c they have some good beers and a few nice daily specials! really...try it.

]Obviously if they called RM in to help them- they needed the help. Things might have seemed rosy to you, but might not have been great financially. People don't like change as a rule either. Some may like the new appearance and changes even if you disagreed. It doesn't matter even if the place pleased everyone, if there is bad ownership to begin with, the place doesn't stand a chance.

 

[syn]

For serious!?!?! That's some of the best news I have ever heard!
That show is terrible!

I will be happy to never have to 'guess' whether they're going to finish on time or not; or worry about Carpenter Guy freaking out; or wonder if the Restauranteurs are going to actually go along and give them $15,000 (happens every episode).

The false suspense this shows tries (tried!) to create was so unbearable, I had to stop watching it after about 4-5 episodes. And those same episodes are always on!!

Edit: The other problem with this show was that they always tried to turn restos like 'Jack's Roadhouse' (totally fake, just an example) into 'Jack's Four Seasons'. I'm sorry, but people go to Jack's Roadhouse for Grilled Cheese & Soup, not Aged White Cheddar & Fresh Ontario Apples baked between a fluffy Brioche with pomegranate ketchup for dip, served beside a Cream of Summer Leak & Yukon Potatoe Gazpacho.

Why would it matter even if the show was still on the air? If you really disliked it that much why watch in the first place?

 

[Kingsway]

I think the JEEP themed restaurant in Clarkson (Mississauga) is gone too.

 

[midge]

I think the JEEP themed restaurant in Clarkson (Mississauga) is gone too.

That's the Rubicon restaurant. I don't know the official story, but it's been sitting empty for well over a year. It looks as though there was a serious fire that took out almost half the plaza.

 

[neuhaus]

Restaurant Makeover was put on hiatus a while ago after the show was plagued by lawsuits from shoddy construction.
Renovating a restaurant in less than a week for $30,000 is a recipe for disaster (pardon the pun).

The restaurant industry is really tough and fierce, and the survival rate for a new restaurant after its first year is rather grim, and to top it off many restauranteurs don't have what it takes to run a business (especially a restaurant) and often lack the passion, skills and knowledge.

I actually like this show, it's like one part Food TV and one part HGTV. I don't agree with some of the stuff they do on the show, but it makes for good entertainment.
It's funny that almost every restaurant was done on a so-called $30,000 budget (half paid by the owners and half paid by the show), dispite how different in size, condition and amount of work these restaurants needed, and I am sure in most cases the show swallows up overages which I am sure always happens. If I was a restaurant owner, I would gladly pony up an extra $5,000 or $10,000 knowing that the show will match my dollar (that's like free money).
More often enough a revamping of the restaurant's interior and the menu doesn't cure all, as we see here.

I have also heard that Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares also had some troubles too.

 

[TOareaFan]

Aggie Martin in Brampton is also a non-survivor!