Going Underground

One of my favorite niche genres ton read lately has been foodie books. I recently enjoyed A Proper Drink, so thought The Underground Culinary Tour would be fun.

It was more than that. I was smitten.

The author, Damian Mogavero, has developed a sophisticated data analysis system that analyzes POS systems in restaurants to look at trends and increase sales. His examples, from hotshot Vegas places to a Long Island favorite, are fascinating, as is the way he can project those trends to nationwide chains.

Most particularly, it brings back the importance of service to a foodie culture; it's not (just) about the top chefs, but about the guest experience — something a lot of places could learn from, and that my favorite restaurants know well.

(However, not for late night reading; I ended up hungry all the time!)

(as usual, book provided free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review)

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