Red Gravy Update

Keltin said:
One more thing, you may want to incorporate “Italian” into your tag line. Something like “A taste of Italy in your Southern Backyard” or something.

Calling the place Red Gravy in the South makes a southerner think of Red-Eye Gravy and biscuits……which makes the whole restaurant sound like a breakfast and biscuit stand (which are quite popular down here - lot’s of breakfast only places down south). If your place is misconstrued as a breakfast only place, which the name implies to a Southerner, you could get hurt on business. A sidewalk chalkboard menu would probably help for the passersby.
Click to expand...


In all of New Orleans, there is not one single gravy and biscuit stand, and not one single place that is 'breakfast only'. New Orleans is not your typical southern city. As far as signage goes..thanks. I've already considered and ordered or purchased all the necessary signs (and permits that are also necessary for that signage) that will let my guests know what is available daily and the specials. I've got it under control.

I'm down here spending my life's savings on this venture. Give me a little more credit, hmm?
 
VeraBlue said:
In all of New Orleans, there is not one single gravy and biscuit stand, and not one single place that is 'breakfast only'.
Click to expand...

No?

Guess you haven't heard of Cafe Bienville or the Bourbon Cafe. And I suppose your 1,000 hours of research didn't uncover well known breakfast eateries like Cafe Fleur de Lis. But the Fleur de Lis, made famous for its breakfast, also serves sandwiches for lunch, so they aren't breakfast only. And its name is French, so I guess people can't mistake it for something its not.
 
Last edited:
Keltin, if you want this thread to become something about you, I'd rather you didn't. Thanks for all your suggestions and advice, but I think I'll do just fine on my own, with my own direction and my own restaurant. When you go about opening your restaurant I'm sure all your knowledge will help immensely.

Now, if you don't mind, I'd rather not have to start deleting and editing this thread, which, after all, is about me and my restaurant.
 
WOW, Vera, AMAZING all that you have accomplished!! Seems like you really hit the ground running in NOLA! LAst I read, you were just moving, and now this,I am SO happy for you!!

Good luck with the venture, when I get down there, I will be sure to check it out!
 
It's funny Ralph...before Lou and I got here we attended a couple of going away parties back in NYC and NJ. At each party I would hear myself saying 'yes, I want to open a restaurant, blah blah blah'....but even then, I never believed it was really going to happen. Once I got here, there was the whole business of moving in and learning how to drive with all this neutral ground stuff. Hell, I have lizards in my garden!! I even applied to a few places for jobs because, honestly, I didn't think I had the balls to do this. Then, after not getting a couple of jobs, I really began looking at places for lease.. Next thing I knew people were returning my calls and I'm looking at spaces. My only regret is not getting started a little sooner. October is a beautiful month down here and everyone is outside!! I've seen more people pass by the restaurant (as we've been working inside) and asking me when I was opening. Wish I was open already!!
 
Well, your "lady balls" have taken you directly into what is going to be a beautiful success.
Patience, my dear.
They will come in droves and IT will be the hotspot for all things delicious, jazzy and groovy, not to mention red gravy.
Awesomeness!
Your dream has come true, Vera Blue :-)
 
Got a call last night from the people who handled the lease....she wants to put a blurb in their Newsletter and also asked if I'd be interested in letting them do some business meetings in the place!! Yeah, I'll take that catering.
 
Lookin' great Vera. You have done a lot with the space. I especially like all the stencil work as it feels personal and authentic not off the shelf or corporate. I also love the idea of positioning the place as a local establishment instead of going the tourist cliche route which is so common in New Orleans. I have not been to NOLA for a long time and it is unlikely I will get down there soon but if I do I definitely will be one tourist eating at Red Gravy.
 
I stand corrected. I talked with Massimo, my Italian friend (born and raised in Northern Italy). He has never heard the term "Red Gravy", so it's not an Italian thing (at least not a true mother-land Italian thing).

Odd thing is, I also talked to "Cajun", my creole neighbor that was born and rasied in NO (40+ years in the Bayou), and he's never heard of Red Gravy. I described it, and he said "Oh, you mean SAUCE".

Did some Googling, and it seems it's actually a New Orleans thing. Not the New Olreans I ever saw in my 40 years, but facts are facts. Sorry for mis-speaking and some-how missing this over the past 40 years! Learning all the time.

http://southernfood.org/sofab/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Williams-Red-Gravy.pdf

Red gravy, at least in our family’s parlance, is not Italian tomato sauce. Red
gravy is the creolized version of tomato sauce that New Orleanians serve over
spaghetti. Being Creole, it naturally starts with a roux and bears no relationship—
beyond tomatoes—to Italian sauce. It is something different, something independent,
something that has emerged as new.
Click to expand...

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/sauces/red-gravy.html


If Emeril says it's Red Gravy, then so be it! :thumb:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=7085636


Seems it is an "Italian-American" thing.

http://www.food.com/recipe/authentic-italian-american-marinara-sauce-red-gravy-313788
 
Last edited:
VB. not trying to pee on your parade, but the first question I asked when the name was first displayed was about red eye gravy. I realize N.O. is not really southern, but a lot of southerners are automatically going to think of red-eye when they see the name.
I wish you great luck with your restaurant and hope to get back that way so I can try it out.
 
Wish we lived near by to stop in and enjoy your new place, sounds great!
Best wishes to your on going adventure!!
 
So, I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ here, I'm just trying to learn. Is red gravy the same thing as what's commonly known as spaghetti/pasta sauce OR is it like a creole version of what I know as tomato gravy where it starts with a roux OR is it just a matter of who you ask :huh:?
 
i can't speak for vb, but as i understand red gravy another name for tomato sauce, the kind used on pasta.

many italian americans will just say gravy and mean tomato sauce, and then will qualify red or brown gravy if there is confusion.
 
Mama said:
So, I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ here, I'm just trying to learn. Is red gravy the same thing as what's commonly known as spaghetti/pasta sauce OR is it like a creole version of what I know as tomato gravy where it starts with a roux OR is it just a matter of who you ask :huh:?
Click to expand...

A restaurant here in New Orleans that serves red gravy is serving marinara sauce, not a creole/roux version.
 
I think it's an intriguing name that will get folks in to see exactly what 'red gravy' is. Once they've tried it I'd bet they like it and will return regularly.
GOOD LUCK Vera!!!!! You Go Girl!!!!!!!!!!
 
I think Doc is absolutely right. Being from the Pacific Northwest, I had never heard the term "red gravy" to describe Italian tomato-based sauce (we are culturally isolated out there.) But the fun of trying a new restaurant is to eat new things and learn new things. I think it will be intriguing for those of us who are clueless, and will actually work in your favor, VB.
 
red gravy, green gravy...who gives a crap! It's Vera's place and she can do whatever she wants with it. I only wish I had half the Balls she has moving down there and following a dream.
 
Sorta like in the UK.. ketchup can be called red sauce, steak sauce is called brown sauce.
I've a friend in RI who always refers to her pasta sauce as red sauce, so I think I knew where Vera was going with the name, and it's tres kewl!
 
High Cheese said:
red gravy, green gravy...who gives a crap! It's Vera's place and she can do whatever she wants with it. I only wish I had half the Balls she has moving down there and following a dream.
Click to expand...

Let me repeat myself....I wasn't trying to be an a$$ and I wasn't trying to start anything...I was only asking a question. It had nothing to do with Vera's restaurant...it had everything to do with my curiosity. I had never heard the term "red gravy" used before either...my goodness people this kind of attitude is EXACTLY the reason why this forum is losing so many people. If I don't feel comfortable enough to ask my "friends" a question without having to walk on eggshells, maybe this isn't the place for me either.
 
Mama, I don't think High Cheese's comment was directed at you. I think he was just making a general comment to the tone of this thread. Well, at least that's how I took it to be. :)
 
I've noticed that feelings seem to get hurt more easily on these message boards.
It's a new way of communicating, and we haven't learned to do without those oh-so-important facial expressions, gestures and inflections in the voice.

What often looks like derision, contempt, sarcasm, criticism in PRINT would be completely different if you were face to face....

Tis always best to take 10 deep breaths and think happy thoughts if you read something that you take personally, then just throw it in the garbage and forget it.
 
Kimchee said:
I've noticed that feelings seem to get hurt more easily on these message boards.
It's a new way of communicating, and we haven't learned to do without those oh-so-important facial expressions, gestures and inflections in the voice.

What often looks like derision, contempt, sarcasm, criticism in PRINT would be completely different if you were face to face....

Tis always best to take 10 deep breaths and think happy thoughts if you read something that you take personally, then just throw it in the garbage and forget it.
Click to expand...

Maybe people should think about what they are posting before they hit the "submit" button. That's what I did before I asked the question just to make it clear that I was only asking a question and wasn't trying to stir up any controversy because I saw from previous posts that it could be taken wrong and I wanted to make things clear.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Maybe the problem with this forum doesn't lie with the people who left...maybe we need to look within ourselves to find the answer. If it was just one or two people who left the forum with "hurt" feelings, it would be a different story but that is not the case.

Now, let me apologize to Vera for hijacking her thread and thank her, BT and Sass for their answers to my question.
 
Well, the way I see it.. this is Vera's thread about her adventure and seeing her dream come true!

The only posts should have been those of encouragement, or none at all.
If someone had different things to say, they should have perhaps discussed those with her privately, instead of messing up her diary, which is what I consider this thread, her diary and updates for us concerning her restaurant, Red Gravy.

Rock on sister..:thumb:
 
You're right Mama, they should.
But since they sometimes don't, all that's left is to deal with it as best we can.
:) :)
 
Hi everyone....I just spent 6 hours on a folding chair waiting for a phone installation team that never showed up.

I opened my new computer, new terminal, new fax/copier, new telephone. Put my glasses on and took them off about a hundred times. It was easy enough to plug stuff into the right portals because they are either colour coded or you just count the holes and prongs. Then a UPS package came, which surprised the shit outta me. What if I wasn't there??? In this package were a bunch of jacks, a router, some green cords, some yellow cord, an AC adapter and a paper that said service was initiated last night!!!!

So, I plug the phone jack into the wall jack, and sure enough, dial tone. However, any number I called gave me a recording that said I must unblock my number, even to people who don't give a rat's ass about blocked numbers..Even the operator, from pressing 0 gave me the same error message. I tried calling the new number, myself. I hear it ringing on my cell phone but the handset in my office didn't make a sound. And naturally, all my paperwork is on the only computer that has internet..at home. Got a number to call regarding the missing installation crew, only to get the voicemail of that person. Still, no call back. Nice wasted day.

I dropped my logo and contact information at a printer for business cards. I need someone to lay this menu out so I can get it printed. I think I have too much information for just the front and back of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet.

And...Lou pinched a nerve or a disk in his back and has been laying on the floor for 2 days now:sad:.

Finally, let me address some of the recent posts. First, I love you all. There is not a single person that posts on NCT that I wish wouldn't. That is the steady about this place. I've never had a conflict that wasn't quickly and fairly dealt with. There really is, as far as I'm concerned, a companionship that I have come to expect.
I initially posted about Red Gravy only in the staff area. I'm sinking, or planting hopefully, my entire life's savings, all my retirement funds, into this restaurant. If it fails, well, just know that I cannot let it fail. I've committed to three years here with all kinds of contracts. More people have my social security number than my phone number. I have a beautiful credit rating of 804 that I want to protect like a mother hen. I mention all this so you can have some glimpse of what it's been like for me, lately. It's one decision after another. The phone constantly rings, or it's email. So much of this is beyond my grasp of understanding - taxes, worker's comp, tip reporting, LLC, S-forms, DSL, sanitarians, permits, parishes, locksmiths, electricians, the fire marshall, paper vendors, laminate and wood, food costing, parking, $2500 for a lawyer, 6000 for a cash register, ADP and my insurance guy fighting for my workman's comp business, each shaving another 5 bucks off...
All I want to do is open, already. So, I post here, after the lease was signed, for a few reasons. If I talk about it, it tends to not scare the shit out of me, so much. It also helps to remind me of what I have yet to do, kind of like a virtual calendar. Finally, I always got the feeling you all were interested in this project and I felt encouraged by your well wishes. I love, hell, I need the support. I'll even take advice if it's something I ask for. Some of the more recent good intended suggestions made me feel you considered I'd either made a mistake with regard to the name or tag line, or that I could possibly choose something this important via a discussion forum. Please understand that some suggestions felt like you were assuming you could name my child. In a heartbeat, I admit my nerves are raw, and while I'm sure no one intended it that way, that's the way it appeared.
Again, I love you all for the support and encouragement. I don't ever want to be the cause of discontent on this board. If any of you believe this thread is the cause of problems then I won't post to it any longer and will lock it. I really do hope that's not the case; but honestly, my head is spinning enough without worrying that some folks think I'm being mean or spiteful or egotistical.
I love this restaurant, I love the name, I love the location, I love the direction I'm taking it in. I'm happy to answer any questions about any of my decisions, if you care to ask. I also hope someday, all this will be in my memoirs and I'll make tons of money.

PAX
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top