Outdoor dining is adding flavor to the bill of fare

Source: Detroit News
PLYMOUTH -- When Frank Yaquinto opened his new restaurant, he knew he wanted to take advantage of its strategic location near Kellogg Park.

So the outdoor seating already was in place when Comparis held its grand opening in the summer of 1999. Since then, customers have been drawn to the patio and the view of the park that comes with outdoor dining.

   "The outdoor seating gives a relaxed, more casual atmosphere for dining, and we have people who wait for a table on the patio," said Yaquinto, who owns the Italian restaurant with his wife, Maureen. "Comparis in Plymouth is a great fit for us. This is a family town, and we are a family business. Even our kids work here."

   With summer right around the corner, business owners like Yaquinto are increasingly using the outdoors as a draw for their products. There are now a dozen or so sidewalk cafes doing a bustling business in downtown Plymouth, the Old Village and along Ann Arbor Road. Each restaurant boasts some specialty, from coffee to pasta.

   In downtown Plymouth, the cafes spill onto the sidewalks with the rich aroma of savory dishes and the festive clink of wine glasses mixing with the soft sounds of jazz and smell of fresh brewed coffee with pastries . There is an authentic American rock and roll band thumping out tunes while another kitchen turns out grilled hamburgers.  

  Ernesto's, an Italian country inn located just outside downtown, offers diners the chance to sit outside on a large wooden terrace.

   This year, for the first time in its 12 years of operation, the restaurant will provide live musical entertainment on summer weekends.    

"I've been a regular at Ernesto's for the last 11 years. It's one of the few places that offers a full menu to outdoor customers," said Rob Block, owner of PMC Machinery in Northville Township. "Inside or out, the food is just fantastic."

   In addition to Italian restaurants, a stroll through Plymouth leads to American fare at the Penniman Deli and the Cozy Cafe. Both restaurants opened more than 20 years ago but added outdoor seating only within the last 10 years after ordinance changes.

   "The city wanted to encourage restaurants downtown," said Russ Webster, owner of the Penniman Deli, "And it worked. We added about six tables, and they are full all summer."

   After city officials beautified the streets of Old Village, Vince and Lori Toia, owners of the Plymouth Fish Market, took the opportunity to set up outdoor seating.  

  The tables, with their colorful umbrellas, attract plenty of attention.  

  "People stop just to see what's going on. They see our tables full of business people at lunch and families at night," Vince Toia said. The cafe atmosphere seems to increase foot traffic in the area.   

 The sidewalk business has been great for Plymouth, City Councilman Dan Dwyer said. "It brings a lot of people downtown from Plymouth Township, Canton Township and Livonia. All the people out on the streets show that the city is alive. It's a real downtown."  

  Outside downtown proper, Boulders and Einstein Brothers serve a lot of customers at their outdoor patios. Boulders was voted best Plymouth restaurant and night spot for two years in a row.

   "People like to sit on the patio and listen to the bands playing inside. The music is quiet that way, and they can still talk and enjoy being outside," said Dave Daugherty, the owner of Boulders. "I think the outdoor seating is a good draw, and it attracts more people than indoor-only places."

   Many local residents are regulars at the Plymouth Coffee Bean, the Coffee Studio, Dairy-Go-Round, and Dairy King.  

  "My family and I can walk or ride bikes to the Dairy King," said Hannah Fox, 11. "We sit outside and even get ice cream for our dog."

Feeding the public
The state has more than 13,000 restaurants with 300,000 workers. Nationwide, the industry employs more than 11 million people, making it the largest private sector employer.

   The Michigan food service industry provides more than 4 million meals on a typical day.

   Americans are projected to spend an average of $1 billion per day on food prepared away from home in 2001.

   By 2010, the industry is expected to be the largest purveyor of food in the nation, with a projected total of more than 1 million restaurant locations.
   Source: Michigan Restaurant Association