Sadly, Ardy sort of won me over by his thumbs up on my impromptu budgetary thing and his willingness to be serious. Before that, I was just getting irritated, in the way men of my advancing age tend (hey, my heart rate is still in the low 40's and I have all my hair...). So, the impetus is lost - and, Ardy, my apologies for getting all "grumpy fortyish dude" on you.
As for the hunger thing, send 'em all to Gaucho's Brazilian steakhouse. I keep thinking about that place since the wife and I went the other w/e. It's kind of a meatfest and the operational model is very well thought out. For those not knowing, they basically spit several large slabs of meat and grill them S. American style. Each meatstick-carrying "Gaucho" then dispenses his particular spit to the patrons via menacing-looking knives and tongs. That may sound overtone-laden but it works. Operationally, I believe this has an advantage because the menu is invariable - they make the same thing every night. The only risk is tht some will go to waste. However, food is nothing in that operation compared to the staff and fixed costs, so they've minimized their risk and complexity. This appears to have paid off in the quality department since everything was fresh, relatively simple, and very good. The building and decor were new and offered a lot of natural lighting and didn't have any off-putting dinginess of the type that makes you wonder. As far as I know, there is only one location in Northville, MI but I suspect the model is set up for prolifertion (soon). Pricing is about 50 a head, which is reasonable, given the content and quality. I typically don't eat much during the day and this works for me. I can really mow the place down and expect to be back there soon - and I WILL BE HUNGRY.
