The 80/20 Rule

Have you heard of the 80/20 rule before?  It's something that appears everywhere, everyday, in just about everything.  The 80/20 rule is the idea that in events, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.  One example in 1906 from Vilfredo Pareto is that he found that 80% of the land was owned by 20% of the population.  Another is that 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients.  Well, what on earth does this rule have to do with food?  

Another name for the 80/20 rule is the "Law of the Vital Few," and I find this to be a better description in how I'm swayed on what to pick from a restaurant's menu, specfically, Vintage 56's menu.  I realized this when I was at Vintage 56 out in Rockledge at a girls' dinner out.  Just about everything described on the menu looked good!  And that, for me, is a problem.  Usually, when I look at a menu at a restaurant, I can find a category that I like and hone in on what I want.  This time it was significantly different. 

Where to begin, do I want tapas?  Pizza?  Burgers?  A regular entree?  There was something in every category that I wanted to try.  After thinking about the menu, and in retrospect, there was only 20% of the description that swayed me into wanting the rest of the 80% of the dish.

For instance, I would usually pass on the Bruschetta, but the Vintage Bruschetta had all the usual suspects: garlic rubbed grilled baguette, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinaigrette, and cheese.  But wait!  It was when I saw that the cheese was goat cheese that I was swayed to pick the bruschetta!

Now of course,  many of the menu items stuck me with this problem.  And one of the nice things about going out with a group of people is that you can order more food and try lots of new things without having to finish everything and waddle out of the fine establishment.  The other appetizer that we shared was the Seafood Risotto Croquettes that had ample pieces of lobster, shrimp, and scallops in the center.  I was sold merely on the word "croquette."  However, 2 out of 3 people at the table weren't big on the roasted red pepper dipping sauce that accompanied the gratuitously sized, fried risotto balls.  I agreed with my girlfriend Vanessa, the dip seemed bitter.  

Onto the main course.  It seemed from the descriptions of the dishes that Vintage 56 took your ordinary foods such as chicken breast or grouper and added something extra that makes you go, "ooh! that sounds good."  The 80/20 rule again: almond encrusted grouper with an amaretto citrus cream sauce.  It was the amaretto that drew me to it.  The chicken sandwich, topped with brie, caramelized pear and sun-dried cherry chutney--it was the chutney that did it.  

Now, with the entrees, the 20 percent was the sides. I checked out the menu before going over to Vintage, and immediately wanted the horseradish havarti mashed potatoes and toasted coconut jasmine rice.  I picked the duck breast with the mashed potatoes and sesame haricot verts. 

ProTip:  for those with no culinary expertise as myself, I learned that "haricot verts" are essentially a fancy way of saying "green beans"

The duck was decent.  It wasn't quite the "Study of Duck" at Emeril's restaurant, but it also wasn't $50/plate.  The horseradish havarti mashed potatoes were great!  A little tangy, not too much bite, and a little bit chunky in texture.  

Ambiance in the restaurant was warm, inviting, and definitely geared towards a grown-up crowd, it's only downer was that the restaurant is in a dying shopping plaza.  When coming here again with friends, I think I'll stick to the tapas or load on sides, and maybe try and share the cheese platter.