Young at heart
Diners at Sam & Ella's restaurant in Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, tend to be in the 18 to 30 age group - a reflection not only of a pricing system that offers all starters, main courses and sweets at £1, £2 and £1 respectively, but of a youthful ambience created by a bright orange and green decor.
The 40-seat bistro opened its doors in February, run by general director David Gowling and his partner John Anderson (who designed the decor). It aims to serve "good food with the minimum of fuss and frills" - even the witty name is part of the plan to make eating in the restaurant a fun experience.
The high number of weekly covers (1,500) is an indication of how successful they have been at achieving their goal. "We are not an occasion restaurant," says Gowling. "People come two or three times a week because it is cheaper than eating at home."
Matching the clientele, the front and back of house brigade are also youthful - under 30 years of age. The kitchen team numbers seven, including head chef Nigel Williams, and the front of house team 12, including Gowling and manager Dawn Caddick.
Although the restaurant is near Sheffield University and only 10 minutes from the city centre, not all the diners are students. Gowling estimates that they make up only 8% of the trade. A greater percentage comes from local businessmen - "there are lots of offices nearby" - and young working people. The average spend per head is £4.29.
The menu is changed every Friday for the following week, drawn up by Gowling in consultation with the rest of the staff. There are five choices of starters and sweets, and six main courses.
Careful planning and a computerised till showing daily and weekly sales mixes helps him keep a tight rein on expenditure and ensures the bistro stays in profit.
Local produce and suppliers are used as far as possible - Sheffield's fruit and vegetable market is a valuable source of fresh ingredients.
Starters, all £1 per dish, on the menu for the week commencing 1 May included spicy parsnip soup, home-made spinach pasta with herb butter (all pasta is made on site) and barbecued chicken wings.
A further pasta dish was offered as a main course - tagliatelle with rich Mediterranean sauce - as were herb meatballs with tomato and honey sauce and a 6oz rump steak - recently introduced as a permanent menu feature and, at £3.50, the only main course to be individually priced. Rice or potatoes, and salad or vegetables are included in the price of all main courses.
Sweets - all at £1 - include banana and coffee mousse, fresh fruit salad with almond cream, and Stilton with celery and walnut bread. Coffee, of which there is a choice of five blends, is 65p per cup and is "always bottomless". Tea costs 50p per pot, per person, and there is an eight-choice range of speciality and fruit teas, including Earl Grey and mango.
Sam and Ella's is not licensed but customers can bring their own wine - corkage is not charged. A range of soft drinks is available, including fresh fruit milkshakes (80p) that are made on site.
In addition to the bistro, located on the first floor of the building, Sam & Ella's runs a sandwich take-away service on the ground floor. It offers more than 40 fillings in regular and speciality breads such as tomato, walnut or ciabatta. Prices start at 70p.
At the beginning of April, the team opened a kiosk in the Orchard Shopping Centre in Sheffield city centre, where customers eat at communal tables. It currently serves 150 meals a day and offers a main course and drink for £2.50.
More restaurants are in the pipeline for the group, proving that cheap and cheerful can be a profitable concept.
