The Bread Basket

[chefross]

I'm here in Seattle on vacation visiting family. I've eaten here many times before and the food scene is enormous and varied. The food trucks park out in front of neighborhood breweries, which abound here in the Ballard district of Seattle.

I noticed many restaurants are charging for the bread basket and butter. I'm used to it being a staple on the table, but I know that studies have shown how much bread is wasted. In an effort to save money, these places sell you bread and butter for $3.00-$4.00 depending on the venue.

I don't have an issue with this and actually welcome it, in hopes that the extra effort and cost will give me a descent, warm, crusty on the outside, and wonderful crumb inside, piece of bread.

So far....instead, I'm getting lackluster, anemic looking crap... and cold.
Too bad too as the bread is a good judge of a restaurant that pays attention to detail.

High end Bistros and Brasseries usually don't serve bread and butter.
Many of them do carry it because some people ask for it. It looks like they grudgingly go along but don't give the bread they serve the same attention to detail they do with their food.

Do any of your places charge for bread and how do you handle it?

 

[dueh]

The restaurant group I work for has bread service in one of the more upscale restaurants. I make all the bread currently for our restaurants and catering. Usually three to four different table breads/rolls, and then all the burger buns, sandwich breads, baguettes, etc. We bring a board with one of each roll to the table with a piped rosette of salted/flavored butter.

Additional bread is an extra charge. Since we started the feedback has been pretty good, I think some people appreciate the try before you buy approach.