I have read Tarot for years, and used to do it for a living. Ok, I didn’t charge enough to make a living, but I used to read them for the public, and that means that I have read them A LOT. And boy, let me tell you, part of my joke in mentioning them was how absolutely useless they would be in coming up with dinner specials that folks would like.

A crystal ball would probably be more help.

Well not really, but you get the idea.

Food cost and portion control go hand in hand, Alexis. There are formulae used to cost out a single serving of any given menu item–in fact, I was taught that the most profit-minded restaurateurs used these formulae, but me–well–I don’t think I have the discipline to sit and figure all of that out. Unless I had to, which means, if Hilarie really wanted me to, I could drag out my book, look up the formula, look at the wholesale cost sheet and go to town. I might go barking mad, mind you, but I could do it.

Portion sizes in most American restaurants are fairly heinous, Alexis–and that is sad. The fact is, that the prices charged for those dishes are fair–wholesale food is quite cheap, you know, so the food cost stays low while portions look gargantuan.

One of the ways we deal with portion control in restaurants is through the use of measured scoops, ladles, and plates that look like they hold more than they do.

I am pleased to say that while the portions at Salaam are generous–they are not overly huge. They are all reasonable, and that makes me happy. If there is one thing I cannot stand is an overwhelming pile of food like you get a places like the Cheesecake Factory.

I have to agree with everyone about the name issue for the soup. I shouldn’t have gone with a direct translation from the Farsi. I should have named it something like Sweet and Sour Persian Meatball Soup.

But, then if I had done that, I would never have had a chance to repurpose the dish into something else–which was really kind of fun.