My wife and I are contemplating opening a restaurant in belize. I was born and raised in the south(eastern US) and as such prepare what would be considered soul food to people not from here. Things like biscuits and gravy for breakfast, chicken and dumplins for dinner, cornbread, all the fixin's. We were thinking serving family style. Everyone sits at tables together and eats until they are full (passing to the left, of course.)

My questions are...

1) Would such a place do well on a tropical island (do most people expect fruit and seafood?)

2) Cooking like this is sort of a specialty. Would I be allowed to do the cooking? I hear that belizeans are supposed to do most jobs like that.

Thanks for your time.

Eric

the gals at Hideaway used to have good southern cooking. the hotel closed a few years ago... i loved it

I think you would do well mostly with the local gringo population (as long as your food is good and reasonably priced). What really helps a restaurant survive here is having the owner as chef.

If you do fried shrimp and grits I'll be your loyal customer.

Probably because of the climate spicy foods tend to be popular here. Sadly we lost an excellent Thai restaurant some months ago, and although it looks as if the premises will re-open as a restaurant it seems it'll specialise in Greek food. I hope the new owners will rethink that as I don't see Greek food taking off, not as I know it. Another success story yet to be written is an Indian restaurant (Indian sub-continent - usually Bangladeshi).

Neither of these would go down a bundle with the native locals, but there are a lot of ex-pats here who would kill for a decent Thai or Indian curry!

As to greek food or any type of specility food taking off how can you a 1 person hope to speak for the entire island. Variety is the spice of life. As one of new owners of the Greek Resturant I would hope you would give us the benefit of trying our resturant before giving negative opinions. As to southern menu I say go for it. I for one like southern cooking.

He is English, what the hell do they know about good food. Last time I was at lunch, my English friend ordered a chip buddy - french fries between two slices of bread. His idea of gourmet. Their idea of proper baked beans is a can of Heinz beans warmed up.

PS: when you open I will bring them there for some Kokoretsi.

We do need a good Indian restaurant though!

Ok this thread is seriously making me hungry! I love Indian, Greek, Thai, you name it - bring it!!

OK, trish1970: how about this for my non-english friends.
Let's start with a Choriatika Salata and then some Dolmades and Mousaka with Psito or Souvlakia finished with some Baklava.

That should call for some throwing of the plates.

And spanakopita with tzatziki.

Right and we are both forgetting the dopio or hima.

bywarren, it is a chip butty, not buddy. Chip butties are the ultimate comfort food. High in carbos and extra high in tryptophan, which is a chemical we all enjoy.

Chip butty - take fat chips (in USA language that would be big fat fries), put them into a squishy white buttered crusty roll (almost impossible to find in Belize). Then add whichever condiments you prefer. Maybe salt & vinegar, maybe ketchup, maybe curry sauce (the curry sauce you get from chippies who make chip butties tends to be a gelatonous green substance that tastes like pure msg). Heaven - the british equivelent to a big mac hit.

Now back to the new restaurant. I am a big fan of Turkish food. What style of Turkish restaurant are we likely to see? Is it going to be a grill or ocakbasi style restaurant? Can't wait to hear more.

Bring on the Southern cooking! How about some pan fried chicken with real mashed potatoes and cream/milk gravey? A pie that is not key lime. Can you bake bread too? Or just some dinner rolls. Come on down Automan-when are you opening? Yes you can work at your own business. We eat out a lot but I cook at home some, just to get some good southern cooking.

absolutely pan fried chicken and real mashed potatoes. i normally just make biscuits, cornbread, and rolls, but my mother has an 80 year old sour dough hend me down that has been in the family for a long time. i bet i could get her to cut off a bit to bring down with us... if you like sour dough bread, that is.

not sure on a time frame yet. our first baby is due in 9 weeks. plus i am not sure where to look to find out what the island has in the way of empty locations that could be used as the restaurant (with maybe a very small living quarters attached.)

any ideas on how to find such a place?

Pedro2,

Thai Green Curry is served at Coconets on Monday with Jasmine Sticky Rice $12.00 bze. Indian Curry later in the week. Mousaka on Tuesday.

Adam

Their idea of proper baked beans is a can of Heinz beans warmed up....

Warren ....you should know that this is properly seved on TOAST.

FOr a Southern-style restaurant don't forget greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread!! Maybe some dirty rice? Biscuits & gravy? B-B-Q ribs will go over good. How 'bout sweet potatoes, you know, with marshmallows on top so it's all sticky sweet goodness!! I live in the South too, but over by Texas so our food may be a little different.

Nobody has mentioned banana pudding and sweet tea yet!