Bannockburn Lake Office Plaza was already 10 years old when its fourth building was completed. Up until that point, the complex’s population was deemed too small to support an on-site food service facility, but the new addition made this kind of amenity both feasible and desirable.
Property manager Enid Pesmen recalled, “We decided to handle the entire operation in-house. And because we were already involved with a full-service restaurant operation in the adjacent Bannockburn Bath & Tennis Club, the cafeteria didn’t really pose a problem.”
Called the Japanese Garden Restaurant because it has an unobstructed view of the complex’s well-landscaped Japanese park, the facility has a pleasant ambience and seating for about 100 people. Approximately 10 percent of the 1,500 people working in the complex eat in the dining room, though some simply buy soup or a beverage to supplement their brown-bag lunches.
The walls separating the dining room and the adjacent conference area are removable, so the seating space can easily be expanded.
Many of the executives with offices at the complex belong to the tennis club and eat there on a regular basis. A catering menu is also available for business meetings held either in the conference room or in one of the individual offices, making a separate guest dining room unnecessary.
Though unsubsidized, the Japanese Garden Restaurant offers competitively priced fare. A turkey club sandwich with chips is $3.75, a sirloin burger with fries a dollar more. The salad bar has a set price of $4.50, and entrees typically run $4.50 to $5.50.
Because of the facility’s small size, customers generally air their opinions directly to manager Karen Irby. And because she plans the menus, this system is as efficient as it is personal.
“There really are some discernible trends,” she said. “For example, I’m seeing a growing interest in vegetarian items, so I’m starting to offer them more frequently. Health-oriented dishes and stuffed baked potatoes are well received, and everyone seems to like the freshly made muffins and the salad bar.”
Asked if there’s one general guideline that really stands out, she concluded, “We never get too exotic. The simple, middle-of-the-road dishes have broad appeal, so that’s what we offer.”
