SOHO – Redefining the restaurant industry in Guyana

Jun 29, 2008 News

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By Rustom Seegopaul
International cuisine, healthy eating and an air of sophistication are the all marks of the soon to be opened SOHO at the Courtyard Mall on Robb Street.

“SOHO will redefine the restaurant business in Guyana,” explains Ron Morrison, one of the major partners of SOHO.

The international restaurant is scheduled to open sometime next month and promises a variety of healthy foods and drinks along with world class service. One of the objectives of SOHO is to make international cuisine accessible to local Guyanese.

Olive Gopaul, former Miss Guyana World and another one of the major partners of SOHO, says that sophistication and class will be at the forefront of SOHO.
SOHO is an acronym for South of Houston.

SOHO in the United States is an area in Manhattan where all sorts of fancy and posh restaurants, night clubs and shops can be found. In like manner, SOHO in the United Kingdom is a similarly well-to-do entertainment district.

Gopaul stressed SOHO in Guyana will be a reflection of its namesakes in Europe and North America.
Despite its smaller scale, the local SOHO promises to impress its patrons with both the quality of its cooking as well as the quality of its customer service. “SOHO will be the convergence of different cultures in one location,” an excited Gopaul described.

The different styles of cooking, and types of food that will be provided are expected to include Mexican, North American, European and Caribbean, and will give the clientele a fitting international selection of foods. The idea behind SOHO is to make more of this sophisticated food, which is not necessarily unknown in Guyana, more accessible to the public.

For a start, SOHO will be serving breakfast and lunch. In the near future, the menu will expand to include dinner.

The menu will include dishes native to countries all over the world, but will include a variety of salads and grilled meat.

Included are items like stuffed bread with expertly marinated meat which is then cooked to perfection, grilled chicken in a variety of sauces and stuffed plantains which have been stuffed with chicken and topped with cheese.

SOHO also caters to those with a sweet tooth with a variety of desert options including ice creams, cheesecakes and a variety of pastries.

Among some of the desert items are some very new and revolutionary items evolved from traditional Guyanese pastries like the Pine Tart. With names like Crescent Nutty Slices and Orange Knots, SOHO seems set to entice Guyana.

On the drinks menu, Gopaul indicated, will be a variety of ‘fruit smoothies’ and juices along with other healthy drinks. For those who prefer alcohol, SOHO promises a variety of the finest wines.

Rising food prices, Gopaul noted, are unfortunately a reality which no one can escape from. However, to help keep prices affordable and within the range of the man on the street, SOHO source their ingredients and spices directly from the food manufactures in the United States.

Customer service is an area of utmost importance to SOHO, Morrison explained, highlighting that rigorous interviewing, selection and training of SOHO staff has already begun and will continue.

As a business, turnovers are important, Gopaul explained, but she adds that effective turnovers come hand in hand with good customer service.

With this in mind, a restaurant requires staff who can deal with customers well and this requires some degree of formal training.

SOHO intends to bring people in to train their staff in the art of good customer service and relations. This training will not end once the restaurant has opened.

In addition to this, SOHO will be relying heavily on the feedback from their patrons to better improve their services.

Gopaul said that SOHO would always be happy to receive comments, complaints and compliments which she noted will help management to improve both their customer service and their menu.

“Public sampling will be done to heighten public awareness of the dishes which SOHO will be offering,” Ron Morrison noted.

Gopaul noted that the simple exercise of including the customers in the decision making process, would help SOHO to show its customers just how valuable they are. With this in mind, SOHO would be offering dishes that their customers have endorsed.

A restaurant is not a stagnant enterprise, Morrison pointed out and as such SOHO will continuously be rejuvenated in terms of menu and customer service. New items are already being thought of, and the menu will continue to evolve.

The new restaurant also aims to promote a healthier lifestyle and in this regard, promote healthier eating.

Trying to stay away from fried foods, SOHO will specialize in a more organic approach, offering a wide variety of salads. Coupled with this, a selection of grilled meat and seafood will be offered.

Along with this, vegetable oil, and in particular olive oil will be used in the preparation of the many other dishes that SOHO will offer.

In this light, many different types of fruits will play an integral part of the menu and will act as ingredients to many of the dishes.

The restaurant, in the final stages of construction, will feature both indoor and outdoor dining areas.
This will allow customers to better choose the atmosphere they prefer.

The indoor setting will provide a warm and cozy atmosphere and will accommodate a maximum number of 20 persons.

The outdoor setting, on the other hand will be much larger, and will feature a more relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

Building on the idea of relaxation, Morrison says that it will be a great place to come and relax on a Friday after work. Also, SOHO will also be featuring Friday and Saturday afternoon hang outs, so people can come and indulge in the relaxing atmosphere, while enjoying a healthy meal, snack or drink.

SOHO seems to have brought Guyana on the edge of a culinary renaissance. The restaurant, and its management has promised to redefine the restaurant industry in Guyana and they seems set to do so.

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