By Katie Belflower
Restobiz and Technomic’s Concept Watch this month features The Burger’s Priest, Chachi’s, and Sushi Taxi as three of Canada’s innovative restaurants. Creating a unique restaurant concept is essential to getting ahead in today’s competitive foodservice industry, and these three restaurants have adopted menus designed to get attention and stand out.
The Burger’s Priest
The Vatican Burger
Image Source: The Burger’s Priest Instagram
Facebook: 24,000 likes | Instagram: 24,600 followers | X: 6,000 followers
Locations: 29 (Alberta and Ontario)
Concept characteristics:
- Fast-casual burger concept serving premium, cooked-to-order beef with fresh toppings
- Religious theming inspired by the founder’s past in seminary school
- Aims to offer a modern take on a classic cheeseburger restaurant with the tagline “redeeming the burger one at a time”
- Strong employee culture, fostering a fun environment with career advancement opportunities
- Catering is available
Menu snapshot:
- Grinds a custom blend of ultra-premium beef for use in burgers
- The Vatican Burger with double patties, grilled cheese buns, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion
- The Priest Burger with cheese, deep-fried mushroom cap stuffed with cheese and signature sauce
- Holy Smokes Burger with deep-fried jalapenos
- Fries are fresh-cut and come as is or loaded
- Old-fashioned shakes come in flavours such as chocolate, vanilla, mint chocolate, strawberry, and salted caramel
Chachi’s
Cran & Brie Sandwich
Image Source: Chachi’s Instagram
Facebook: 708 likes | Instagram: 8,170 followers
Locations: 26 (Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba)
Concept characteristics:
- Quick-service gourmet sandwich chain featuring scratch-made, local ingredients
- Aims to offer high-quality comfort food served fast
- Interiors have a contemporary look that blends wood and tile
- Supports communities it operates in by giving back to local charities
- Franchising is available
Menu snapshot:
- Utilizes local ingredients and butcher-selected meats and cheeses
- Cran & Brie with roast turkey breast, brie, cranberry chutney, mayonnaise, arugula, Granny Smith apple and rosemary
- Hot Philly with beef, provolone, garlic aioli, spicy mayonnaise, bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño
- Chicken Banh Mi with chicken breast, hoisin marinade, spicy sesame sauce, garlic aioli, pickled carrot, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno
- Chicken Caesar and Cobb salads are available
Sushi Taxi
Sushi
Image Source: Sushi Taxi Instagram
Facebook: 30,000 likes | Instagram: 5,366 followers
Locations: 21 (Quebec)
Concept characteristics:
- Full-service contemporary Japanese restaurant offering sushi, bento boxes and seasonally inspired fare
- Units are comprised of 600 to 1,200 square feet
- Sleek, modern decor, with touches inspired by Japanese culture
- Offers catering
- Franchising opportunities are available
Menu snapshot:
- Offers a variety of unique sushi roll options, including fried and veggie varieties
- Sushi is available by the platter and à la carte
- Rolls include the Coral with scallop ceviche, strawberry, mint and lime sauce: the Hawaii 5-0 with salmon tataki, tuna tartare and onion-cranberry confit; and the Winnie with salmon tartare, apple, mango, cream cheese, and honey
- Appetizers include Taxi Calamari, Lobster Sushi Pizza, Duck Sushi Pizza, Shrimp Tempura, and Edamame
- Offers up poke bowls with choice of salmon tartare, tuna tartare, Tao chicken, popcorn shrimp, or fried tofu
Concepts to Watch is based on restaurant and menu concepts and trends noted by Technomic Inc.
Katie Belflower is Associate Editor for Technomic, a Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights, and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions, and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry, including menu trends.
Concepts Watch feature image via Chachi’s Facebook
