[Food] O/T Bit of market research for our new restaurant

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Seems a bit of a slow day on NSC today so I'm going to see if I can tap in to the hive mind of NSC to get some opinions on a new restaurant that my wife and I are thinking of opening here in Costa Rica.

A bit of background info - we moved here around 4 years ago as we had a job offer to come and work here. Around 3 years ago we started a small seafood shack specialising in prawns/shrimp. We've been able to hire staff that are now more or less able to keep the place running without us needing to be there all the time and we're looking for a new venture. A few people in town have offered us some commercial space to open another restaurant.

We're thinking of two different options:

1. Fish and Chips
2. Jerk Fish & Jerk Chicken

So my question to you NSC is if you were on holiday at a small Costa Rican beach town which of those two would you prefer? I should add that even in a town inundated with restaurants there isn't a single place that does either fish and chips, or jerk anything.

On a side note, a lot of our clients will be Americans and Canadians do they even like fish and chips?

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I think that if your clients will be Americans and Canadians, Fish & Chips are a safer bet.

 

[Dave the OAP]

where in CR are you mate?

I ask as we have a outsourcing business with Sykes Global Park La Aurora, Heredia. If that is somewhere close, I will try and get them to frequent your place

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Well if it was me, it'd be jerk fish and chicken. Difficult sell to the North Americans though who often wont go near anything without the word 'burger' in it, and would be scared of the jerk spices.

 

[knocky1]

On a side note, a lot of our clients will be Americans and Canadians do they even like fish and chips? yes.

What local fish will you be using for the fish with the chips? If suitable, can't you do both. I presume the local waters have many fish suitable for a Caribbean marinade?

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Seems a bit of a slow day on NSC today so I'm going to see if I can tap in to the hive mind of NSC to get some opinions on a new restaurant that my wife and I are thinking of opening here in Costa Rica.

A bit of background info - we moved here around 4 years ago as we had a job offer to come and work here. Around 3 years ago we started a small seafood shack specialising in prawns/shrimp. We've been able to hire staff that are now more or less able to keep the place running without us needing to be there all the time and we're looking for a new venture. A few people in town have offered us some commercial space to open another restaurant.

We're thinking of two different options:

1. Fish and Chips
2. Jerk Fish & Jerk Chicken

So my question to you NSC is if you were on holiday at a small Costa Rican beach town which of those two would you prefer? I should add that even in a town inundated with restaurants there isn't a single place that does either fish and chips, or jerk anything.

On a side note, a lot of our clients will be Americans and Canadians do they even like fish and chips?

Can you obtain a decent fish fryer out there?

 

[clarkey]

I've spent a fair bit of time in the US recently, backwaters of Michigan. The office complex had a canteen, and they did fish and chips every Friday and the locals loved it. Obviously wasn't proper fish and chips but points for effort.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

where in CR are you mate?

I ask as we have a outsourcing business with Sykes Global Park La Aurora, Heredia. If that is somewhere close, I will try and get them to frequent your place

Heredia's a bit of a trek to us! Sent you a PM, we're on the west coast.

On a side note, a lot of our clients will be Americans and Canadians do they even like fish and chips? yes.

What local fish will you be using for the fish with the chips? If suitable, can't you do both. I presume the local waters have many fish suitable for a Caribbean marinade?

If we go with the Jerk fish we'd probably be using red snapper, for the fish and chips we'd most likely be using Mahi Mahi (also called Dorado) which is flaky white fish.

Can you obtain a decent fish fryer out there?

Yep, that shouldn't be a problem - it will be bloody expensive though especially as we will need at least two double fryers!

 

[chaileyjem]

blimey. How did you cope with the hurricane ?

 

[AmexRuislip]

Seems a bit of a slow day on NSC today so I'm going to see if I can tap in to the hive mind of NSC to get some opinions on a new restaurant that my wife and I are thinking of opening here in Costa Rica.

A bit of background info - we moved here around 4 years ago as we had a job offer to come and work here. Around 3 years ago we started a small seafood shack specialising in prawns/shrimp. We've been able to hire staff that are now more or less able to keep the place running without us needing to be there all the time and we're looking for a new venture. A few people in town have offered us some commercial space to open another restaurant.

We're thinking of two different options:

1. Fish and Chips
2. Jerk Fish & Jerk Chicken

So my question to you NSC is if you were on holiday at a small Costa Rican beach town which of those two would you prefer? I should add that even in a town inundated with restaurants there isn't a single place that does either fish and chips, or jerk anything.

On a side note, a lot of our clients will be Americans and Canadians do they even like fish and chips?

Are you still planning on opening an outlet in London?

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I think that if your clients will be Americans and Canadians, Fish & Chips are a safer bet.

They do love fried foods!

Well if it was me, it'd be jerk fish and chicken. Difficult sell to the North Americans though who often wont go near anything without the word 'burger' in it, and would be scared of the jerk spices.

I was thinking of doing Jerk Chicken burger and Jerk Chicken Wings to help them out

I've spent a fair bit of time in the US recently, backwaters of Michigan. The office complex had a canteen, and they did fish and chips every Friday and the locals loved it. Obviously wasn't proper fish and chips but points for effort.

That's good to hear - a few American friends over here still seemed confused about the whole "chip" thing rather than fries - one of them even suggested we call it a Fish & Fries Platter

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

blimey. How did you cope with the hurricane ?

Personally we got off very lightly. We had no power, cell phone coverage or water for about 3 days which basically meant we got to sit around and drink rum. A lot of surrounding towns got royally shafted though and a lot of people lost everything - mostly due to flooding rather than winds. There's still a lot of relief effort going on but things are pretty much back to normal for everyone.

 

[Dave the OAP]

On board ship, most americans try anything to be honest. Although most cruise liners have a standard menu every day, like steak, chicken that sort of thing, the daily specials ( 4 different mains) has all sorts of food. Only on British ships like P&O will you get curry and "english pub grub" and the americans don't tend to rate british food.

I have asked my colleagues in CR and she said that Costa Ricans like trying all sorts of food and I mentioned fish and chips and she said that sounded great. " Yes, definitely. We like trying dishes from different countries, I think is a great Idea. At that place there are many tourist and will be good to have that kind of menu " That is from Steff and she has visited the place where the restaurant is and loves it.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Are you still planning on opening an outlet in London?

London or Brighton perhaps - in 2019

 

[AmexRuislip]

London or Brighton perhaps - in 2019

Excellent

 

[The Large One]

Any reason why you can't do traditional fish & chips AND jerk fish and chips?

Any reason why you can't do traditional chicken & chips AND jerk chicken and chips?

 

[The Large One]

London or Brighton perhaps - in 2019

Delete 'London or'.

 

[maffew]

It sounds like if your main clientele are Americans and Canadians potentially then fish and chips could be a winner, but you should expand your market research there

I voted jerk BTW jerk fish nom nom, I can get great fish and chips here in the UK decent fish and chips were hard to come by in South Africa and would have gone down ok, I think you might be asking the wrong audience good luck

 

[Dave the OAP]

just PMd you back mate...quite a bit of interest in the office.

I am trying to swing a visit this year and if I can extend it a few days ( which sometimes works with flights) I will try and get over to see you. They are very keen to show me how beautiful their island is so hopefully that would work.

 

[Badger]

Fish and Chips is sold in a lot of pubs and restaurants here in Toronto. I think you'd get plenty of Canadians wanting to try it.