Originally Posted by
chuck johnson
When I first heard about 105 Degrees I was really excited and hopeful, but when I saw the menu and the chef, I knew it was going to fail. I'm not suggesting any impropriety or lack of skill, but Matthew Kenney has left a trail of failed ventures. Certainly many people have had failures in their careers before they became successful and this may be more likely in his case due to the unique/progressive concept.
The best vegetarian/vegan/raw restaurants understand their ingredients and celebrate the uniqueness of each. They don't try to finagle them into shapes and textures or make them resemble something else. Even worse is when they call it something that it clearly is not, giving a point of reference it can't possibly match. Don't call a blend of nuts, cheese. It may taste amazing, but it's not cheese. Call it a creamy nut blend. Give it a broad name that doesn't invite comparison. Only bacon tastes like bacon.
There's a difference in saying, "I know what you want, but I'm going to give it to you in a way you couldn't imagine" and "I know what you want, but I'm going to give you something else and it's not going to taste as good/the same. I'm also going to charge you the same amount if not more".
If you're going to finagle food, that's fine but you need to show a basic understanding of traditional techniques to coax the subtle flavors out of vegetables and fruits: roasting, smoking, grilling, braising, etc. If you're not going cook at all, there is gazpacho, melon soups, etc. I know they understand these concepts, I just wish they would demonstrate them more and do less finagling. Letting the ingredients speak for themselves applies to most food. (a well aged steak with salt and pepper for example)
If you're going to charge a premium for food that has not been cooked or has no animal protein, then your vegetables/fruits must be spot on. If you didn't take the time to cook them then you certainly had the time to look at them closely. Your portions must be at least equal or have some added value. Most vegetarians know you can get a great meal at an Indian restaurant that is more than satisfying and affordable. Japanese, Indian, Ethiopian and other ethnic cuisines have successfully incorporated vegetarian/vegan/ raw foods into their repertoire.
Last but not least, it needs to taste good. 105 Degrees/Matthew Kenney may appeal to vegetarian/vegan/raw foodies, but not to anyone else. That group is accustomed to eating tofurky and fakin bacon. They're used to eating "the next best/closest thing". That's fine, but they're over relying on a niche market in a land of steak and potatoes. I think they can successfully retain their concept but they need to be more approachable in their menu, bigger portions/lower prices, and try to broaden the palette. This may be easier to accomplish in a not so fancy of a location with lower rent. I personally enjoyed 105 Degrees/Matthew Kenney, but it's a tough sell for me at those prices for what they offer. It seems as though their menu has changed recently to be more accommodating and simpler, but it may be too late.
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105 Degrees (Restaurant)
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