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Carlos Melendez, chef/owner of Coyote Crossing in Conshohocken and West Chester, Pa., has worked in restaurants since he was a teen. Because his father was an actor, it didn't take Melendez long to understand the connection between hospitality and theater.
When he remodeled a late-1800s bank into Coyote Crossing's West Chester location, he used high ceilings, distressed columns and an earthy color palette to create an atmosphere customers say transports them to another world. His tabletop design contributes to that journey.
Folded linen napkins rest on blue-bordered white plates set on bare wooden tables adorned with blue hand-blown glassware and vases from Mexico. Small ceramic bowls hold made-from-scratch pico de gallo served with homemade chips piled in woven baskets. "Mexican food is very colorful," Melendez says. "I didn't need to do something else."
"We're casual," he adds, "but try to work in upscale service as much as possible. I wanted a beautiful space but didn't want to be perceived as fancy. People are looking for more value for their food. You have to be careful how you market."
And the way you dress tables is a major part of the marketing push, because guests experience your design before your service or food. Once seated, their impression of the tabletop sets expectations for the meal to come.
Design — including the way tables are topped — is an important part of the dining experience, according to Glen Coben, principal of New York-based consultancy Glen & Associates who worked on La Puerto Azul restaurant in Milbrook, N.Y.
"Design is one leg on a triangle: design, food and service. They have equal importance, and if one bends the whole triangle collapses." Coben says. "When it is done poorly you'll notice a disconnect between the menu, the chef's vision, and the design.
"Today I don't think there are any rules aesthetically," he continues. "The only rule is being true to the concept. You want guests to feel comfortable, which means trying to establish what the guest experience will be, and to carry that through."
At Masa in Minneapolis, Minn., designer Richard D'Amico of D'Amico & Partners echoed the high-end Mexican restaurant's hip, contemporary décor in the table settings: white porcelain china in modern, rectangular and square shapes.
"We think 99 percent of the time food looks best against white," D'Amico says.
"White also gives the chef tremendous flexibility to change the menu," Coben concurs.
 Dining Room at Coyote Crossing |
Yellow, orange and green glass drinkware spice up Masa's white china. In place of salt and pepper shakers, diners find two salsas in white ramekins on a colorful glass dish, which adds color to every table.
White linen tablecloths and napkins also set diners' expectations. D'Amico says his are worth every penny allotted for contract linen service. With a $17 check average for lunch and $35 for dinner, he says people almost expect a white tablecloth. "When people see the white tablecloth, it says they'll probably spend a little more," he says.
The tablecloth adds more to the mbiance than meets the eye. The cloth, and the vinyl-covered foam pad beneath it, dampen ambient noise, which helps the contemporary Mexican music track — another element in the overall design — remain a focal point.
While most drinks come in quality, all-purpose water and wine glasses, Masa uses glasses specific to each variety of wine for vintages priced at $80 and above. Smart, since visual appeal adds value and can increase sales.
The story is similar at New York City's moderate-casual Dos Caminos restaurant. Tara Oxley, in-house designer for parent company B.R. Guest Restaurants, consults with back-of-the-house person- nel when selecting table décor.
"The chef needs to be involved in decisions," says Coben. "What are they serving? What type of vessels will be needed? Portion sizes? Tasting menus? Is there a big wine program? Are they sending out samples? It has to do with what the chef's vision is, but it's also about things like breaking down tables," he explains.
Tabletop items at Dos Caminos are chosen based on functionality, form, durability, cost and overall look.
"We use white plates with a black edge," Oxley says. "The edge band costs a bit more, but it allows for the plate to become grounded on the table and the white of the plate allows for the colors and presentation of the food to stand out. We also use placemats on the table — one under each plate and one under the molcajete — which can be cleaned easily and complement the design."
"Tabletop design should blend with the overall look and feel of the restaurant, and not stand out," she continues. "If the design of the space calls for a tabletop that is central to the overall feel and experience of the guest, that is the only time it should be in the spotlight."
D'Amico puts it another way. "The more items you get right and pay attention to, the more you're increasing your odds of being successful," he says. "Restaurateurs are spending more money on their interior design. It's always been important, but now it's more important — how important depends on the level of competition. In serious dining, design is where a big piece of competition is coming from."
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