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Bennigan's and Steak & Ale: Back From the Dead?

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:00:40 -0700

Two months ago, we reported the end of restaurant chains Bennigan's and Steak & Ale. Well, we've just learned that they're coming back to life! Private equity firm Atalaya is buying the two brands and their trademarks. It will partner with the Bennigan's franchises still standing to grow business, as well as try to reopen company-owned Bennigan's locations that closed after the bankruptcy.
The Steak & Ale brand closed in its entirety during bankruptcy, but Atalaya intends to leave the option open in the future for franchisees to open independently-operated Steak & Ale restaurants.

According to Atalaya managing director Joel Holsinger, the key to success this time around will be the new menu that's being developed: it will focus on quick pub fare, such as sandwiches, burgers, onion rings, and booze.

While I haven't been to a Bennigan's or Steak & Ale in years, some of you must be excited to hear about your Bennigan's potentially reopening. Do you think the menu overhaul will make the chain profitable again?

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Say Goodbye to Bennigan's, Steak and Ale

YumSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:45:59 -0700

For national chains Bennigan's and Steak and Ale, there is no pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow: The companies filed for bankruptcy protection and shut down all 292 corporate locations yesterday.

For the two bar and grill chains, the downhill slope has come steep and fast. In June, parent company Metromedia Restaurant Group asked lenders to restructure its debt, as earnings were lower than expected. A week ago, the group's CEO resigned. And yesterday, all of the corporate locations for the Irish-themed taverns and country steakhouses appeared empty. The company stated:

Similar to other members of the casual dining industry, current economic and industry trends have adversely affected the group's overall financial performance.

Fans need not despair just yet - for now, the franchise locations will stay open. But the question remains: for how long?

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English Food is Not a Joke - Steak & Ale Pie

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 09:51:32 -0700

English food is not a joke because...
Any cuisine that combines meat with ale gets gold stars in my book.

That's the answer I'm giving for Sam's Fish & Quips challenge. She's asked food lovers everywhere to help her prove that English food does not have to be a joke. After reading about it, I immediately wanted to participate. I lived there for almost a year and had plenty of amazing food (I have crazy fond memories of the cheese guy in my local outdoor market), however I couldn't come up with one dish that I wanted to make. So I called in the brigades - actually I just IM'd my friend Johnny and asked what he thought I should make:

me: What is your favorite British meal - like quintessential British?

Johnny: Meat pie! Like steak and onion pie!!!
I think this is a nice idea, a nice project - British food has a huge inferiority complex for a few reasons.

me: So what should i make?

Johnny: You should try steak and ale pie if you can manage it. I think it is pretty easy really and tastesome.

me: Why'd you choose that dish?

Johnny: It is the thing I like best that is "English"
Make a nice round pie - with leaves on the top of course.

me: Of course

Hrmm... a steak and ale pie. Funny, I never actually had one of those while I was out there - but I figured it was the time to start. So I hunted down a few recipes and cobbled together a pretty decent pie. I cheated and used puff pastry, but I didn't forget the leaves on top.The end result was pretty tasty, like a stew with an added pastry crust - and it was definitely not a joke. To see what recipe I used, and to see a bunch of step by step pictures, read more

Steak & Ale Pie
Inspired by BootsnAll

Sorry for the non-accurate measurements, I eyeballed a lot of it. Also, you may want to add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce to your marinade. I was planning on it, but didn't realize we didn't have any until it was too late.

1 1/4 pounds of steak - cut into large cubes
2 short sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh marjoram
1/3 - 1/2 pint of Newcastle (or other dark ale)
olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
flour (approx 4 tbsp)
2 carrots - chopped (Jimmy hates carrots, so I only used a few, you may want to up the carrot ante)
1 leek - chopped
1 medium sized onion - diced
1-2 cup beef broth
Puff Pastry (1 sheet) - thawed

Step One - Night Before

Put steak into medium sized bowl with lid (I actually used a tupperware dish). Add rosemary and marjoram (I ripped them with my hands) and mix with meat.
Add Newcastle, a splash (I eyeballed it) of oil, and some fresh black pepper. Mix well. Cover and marinate in fridge overnight.

Step Two - Make the Pie

Preheat oven to 375F
Strain beef from marinade (do not throw out the marinade, set it aside for now). Roll beef in flour until beef is covered. Set aside.
In a large pan, saute onion, leek and carrots in a little bit of olive oil. Cook until onions are soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Place beef in pan and brown on all sides.
When beef is browned, put the vegetables back in, and add beer marinade, and beef stock.
Simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes.
Transfer mixture to pie pan/baking dish. Top with puff pastry and trim sides.
Pierce pastry a few times for ventilation, add decorative pastry leaves if desired (I used my kitchen shears to shape them).
Bake for 40-45 minutes.

View 16 Photos ›

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Red Lobster Adding Wood Grills in Attempt to Revive Sales

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:00:35 -0800

Darden Restaurants announced that beginning next week, it will install wood-fired grills in all 680 Red Lobster restaurants.

The company has been testing the wood-grilled menu for over a year, and will train 3,500 employees on the grills. New items will be going on the menu, such as wood-grilled lobster, wood-grilled sirloin and shrimp, and wood-grilled fish. According to the chain's president, Kim Lopdrup:

This is the most comprehensive culinary and menu change in Red Lobster's history. Wood-fired grilling introduces our guests to a whole new way to enjoy seafood.

Red Lobster's announcement to add these costly new grills comes at a time when the casual restaurant chain industry has stumbled. Chains such as Bennigan's, Steak & Ale, Ponderosa, and Bonanza have all filed for bankruptcy protection in the past year. Do the wood-grilled menu items sound appetizing to you, and will they be enough to turn Red Lobster around?

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All the News That's Fit to Eat - June 25, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:15:53 -0700

Cask-conditioned ales are the new trend among beer aficionados. - Los Angeles Times
Just in time for Summer, frozen blender drinks are back. - New York Times
A set of go-to recipes makes cooking a snap for newlyweds. - Boston Globe
Get ready for the Absinthe Museum of America, opening in July. - Times-Picayune
Waxing nostalgic for Texas-style chicken-fried steak. - Washington Post
Dried cherries are expanding the market for a tart and tasty fruit. -Chicago Tribune
Savor Summer by whipping up a batch of herb butters - The Oregonian
Use kebabs to kick up warm-weather grilling. - Orlando Sentinel
A restaurant devoted to dining in the dark opens in SF. - San Francisco Chronicle

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Monday's Leftovers: Lamb Pot Pie

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:58:58 -0700

When I was putting together my English pie the other week, it seemed pretty clear that I should use the technique on other meats/stews. So when I found the recipe for yesterday's Sunday dinner, I immediately ended up thinking of turning the leftovers in to a lovely pot pie.

I didn't actually have time to make yesterday's delicious looking lamb shank, but if you did, i have a simple suggestion to turn yesterday's dish into today's treat. All you need to do is turn on the oven, place the lamb mixture into a pie plate (or smaller ramekins, depending on how much you have leftover) and cover with puff pastry. Bake and voila! Easy lamb pot pie! Just be sure to remove all the bones from the mixture before you create your pie. To learn more about the puff pastry technique, see my step by step instructions for a steak & ale pie.

Monday's Leftovers: Lamb Pot Pie

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:37:05 -0700

Yummy Link: English Food is Not a Joke

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 12:33:33 -0700

Don't miss out on the HUGE English food is not a joke roundup that Sam at Becks & Posh did to celebrate St. George's Day. There are over 65 entries, including the one pictured (Fish & Chips Samanda Style) and mine for Steak & Ale Pie.

YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 06:39:21 -0700

I don't know about you guys, but this week just flew by...

First of all (toot! toot!) we were nominated for a Blogger's Choice Award - please help us out by voting! Thanks!
Food Network finally aired their Food Network Awards. I watched the whole thing and I want my time back. So does Anthony Bourdain.

Wedding themed posts started back up, this time PartySugar went above and beyond by planning an entire wedding, including these lovely handmade wedding invitations and tips on making a signature drink.
When I wasn't hanging out with The Amateur Gourmet and some other fantastic food bloggers, I slaved away in my kitchen and made some chocolate on chocolate topped with chocolate cupcakes as well as a steak and ale pie.
While PartySugar found herself on an adventure in vegetarianism.
Will fast food ever look like the picture? Check out this comparison of fast food ads vs the real deal.

This week the stars aligned in some weird way and we were blessed with three Guess Who? challenges.
Don't forget, tomorrow's Earth Day. PartySugar even came up with a wild drink for you to celebrate with.
And finally, we launched our first big food challenge - and it's an American Idol food challenge at that! I can't wait to see what you come up with!