Out to Lunch Midday meals and business deals are pairing up again.
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Largely forgone in the lean years since the dotcom bust, thebusiness lunch is making a comeback. The National RestaurantAssociation projects a record $476 billion in overall industrysales for 2005, a 4.9 percent increase over last year, andrestaurateurs report more bustle and business-deal making duringthe lunch rush. Check out the report from the trenches of threebusiness lunch hot spots.
Swifty's, New York City
Business Lunch Buzz: Business clientele have beenfrequenting this Upper East Side eatery more regularly, andbusiness is up from past years, says co-owner Robert Caravaggi.
Hot Meal: Men prefer dishes like crab cakes, steaks andrisotto. Women order salads and cheese souffles.
Hot Drink: Nonalcoholic, for the most part, saysCaravaggi, with iced tea and water being requested most
ThePalm, Los Angeles
Business Lunch Buzz: With two hot locations in Los Angeles,many a deal is made at The Palm, and lunch business has risen 35percent during the second half of 2004 at the West Hollywoodlocation, says Bruce Bozzi Jr., regional director ofoperations.
Hot Meal: Patrons eat lighter for lunch--Cobb salad, tunaahi salad, lobster salad, and twin tenderloin filets are populardishes.
Hot Drink: White wines, red wines and iced tea
One Market Restaurant, San Francisco
Business Lunch Buzz: Overlooking the Bay Bridge and meresteps from the financial district, patrons are doing more business,and lunch sales have increased 10 percent from last year, saysgeneral manager Larry Bouchard.
Hot Meal: Diners ask for simplicity and familiarity, saysBouchard--bistro steak, house-made sausage, spit-roastedhalf-chicken with braised cipollino.
Hot Drink: Not as much alcohol as in years past, butBouchard notes that when people do order wine at a business lunch,they head toward the bigger-ticket bottles.
