A recent outing took me to the downtown Toronto Pickle Barrel Restaurant- a Canadian chain in business for the past 35 years that now serves over 50,000 people a week. The former deli offers a host of menu options, including Rose Reisman’s newest inclusion- a tasty and concise menu of 500 calorie or under dishes (in appetizer, main and dessert categories). At a time when portions have been morphing into mega-sized meals, Reisman and Pickle Barrel President Peter Higley have been reining in both the portions and the calories.
Rose Reisman says Less is More
I spoke to Ms. Reisman recently on the phone about the menu concept and why she felt that now is a good time to introduce it. “If we look around and see the rising incidences of obesity and Type II Diabetes, you’ll see the price we’re paying for the way we’ve been eating. 64% of Canadians are now over-weight - we’ve caught up to the United States. Restaurants know that food costs can be fairly inexpensive- load up a plate with simple carbs and people feel they’re getting their money’s worth,” says Rose. She also mentioned that the trend to downsize portions has been gaining momentum for years, but reaching the understanding that “less can be more” may take some time to sink into our super-sized, North American psyche.
“Looking at one of the 500 calorie plates and saying to yourself, ‘Oh! So this is what 500 calories looks like!’- well, for many it’s an education. I know myself, when you eat one of these meals, you’re really full. I pack the plate with healthy, nutrient-dense foods that leave you feeling full, only they’re in a smaller package,” says Rose.
Salmon with Maple Syrup and Soy Glaze
I sampled some of Rose’s creations recently, including the salmon (a 5 oz. fillet that feels generously more than that) with a maple syrup and soy glaze, served with a side of edamame and arugula spinach salad. My husband savoured the sun-dried tomato burgers with goat cheese, asparagus spears and “smashed” potatoes. My 6’3” dining companion’s portion was a bit of an adjustment – especially since he opted for the smaller burgers, but both dishes were certainly, as Rose promised, filling, flavourful and satisfying. I might add that my husband also started with the Portobello mushroom appetizer while I went for the velvety black bean soup. We shared one piece of the New York Style Lemon cheesecake and had mineral water during the meal. More than enough to satiate and feel us leaving energized instead of sluggish and lethargic.
Pleased by our experience, I asked Rose how others were reacting to the new menu, “Overall, the response has been excellent. We hear people tell us that this doesn’t taste like diet food and that’s because it isn’t diet food!” When I ask her about the burger dish for example, Rose adds, “It’s important to get a visual about how 500 calories looks like on a plate For example, you’re getting 3 small roasted potatoes instead of a mountain of fries, and you’re not getting half a cow, you’re getting 6 ounces of beef. People are starting to understand that this is why we have an epidemic. According to doctors, if you’re 40 lbs. overweight, you’re considered morbidly obese and this triggers diabetes, cholesterol and different forms of cancer.”
Ideal Body Weight
Rose doesn’t suggest you cut out everything, all of the time. And she makes perfect sense in suggesting balance and moderation. She tells me she’ll enjoy fries once in a while- but only about 14 of them at one sitting- roughly the same caloric value of a side of rice. We wrap up our conversation and she leaves me with some proverbial food for thought: doctors say that to determine your ideal body weight, take what you weighed in high school (if you were a normal, healthy weight) and add 10 lbs. to that. If you’ve over that weight today, you’ve got room for improvement. Yeah, I know, join the club!
 |
