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Pluto’s: The Good Food is Out There
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Pluto’s: The Good Food is Out There How to protect yourself from UFOs (Unidentifiable Food Orders), astronomical prices and the black hole of table service? Go to Pluto’s. Pluto’s, named for the outermost planet in the solar system, opened its first site in San Francisco in 1995. The restaurant offers "fresh food for a hungry universe," and features a unique concept in dining. Space might appear to be this restaurant’s theme, but on closer inspection the real theme is fresh food prepared the way you want it, while you watch. Pluto’s fills the endless void between fast-food and full-service restaurants with quality, American-style food, made from scratch, friendly and efficient service, in an inviting setting. Despite its distant name, Pluto’s offers a "neighborhoodly" quality. Instead of having to cope with wait-staffs, guests receive a menu which doubles as a meal check, then proceed to individual food stations where they make their selections and oversee the preparation in a one-on-one process between server and patron. A bit of humor accompanies the ticket/menu, which includes this warning: "This ticket is your pass into Pluto’s. Don’t lose it. You must have your card to exit. A lost card equals: a 3-day visit to your in-laws, 2 days slicing fresh vegetables or 1 day washing dishes, whichever you choose." Unlike fast-food bistros, Pluto’s presents fresh food, and uses healthy cooking techniques such as steaming, char-grilling and roasting. At the various food stations, traditional and creative salads are prepared with the customer supervising, choosing from dozens of fixings; carved turkey or chicken, grilled marinated flank steak or roast pork loin, are served to your specifications; a wide selection of freshly prepared potatoes and California-grown vegetables are offered at yet another station; and the final outpost is desserts, for those who have cargo space left. Customers are encouraged to keep their meal ticket open until they have had everything they want, then it’s off to the cashier, with no waiting in orbit for a server to bring your check. Entrees range from $3.25 to $5.75; salads (Caesar or farmer’s) are $3.25, or $5.25 with grilled chicken or marinated flank steak added; vegetable or potato side dishes are $1.45; desserts are $1.65 and drinks are in the $1.00 to $1.75 range, except for beers ($2.25 to $2.75) and wines ($3.25). Pluto’s is the creation of two graduates of the world-renowned Cornell University Hotel School: Louis Kimball, who was director of food and beverage at the Stanford Court Hotel, and Gerry Bugas, who was director of catering at Stanford Court. They developed Pluto’s unique food station concept, combining fresh food with reasonable prices, and it is a concept that seems to appeal to young and old. Pluto’s currently has three locations in California, two in San Francisco and one in Palo Alto with two additional units presently in lease in Davis and Berkeley, California. Growth for the company will be at a rate of at least two units per year. Units require 1,800 to 2,500 square feet and close proximity to complementary entertainment, upscale retailers and restaurant tenants, or a neighborhood with high pedestrian foot traffic. For more information contact Tom Bercu, Epsteen & Associates, 1000 Brannan Street, Suite #400, San Francisco, California, 94103-4831, 415-431-5000, fax 415-431-5005. |