Comments on: Free Food? http://jcarrot.org/free-food/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:34:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Kerr http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4382 Kerr Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:34:16 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4382 I think if I were going to do this in my city tomorrow, and after skimming One World Everybody Eats Foundations handbook of advice on how to do this, I'd open a place with two rooms and fairly free flow: one a coffee, tea, and beer/wine bar that charges a flat price, the other a pay-as-you-can cafe with the free Dal and bread. The quality of the food and the atmosphere are essential, so I'd get an excellent head chef and very competent sous, and work hard to find a space that is welcoming and acoustically quiet (I really find it hard to go to places where the building turns ordinary conversation into deafening din). I think if I were going to do this in my city tomorrow, and after skimming One World Everybody Eats Foundations handbook of advice on how to do this, I’d open a place with two rooms and fairly free flow: one a coffee, tea, and beer/wine bar that charges a flat price, the other a pay-as-you-can cafe with the free Dal and bread. The quality of the food and the atmosphere are essential, so I’d get an excellent head chef and very competent sous, and work hard to find a space that is welcoming and acoustically quiet (I really find it hard to go to places where the building turns ordinary conversation into deafening din).

]]> By: Jeff http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4379 Jeff Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:32:01 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4379 Bloom, there is such an Indian place in South Tel Aviv, Sanb Kuch Milega, that is great. The food's not the best but it's not bad and the place has been around for quite a while now. The vibe of the place is really nice, partly because it also has a hostel in it and it has a performance area on the second floor. The idea, however, totally works, partly because the meal costs what you think it should be and they charge a lot of money for their drinks. I take my visitors there. I've also been to a place in New Hampshire about 5 years ago that also followed this model and all that I recall is that the food was bland and the plates were dirty. I'm not sure how i feel about all of this. Is it better to have this model or one that actually charges fair prices for what a meal costs plus a little something extra for preparation? I think I tend to prefer the latter. Bloom, there is such an Indian place in South Tel Aviv, Sanb Kuch Milega, that is great. The food’s not the best but it’s not bad and the place has been around for quite a while now. The vibe of the place is really nice, partly because it also has a hostel in it and it has a performance area on the second floor. The idea, however, totally works, partly because the meal costs what you think it should be and they charge a lot of money for their drinks. I take my visitors there.

I’ve also been to a place in New Hampshire about 5 years ago that also followed this model and all that I recall is that the food was bland and the plates were dirty.

I’m not sure how i feel about all of this. Is it better to have this model or one that actually charges fair prices for what a meal costs plus a little something extra for preparation? I think I tend to prefer the latter.

]]> By: Michael Croland http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4372 Michael Croland Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:46:35 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4372 This is great! =) This is great! =)

]]> By: Leah Koenig http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4370 Leah Koenig Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:44:56 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4370 It's amazing to find out that so many of these restaurants exist! I vaguely remember reading or hearing about a similar place in New York that shut down a while back because it couldn't cover its costs. (stupid New York rent) Dory, my co-worker, Daniel (an Aussie native who originally told me about this story) said that Lentil as Anything is a play on the name of an Australian rock band, Mental as Anything. :) It’s amazing to find out that so many of these restaurants exist! I vaguely remember reading or hearing about a similar place in New York that shut down a while back because it couldn’t cover its costs. (stupid New York rent)

Dory, my co-worker, Daniel (an Aussie native who originally told me about this story) said that Lentil as Anything is a play on the name of an Australian rock band, Mental as
Anything. :)

]]> By: Amez http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4369 Amez Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:37:25 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4369 It's a fantastic idea, and one that appears to be flourishing! On top of the school canteen, there are also 4 "Lentil as anything" restaurants so it's obviously not losing money hand over fist. There's something nice about paying what you think the food is worth (or more importantly what you can afford) and it's more than a social experiment. :) It’s a fantastic idea, and one that appears to be flourishing! On top of the school canteen, there are also 4 “Lentil as anything” restaurants so it’s obviously not losing money hand over fist. There’s something nice about paying what you think the food is worth (or more importantly what you can afford) and it’s more than a social experiment. :)

]]> By: dory http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4368 dory Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:34:29 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4368 There's a new-ish place in vancouver, called Rhizome, that has a totally full regular menu of veggie food with prices...but also the option of ordering "Lentils are Everything" which is some unbelievably delicious lentil stew, that you pay for by putting whatever you feel is appropriate into the box on the counter. I guess there's some sort of broken-telephone translation between Lentils are Everything and Lentils as Anything, but do we know the root of this phrase/idea? There’s a new-ish place in vancouver, called Rhizome, that has a totally full regular menu of veggie food with prices…but also the option of ordering “Lentils are Everything” which is some unbelievably delicious lentil stew, that you pay for by putting whatever you feel is appropriate into the box on the counter.

I guess there’s some sort of broken-telephone translation between Lentils are Everything and Lentils as Anything, but do we know the root of this phrase/idea?

]]> By: Huw http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4366 Huw Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:56:43 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4366 There is a pay-as-you-can pizza place near Asheville, NC. Organic, handmade or homegrown locally-sourced food, cooked in a brick oven. BYOB. It's quite amazing. (Sorry no website that I know of.) It's been there for several years. The model works two ways: providing healthy food, advertising by word of mouth, ensures that both sides of the counter are (usually) happy. But also, since one is not charging for the food directly, one is not said to be *selling* the food, therefore no health inspections, licensing or other such issues, at least in NC. YMMV. There is a pay-as-you-can pizza place near Asheville, NC. Organic, handmade or homegrown locally-sourced food, cooked in a brick oven. BYOB. It’s quite amazing. (Sorry no website that I know of.) It’s been there for several years.

The model works two ways: providing healthy food, advertising by word of mouth, ensures that both sides of the counter are (usually) happy. But also, since one is not charging for the food directly, one is not said to be *selling* the food, therefore no health inspections, licensing or other such issues, at least in NC. YMMV.

]]> By: Kerr http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4365 Kerr Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:58:27 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4365 The first pay-as-you-can restaurant I heard about was in Salt Lake City. Ahah! Here it is: http://www.oneworldeverybodyeats.com/saltlakecity.html I think it's a great idea, and I want to see one in my own town. I love that it's in schools, I think it'll give the kids great ideas. The first pay-as-you-can restaurant I heard about was in Salt Lake City. Ahah! Here it is: http://www.oneworldeverybodyea.....ecity.html

I think it’s a great idea, and I want to see one in my own town. I love that it’s in schools, I think it’ll give the kids great ideas.

]]> By: Bloom http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4359 Bloom Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:43:14 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/free-food/#comment-4359 I have heard of an Indian restaurant in South Tel Aviv, though I haven't yet been there, where its 'eat according to your appetite, pay according to your means.' Bloom I have heard of an Indian restaurant in South Tel Aviv, though I haven’t yet been there, where its ‘eat according to your appetite, pay according to your means.’

Bloom

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