Fine dining is a multi-sensory experience. New Patrick David’s Restaurant and Catering owners Al Sisto, Gary Mingle and Dana Dornsife understand that and have taken several steps to revitalize the restaurant and make it a choice destination for regulars and first-time visitors.
Sisto, Mingle and Dornsife have invested in restaurants in the past, and they understood what Patrick David’s was and what it could be when they took over operation of the restaurant and catering business on April first of this year. “First and foremost, we have retained Patrick David himself, one of the preeminent chefs in all of California, and someone’s whose vision and creativity in the kitchen are all but unmatched in the region as our Executive Chef,” Sisto said. “We also worked to retain the excellent staff at the restaurant and catering business, moving most of the employees to fulltime status and improving their benefit package.
Sisto, Mingle and Dornsife immediately capitalized on their assets by updated the physical plant and modernizing the kitchen. The result is an inviting dining room and bar served by employees with regular schedules upon whom visitors can count on seeing whenever they return. “One of our goals is to turn Patrick David’s into the Cheers of Danville,” Sisto said. “Guests like it when they come on their regular day and see the same server and the same bar staff. It’s also a great way for us to come to know and understand what the guest likes and have it ready for them when we know they plan to visit.” A special events calendar is part of the lure, including live music on Fridays, Sunday Brunch, and expert-led Tuesday wine tastings.
Sisto says the results have been gratifying. “Our wine business, for example, is up about 70 per cent, in large part because our servers are trained to help guests pair the wines to maximize the enjoyment of their meal. We use only the freshest ingredients in our food, which helps the wine accent the flavors as both the chef and the sommelier intend. That combination creates a more memorable experience and makes it more likely that guests become regulars.”
Along with the restaurant, the partnership also acquired Patrick David’s catering business. “One of the first things we did was to eliminate the old event center,” Mingle said. “That gives us more freedom to work with venue coordinators and other event planners to help achieve their vision at their location.
“Now, there are no limits to what we can do. Patrick’s creativity transfers seamlessly to the catering business and we’ve found that we can prepare and serve any food in any setting and make the timing work perfectly.”
Those interested in visiting the new restaurant at 416 Sycamore Valley Rd next to Coldstone Ice Cream in the Danville Livery can call 925-838-7611. Potential catering clients and event planners can get started by calling 925-855-4688. More information is also available at www.patrickdavids.com.
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