Route 66 to enter Bengaluru by 2016- Savio Noronha

Tell us something about your restaurant? Why did you choose casual dining form to operate your restaurant?

Route 66 is a classic American Diner serving the best of American cuisine and another is Tin Gastro Pub, which is all about bringing Gastronomy to the Pub culture, using the best local and seasonal fresh ingredients with a strong European influence.  Meanwhile, I also work as an operation director at Chandni Chowk which is a Punjabi food restaurant.

You have two restaurants operating under different categories. How do you maintain their authenticity?

I don’t serve or mix all cuisines under one umbrella. I own two different restaurants plus I work as an operation director with other restaurants, so it becomes three different spaces to serve different cuisines. I don’t like to cook different cuisines under one roof, as I believe there is no justice done to the cuisine and to the guest too.

Lots of investors these days are attracted towards casual dining chains. What is the reason?

Casual Dining has always been the world’s most successful operation till date, from Bistros, to cafés, to an all-day dining space has given an equal profit in the segment. And the cost of running an operation is lower than the latter and the casual dining business module is more guest-friendly.

Why should a prospective diner choose you?

At our restaurants, the guests don’t come because of the PR activity we do, rather we make sure that our products and our restaurants are ready to serve and create more word of mouths by our clientele. Around 100 per cent of my clientele is generated through pure word of mouth.

Who do you see as your competitor in the market? How do you maintain the authenticity of cuisines served at your restaurants?

For me, everybody is a competitor, and without it they would not be a challenge to grow and improve the quality and service. Frequent interaction with the guests, listening to their experiences related to other brands or ours, bringing in constant change, enhancing the menu every four months, to avoiding menu fatigue are some of the strategies which we follow at our restaurants.

What is your signature dish? Tell us more about it?

I really don’t believe in Signature dishes as it’s the word of the past or the chef’s most favourite achievement. For me, every dish is a signature to the guest and what the guest orders is the signature cooked for him. People consider the restaurant business to be easy.  What is your reaction for the same?

The business is not at all easy, it’s a 365-day business and it’s not for the faint hearted. What is your expansion plan?

I have three restaurants presently in Goa. And I am planning to enter Bengaluru by 2016. And I will be launching a very eclectic menu by June at the Tin Tin Gastro Pub.

Which is the best season for your business as Goa is among the top tourist destinations?

March, April, May, June gets quite slow, rest all months are good for the business.