Reaction Paper - Food Trip by J Villamor

Reaction Paper: FOOD TRIP

Juan Villamor, MBAH Section 10B

The food establishments we visited last Saturday represented, in my mind, very good examples of entrepreneurial vision. Their respective business models, though not particularly unique, are still distinctly viable and well executed. They studied the market well enough to be able to define the gastronomic preferences of their potential target market, and packaged their products and services to precisely appeal to their clientele. The proprietors of both Banana Leaf and Sugar House also picked very good locations for their businesses, ensuring a steady stream of loyal customers that enjoy their dishes.

I particularly enjoyed the experience of eating at Banana Leaf. While I'm not exactly an Asian food junkie, the choices are varied enough to give me plenty to choose from. The members of the service staff are quite knowledgeable about the food and helped explain what is on the menu. The dishes are also well prepared and tasted good. The spices and uniquely Asian ingredients added a delicious texture to the dishes we ordered, and did not depart radically from Filipino food that made the first-time treat so much more enjoyable. The unique touches, like the banana leaf and the Asian costume of the waiters, added to the pleasurable experience. The fact that the choices are affordable rounds off the experience of eating at Banana Leaf as a very interesting culinary adventure for a food junkie like me. Overall, I would give this establishment a grade of 4.5 on a scale of 5.

I am not a sweet tooth, but I still found the desserts at Sugar House delectable and worth all the calories in the cake and the coffee. The menu offers a wide selection of sweets, and each goes well with the beverage choices. While the desserts are quite affordable, I also noticed that the eating area is quite cramped and some of the furniture did not mix and match. The members of the service staff are just a notch less than professional (e.g., not quick enough to respond to requests, requires follow up to address your needs, among others), but are very courteous and helpful nonetheless. Sugar House gets a 3.5 in my 5-point scale for this particular food trip.  <answer to innovation, differentiation, uniqueness?>