Michael and Heidi Hoyt, the owners of Black Diamond Caterers, are extending their passion for food into a new food establishment. After thirteen years of successfully operating and growing their catering company they are moving into the restaurant stage of their development but they don't want to use the term "restaurant". They are calling it an eatery and are defying all things restaurant.
The new 5000 square foot Park Side Eatery will be located at 42-44 Phila Street which will be an extension of the current location of Black Diamond Caterers. The eatery will face both Phila Street and Congress Park allowing for opposite entrances. The building, historically known as the Old Palmetto's Building, and the surrounding neighborhood is steeped in rich food history. Currently, it is dubbed "restaurant row" by locals. Hattie's, Seven Horse Pub, Phila Fusion, Capriccios, Four Seasons and Ravenous are just some of the food findings in the neighborhood.
Park Side Eatery will have a comfortable, warehouse look and feel. "It will fit very well into the neighborhood. We want to be a welcoming stop in the course of someone's day. In addition to people enjoying their food in our seating area we fully expect people to run in and out as they head for home with dinner for the family," says Michael Hoyt, the general manager and official taste tester of all the foods.
"For years we have wanted to open a place where food is the focal point. We spent many years in the 'white table cloth' dining arena and we wanted something very different. Park Side Eatery will be about the food experience. It's casual, there will be no table service but there are tables to sit. There will be a number of food cases filled with fresh cold and hot foods ready to eat there, take home or take to the office," says Heidi Hoyt, the chef half of the owner team.
"This is a counter style eatery with as many or more offerings than any restaurant. Everything will be made on site. We are installing a large, open kitchen with a fifteen foot double sided hood system that everyone can easily see. People like to see where their food comes from," adds Michael.
"We've always studied trends in our industry. The casual, counter-style restaurant serving outstanding food is growing in popularity across the country, a trend possibly set off by the economy of recent years. Daily eating out and bringing ready-to-eat meals home is a solid part of this country's eating habits and this new style of restaurant serves those needs," Heidi states.
"No one wants to sacrifice the quality of their daily meals but if the extra cost of gratuities or the tacked on charge for overhead expenses supporting chic restaurants can be eliminated, suddenly the value of excellent food served over a counter seems more convenient to their families and friendlier to their pocket books," adds Michael.
"The cost of buying all the ingredients for a meal, spending valuable time creating that meal then adding the clean up factor, day in and day out is a lot to ask of two people working long days. We will offer so much to these families and individuals. We are basically extending our catering operation into Park Side Eatery and offering a multitude of daily selections," adds Heidi.
Eight years ago the Hoyts added a division to Black Diamond Caterers named Adirondack Barbecue. They realized at the time not everyone wanted high end foods for every catered event so being lovers of barbecue they developed barbecue sauces, rubs, recipes and smoking techniques. It has become a very popular division in their portfolio. Adirondack Barbecue will now exist inside Park Side Eatery. Customers will find pulled pork, St. Louis Ribs, Texas style beef brisket and more available every day in an area dedicated to Adirondack BBQ.
The Hoyts will also be developing two new lines. One line will feature Jewish style foods from the Lower East Side such as matzo ball soup, house-made corned beef and pastrami, knishes, white fish salad, chopped liver and pickled herring. "Just as French or Japanese cuisine is loved globally, Jewish cuisine has made its mark in the culinary world. We are especially excited about the corned beef and pastrami made in-house and then knife sliced to order. It's insanely good," says Heidi.
The second new line will be a bakery named Glazed Bäckerei. "We have always had a strong bakery aspect to our catering companies. Our vision for this bakery is to keep baked goods fun and have a flair of Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. I come from a German background and I grew up with absolutely amazing baked goods and desserts at every family gathering. I want to bring that flavor of baked goods into our bakery. One item we are really excited about it donuts! We will be making donuts every day.
I'm really looking forward to our filled donuts called Bismarcks," adds Heidi.
Inside Park Side Eatery, Black Diamond Caterers will have its own office area making it easy for a wedding client to discuss their event. Part of their catering is geared toward pick-up and delivery of prepared hors d'oeuvres and foods in disposable containers. The Hoyt's state that the last three years have each had record breaking growth in catering and they are optimistic that this expansion will only further grow their original business of full service, off premise catering.
The opening of Park Side Eatery will be in early June beginning with an invitation only party honoring their thirteen years of loyal clients, customers, friends and supporters. This will be followed by a grand opening weekend opened to the public.