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| CRBJ Home > July 2006 | |||||||
Ethnic joints find a nice fit in the suburbsMike Jones
The Indo-Thai establishment Curry in the Box, for example, has found a home in Fitch-burg, where down the street is Casa de Lara, a Mexican restaurant that's a popular satellite of the original located in Downtown Madison. The owners of Curry in the Box -- Vinay Patel, former owner of Curry N' Hurry in the now-abandoned University Square, Anne Santipiromkul and Apichart Santipiromkul, a former manager of Curry N' Hurry -- found the foot traffic of a college town could not compensate for the challenges they encountered Downtown. "I think the main reason we moved was due to the (lack of) parking for my employees," said Apichart Santipiromkul, "and rent is much cheaper in the suburbs." Also, with the pending redevelopment of University Square, establishments there would have had to shutter for a long period, as much as three years, he said. So they cast their lot in Fitchburg's Cahill Main development, revamping their menu to infuse more Thai elements and gearing selections toward the takeout crowd of office professionals that populate the neighborhood. Although the restaurant has been operating for less than six months, it has a distinct advantage in being the only Indian-Thai joint for miles around. "(Fewer competitors) will benefit us in this location in the long term," Apichart Santipiromkul said. Another factor on the owners' side is that consumers' tastes have changed. It used to be that going to a Thai restaurant or a Mexican restaurant was a once-a-month deviation from the usual fare. Now, the average eater's appetite is more diverse, said Edward Lump, president of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. "Ten years ago, it used to be that customers would go to their favorite one or two places every week," Lump said. "Today, they're looking for more variety ... they see eating as a part of their lifestyle and a way to enjoy life." Naturally, suburban developers have identified this changing culture of ethnic food diversity as well. They now look for a way to enhance their properties by welcoming restaurants that might have been considered alien just a decade ago. Today, they're downright necessary. "The customer's discussion has moved from 'When do you want to go out?' to 'What do you want to eat when we go out?' " Lump said. A locally owned ethnic presence in the suburbs provides variety, but quality is the key to survival. Middleton's Mi Cocina, for instance, has seen Mexican restaurants come and go since establishing itself in the west Madison suburb five years ago. According to owner Jos� Onate, the reason for his success is simple. "All we have are authentic recipes and fast service. There's really no secret to that," he said. Jonesy9872@gmail.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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