Restaurant Experience - Essay Example

Restaurant Experience Name Course Lecture Date Abstract The rise of restaurants in the western world offering ethnic cuisine have picked pace in recent year. As a response to increasing immigrants, these restaurants offer original or modified ethnic cuisines. These restaurants also serve an increasing number of Australians who have a preference for ethnic cuisine. Influenced by continuing interaction with ethnic immigrants, a growing number of Australians increasingly prefer ethnic dishes. This paper recounts a visit to a restaurant offering ethnic cuisine in the Australia city Melbourne. The Tonka restaurant has excelled in blending ethnic cuisine with modern influences. With warm and welcoming employees the Tonka is among the leading diners in the Melbourne area. Contents Abstract 2 Contents 3 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Ambience 4 2.1 Decorations 4 3.0 Casual dining 4 3.1 Wine 4 5.0 What I had expected 6 6.0 My Tonka Experience 7 7.0 Conclusion 9 8.0 References 11 1.0 Introduction Ethnic cuisine in Australian restaurants is a common occurrence due the nation’s multicultural population. According to Wahlqvist (2002)., there are over 300,000 people from the Indian subcontinent in Australia. Melbourne happens to be the biggest recipient of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent in Australia. Several restaurants which offer Indian cuisine have been opened to cater for the influx of Indian immigrants in the city. I recently visited the Tonka restaurant in the heart of Melbourne. It is one of the famous restaurants in Melbourne city that offers Indian Cuisine. The Tonka attracts both immigrant diners and ordinary Australians with its offer of Indian street food. This paper presents my experience of dining at the Tonka. It starts with an analysis of the food and atmosphere of the restaurant. It can be noted that most aspects of decoration at the Tonka mixes traditional Indian decoration with modern influences. The food too is a mixture of Indian cuisine and modern western influences. 2.0 Ambience 2.1 Decorations The Tonka’s corridors are lined with spice jars giving the restaurant a distinctly eastern Indian feel. Another feature in Tonka’s decoration are numerous Shoji screens and banquette lined walls. The restaurants windows open to the beautiful Plane trees on Flinders Street. 3.0 Casual dining Tonka is a casual dining restaurant whose prices are moderate. Tonka like other casual dining restaurants provide table services. Tonka occupies the space between fine dining restaurant and fast food joints. It has a full bar which is separate from the dining area. The bar has its own staff that are independent from the dining. It also has a large wine and beer menu. At the bar, one can find various brands of Indian beer. Tonka is a restaurant that mixes ethnic Indian cuisine with modern influences. The resulting offering is brilliant dishes that appeal to people across the cultural divide. From the Wine to the food everything on offer at the Tonka is really nice. 3.1 Wine The Tonka offers a wide range of wines including Pecorino which was my choice drink that day. However, most of the wines on the price list are overpriced and retail at above $100. However, White wine is available between $45 and $48. 3.2 Food Indian culture is represented in the Smoked trout, toasted coconut, Pomelo and Salmon Roe available on the menu. However, the food is not as feisty as original Indian cuisine although it leaves the mouth popping with flavours. The dessert was exquisite and quite tasty. The soft Sheel crab Pokara was so tasty that is takes a lot of willpower not to get addicted. The crab tastes better than any chicken that I have tasted. Like Indian cuisine a lot of time and delicate processes are involved in the preparation of the crab Pokara. First, the crab is embalmed in butter, deep fried and then dredged in Indian spices. Next on the menu is the Pani Puri. The bread is made using Indian techniques and is stuffed with lentils, spiced potato, and tamarind chutney. The bread is spread with mixture of mango and green Chilli puree. The Pani Pur aroma is enticing and its taste is warm and tingling. 3.2. 1 Masala lamb cutlet Indian food cannot be complete without a taste of Chicken biryani or lamb curry. We were served with Chicken pea curry which is a concentrated tomato base with heady spices. Next a slice of Hiramasa kingfish caked in clay tandoor was served. 4.0 The Popularity of Ethnic Cuisine According to Lloyd and Mitchinson (2006), the love for culinary diversity is on the rise all over the world. Food is now linking the cultures that were formerly separated. Ethnic cuisines that were a favourite in Western restaurants before fast-food became global are now many people’s favourite. At the Tonka, most of the diners were of European descent rather that the ethnic Indians that Indian restaurants target in their strategy. As early as the 1960, Chinese and Indian Cuisine were already popular in western restaurants. The continuous contact between people of different cultures is seen as one of the biggest contributor to changing cuisines in the Western restaurants. Indian cuisine has become very popular in Australia and elsewhere in the Western world. Australia is one of the largest recipients of immigrants from the Indian sub-continent. Since the abolition of the “White only policy” in the 1970s, the recent influxes of immigrants have been mainly from Asian nations (Parekh, Singh and Vertovec 2003). The immigrants brought their traditional cuisines to Australia, and its influence can be found in the servings at ethnic styled restaurants all over Australia’s major cities (Warde, 2000). In response, the Tonka and other Indian themed restaurants offer Indian, Indonesian and Chinese cuisine. According to Cheung and Wu (2012), food habits become interrelated and standardized over time. Indian food in Australia has been associated with tasty satisfaction. Over time, cuisine preferences changes in adaptation to immigration, socio-economic environment and travel. While most Australians show a greater liking for Chinese cuisine, the popularity of Indian Cuisine is increasing with time (Cheung and Wu 2012). Increase in restaurant offering, Indian cuisine is linked to the increased arrival of Banglandeshi immigrants in Australian since the early 1980s. 5.0 What I had expected I expected the Tonka’s decoration to be traditional Indian with shimmering beads hanging from the ceiling. However, the decoration at Tonka is modern and it is not traditional Indian. However, some aspects of traditional Indian interior design are found at the Tonka. However, most of the decorations are western rather than eastern. The ceiling at the Tonka is adorned by art produced by a Melbourne artiste. In contrast you would expect an Indian artiste to have been involved in the artwork. I also expected the Tonka to be dominated by employees with Indian Roots. Instead most employees are white. The head chef is Australian and few Indian chefs are on the staff. Furthermore, the food at the Tonka is not traditional Indian cuisine. Instead, the traditional cuisine has been modified into modern of version which have more western elements (Josian and Monteiro, 2004). Indian Ghee a common ingredient of Indian food is absent from meals that are served at the Tonka. Ghee has been criticized as it makes people feel bloated after a meal (Bhogal 2003). I also expected common Indian dishes such as Lamb Tandoori, Nan Bread and Chicken Tikka Masala (Faria 2001). However, most of the dishes were modern including Indian Scotch, Eggs, Tonka salad, Coriander and Tandoori Salmon. The dessert at the Tonka is typical Indian which has become a common point of criticism for Indian restaurants. This is because the desserts are too sweet. However, some more modern desserts such as Fried Kulfi, Cardamon Rice Pudding Brule and Indian Ice Cream in ginger-Chocolate sauce are also available. I had expected the Tonka to provide more modern desserts to avoid the weakness noted above. 6.0 My Tonka Experience I would sum up my dining experience at Tonka as excellent; the food was excellent and tasty while the staff were very friendly. The meals are delivered on time with a smile. The decor gives the restaurant an Indian feel but the modern touch makes sure it does not look shabby. However, the overpriced wine and beer dampens an otherwise excellent experience. The food at the Tonka was really tasty and left one yearning for more. From the pecarino to the crab everything was excellent. The food is extremely addictive and leaves one wanting to have the same type of food over and over again with a huge variety on their menu anybody who visits the Tonka will be spoilt for choice. My experience dining at the Tonka was satisfying and awesome. The concept of emotional labour is also apparent in the Tonka service experience. The employees of the Tonka are extremely friendly and always ready to help (Seymour 2000). When I entered the Tonka I was a bit nervous about my appearance but the steward ensured that I was relaxed. The smiling steward immediately guided me to my table after reassuring me I was dressed fine. Every employee in the Tonka carries a genuine smile and show sincere concern for customer satisfaction. The attendants are also willing to help the guests choose their food, explaining in detail how each of the dishes on offer is prepared. They have good knowledge of the dishes they offer a factor that is refreshing as I am used to restaurants that poorly explain their menu offerings. It is little wonder that the Tonka Melbourne is one of the most visited diners in Melbourne. It is very hard to get a table at the Tonka and it takes diners several days to make a reservation. The Tonka provides excellent service one of the critical aspect of hospitality. The Tonka takes care of their guests very well. From their smiles it also apparent that the restaurant treats it employees very well. The welcoming and friendly employees greatly enhance the great atmosphere of the Tonka. The Tonka employees are caring, friendly and they serve their customers with a focus on their satisfaction. Although, the Tonka is a bit pricey the service level makes it worth every cent. 6.0 Recommendations Staff Attitude Although the Tonka staff are warm and welcoming this attitude may change with time (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). It falls on the management to ensure that good attitudes towards customers are maintained at the Tonka. Hiring employees with a positive attitude should be a priority whenever such an activity is conducted. Be Kid friendly The Tonka should make it easier for people dining with their children to have a great experience. If possible larger tables for families should be provided to ensure that they dine in comfort (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). Highchairs and booster seats in fun designs should be provided to the young ones. Keep a play kit for children with an assortment of toys which can keep the kids busy. Menu Variations The Tonka should vary its menu from time to time to fit changing taste preferences (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). However, the Tonka should be cautious not to produce dishes that differ with its Indian roots. Mingle with customers The restaurant staff including the chefs should freely interact with the customers (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). They should walks around the room and introduce themselves to the customers while seeking feedback about the service. The restaurant will offer the customers a chance to praise or criticize their offering. Publicize The Tonka should make sure that as many people as possible know about their services (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). Social media is a fun and easy way for a restaurant like Tonka to publicize its offerings. Never be Cheap Make sure that the dishes are priced above market rates to reflect the sophistication of the restaurant. Cheap pricing will give the clientele the impression that the food offered by Tonka is not of the highest quality (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). If customers complain about a meal the Tonka should make sure they compensate them for the loss. If for example, a meal is undercooked, offer the customer an alternative at no cost. Follow up customer complaints Ensuring that customer complaints are handled properly is a sure way of having return customers (Andersson and Mossberg 2004). The Tonka should ensure that all customer problems are followed-up and settled properly. 7.0 Conclusion The Tonka is a casual dining establishment that offers a great Indian cuisine dining experience in Melbourne. From the restaurant decoration to the food, various aspects of the experience are heavily influenced by Indian culture. The influence of Indian culture on Australian food habits started with the increasing influx of Indian immigrants into the country. Restaurants offering Eastern cuisine have become more common as immigrant populations rise and people begin appreciating foreign cuisines. The Tonka is a casual dining restaurant that has risen to serve people with a preference for Eastern cuisine. They provide a great dining experience with their delicious servings of Indian dishes with modern influences. Their employees excel at providing good services to customers and are always smiling. They also show sincere concern and care for the customers they serve; taking their time to explain how respective meals are prepared. 8.0 References Andersson, TD & Mossberg, L 2004, The dining experience: do restaurants satisfy customer needs?. Food Service Technology, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 171-177. Appelbaum, R 2011, Dishing It Out: In Search of the Restaurant Experience, Reaktion, London. Bhogal, V 2003, Cooking like mummyji, Simon & Schuster, New York. Cheung, S, & Wu, DY (Eds.) 2012, Globalization of Chinese Food, Routledge, London. . Edwards, L, Occhipinti, S, & Ryan, S 2000, Food and Immigration: the indigestion trope contests the sophistication narrative, Journal of Intercultural Studies, vol. 21(3), pp. 297-308. Faria, AI 2001, The future of Indian ethnicity in Australia: An educational and cultural perspective. International Education Journal, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 134-143. Josiam, BM, & Monteiro, PA 2004, Tandoori tastes: perceptions of Indian restaurants in America. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 16, no.1, pp. 18-26. Lloyd, J, & Mitchinson, J 2010, QI: The Second Book of General Ignorance, Faber & Faber, New York. Parekh, B, Singh, G, & Vertovec, S 2003, Culture and economy in the Indian diaspora. Routledge. Seymour, D 2000, Emotional labour: a comparison between fast food and traditional service work. International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 159-171. Wahlqvist, ML 2002, Asian migration to Australia: food and health consequences. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 11, s3, S562-S568. Warde, A 2000, Eating globally: cultural flows and the spread of ethnic restaurants. The Ends of Globalization: Bringing Society Back In, pp. 299-316. Read More

The bread is spread with mixture of mango and green Chilli puree. The Pani Pur aroma is enticing and its taste is warm and tingling. 3.2. 1 Masala lamb cutlet Indian food cannot be complete without a taste of Chicken biryani or lamb curry. We were served with Chicken pea curry which is a concentrated tomato base with heady spices. Next a slice of Hiramasa kingfish caked in clay tandoor was served. 4.0 The Popularity of Ethnic Cuisine According to Lloyd and Mitchinson (2006), the love for culinary diversity is on the rise all over the world.

Food is now linking the cultures that were formerly separated. Ethnic cuisines that were a favourite in Western restaurants before fast-food became global are now many people’s favourite. At the Tonka, most of the diners were of European descent rather that the ethnic Indians that Indian restaurants target in their strategy. As early as the 1960, Chinese and Indian Cuisine were already popular in western restaurants. The continuous contact between people of different cultures is seen as one of the biggest contributor to changing cuisines in the Western restaurants.

Indian cuisine has become very popular in Australia and elsewhere in the Western world. Australia is one of the largest recipients of immigrants from the Indian sub-continent. Since the abolition of the “White only policy” in the 1970s, the recent influxes of immigrants have been mainly from Asian nations (Parekh, Singh and Vertovec 2003). The immigrants brought their traditional cuisines to Australia, and its influence can be found in the servings at ethnic styled restaurants all over Australia’s major cities (Warde, 2000).

In response, the Tonka and other Indian themed restaurants offer Indian, Indonesian and Chinese cuisine. According to Cheung and Wu (2012), food habits become interrelated and standardized over time. Indian food in Australia has been associated with tasty satisfaction. Over time, cuisine preferences changes in adaptation to immigration, socio-economic environment and travel. While most Australians show a greater liking for Chinese cuisine, the popularity of Indian Cuisine is increasing with time (Cheung and Wu 2012).

Increase in restaurant offering, Indian cuisine is linked to the increased arrival of Banglandeshi immigrants in Australian since the early 1980s. 5.0 What I had expected I expected the Tonka’s decoration to be traditional Indian with shimmering beads hanging from the ceiling. However, the decoration at Tonka is modern and it is not traditional Indian. However, some aspects of traditional Indian interior design are found at the Tonka. However, most of the decorations are western rather than eastern.

The ceiling at the Tonka is adorned by art produced by a Melbourne artiste. In contrast you would expect an Indian artiste to have been involved in the artwork. I also expected the Tonka to be dominated by employees with Indian Roots. Instead most employees are white. The head chef is Australian and few Indian chefs are on the staff. Furthermore, the food at the Tonka is not traditional Indian cuisine. Instead, the traditional cuisine has been modified into modern of version which have more western elements (Josian and Monteiro, 2004).

Indian Ghee a common ingredient of Indian food is absent from meals that are served at the Tonka. Ghee has been criticized as it makes people feel bloated after a meal (Bhogal 2003). I also expected common Indian dishes such as Lamb Tandoori, Nan Bread and Chicken Tikka Masala (Faria 2001). However, most of the dishes were modern including Indian Scotch, Eggs, Tonka salad, Coriander and Tandoori Salmon. The dessert at the Tonka is typical Indian which has become a common point of criticism for Indian restaurants.

This is because the desserts are too sweet. However, some more modern desserts such as Fried Kulfi, Cardamon Rice Pudding Brule and Indian Ice Cream in ginger-Chocolate sauce are also available. I had expected the Tonka to provide more modern desserts to avoid the weakness noted above. 6.

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