There’s Still Time To Book Your Holiday Party!

Hey everyone! I wrote a little bit ago about offering a special thank you to all the local businesses for their support over the years. If you recall, I decided to discount all office Christmas parties by 10% if you booked the event by December 1^st. I was pretty amazed and humbled by how many of our guests took me up on the deal!

I have good news and bad news, though. Always the optimist, let me start with the good.

Good News!

There’s still time to book your year end work party. Up until the close of business on Saturday, November 30^th, right after Thanksgiving and Black Friday, you can still receive a 10% discount off of your holiday party. If you’re the employee tasked with planning the event this year, you still have time schedule and receive a nice break on the price.

You can either call Peters Place at (412) 221-5000 or stop in and talk to us. Just pick your date, you can let us help you with the details and menu later if you’re pressed for time. It doesn’t matter if your office includes 200 co workers, we can accommodate them!

Bad News….

I’m trying not to be a Grinch here, but there is some bad news…..dates are filling up fast! I had no idea this “thank you” business promotion would take off the way it did! Don’t get me wrong, I love that so many employers in the area have chosen to host their holiday even here at Peters Place, but we’re running out of dates, with most of the “good” ones being booked already. There’s still slots left, but they won’t be for long!

So, if you want all your coworkers to talk about how great the holiday party was this year, all year long, and you’re limited to the budget provided, you really need to give us a call right away!

Feel free to preview our events menu here, and don’t hesitate any longer to pick your date! Remember, this special offer ends at the close of business on November 30^th!

We’re looking forward to your call!

Our Annual Thanksgiving Buffet

Hey Friends:

Before I sat down here to write a new blog, I was considering writing a little bit about the History of Thanksgiving. Seems appropriate, right? I mean, after all, Thanksgiving is a pretty neat holiday centered around not only being grateful for everything a man has, but also involves a lot of food, which has always been one of my favorite topics.

But then I realized something…..I was never really that interested in the history of anything! I mean, I liked history way back when, but I wasn’t what you’d call a serious student. Plus, every knows or has their own interpretation of Thanksgiving anyway, right? Pilgrims, Indians, planting maize, sharing in the harvest, teaching and helping each other. I would rather give a little history lesson about Peters Place, and how Thanksgiving has been celebrated here for nearly 30 years.

I’m sure most of you know, but for those that don’t, Thanksgiving is the one day of the year when we pull out all the stops here at the restaurant. We’re open, which a lot of other places can’t say, but it’s much more than that.

Honestly, I can’t remember the first year we decided to offer a huge Thanksgiving Day buffet, but it was awhile ago. I realized that although most people have large get togethers with their family, and there are plenty of folks who like to cook the bird on this day, there were also a pretty decent of those out there, well, that were either alone on this day or just didn’t want to prepare and host a huge feast.

The first year we stayed open and offered the Thanksgiving Buffet, I wouldn’t say we had a decent turn out, but it was ok. The next year, and each year after that, it got progressively larger. Now, I would say we host more families and serve more meals on this day than our best three single days combined! And why wouldn’t we? I mean, just take a look at what’s on the buffet:

• Fresh Roasted Turkey
• Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
• Orange Roughy
• Herb Crusted Lamb
• Whipped Yams w/ Apples & Walnuts
• Heavenly Potatoes
• Cornbread Stuffing
• Rice Pilaf
• Buttered Corn
• Green Bean Casserole
• Marinated Vegetables
• Fresh Cranberry Sauce

…..plus other surprises!

And don’t forget our desserts! Remember, we make these things from scratch, just like you do for your family gatherings!

• Pumpkin Pie
• Cheesecake
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Strawberry Mousse,
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

…..just to name a few.

Yes, I’m very proud of the fact that Thanksgiving at Peters Place has become a family tradition for many of our valued guests. It’s great to see so many of the same families year after year decided to host their holiday meal here with us, but keep in mind, there’s always room for more!

In fact, maybe you’re undecided, even as we’re two weeks away from the day in question, as to where you’re going to spend your Thanksgiving. If so, check out my next article, The Top Ten Reasons you should come to Peters Place for your Thanksgiving meal (as if that menu above wasn’t enough of a reason!)

Ok, you want a sneak peek? How about this………only $23.95 per adult, Children 12 and under only $5.95 and Toddlers under 5 only $3.95. Seating is available from noon until 6:00pm. Now how can you beat that? Plus, there’s no cleaning dirty dishes, you don’t have to slave over a hot oven….wait! I’m giving away my best topics for the Top Ten article I mentioned! Want to read it? You can find it here.

Give us a call at 412-221-5000 and let us know how many people will be in your party. Kathy and I will be here and we’re looking forward to seeing you and the entire family celebrate your Thanksgiving with us here at Peters Place.

Good Old Fashioned Addresses

Hey friends, Mike here again with some thoughts on how much things have changed since we opened Peters Place back in 1984.

It used to be we would promote our wedding receptions, banquets and events in the Yellow Pages. Believe it or not, that was really the best option for any business thirty years ago. Now, with the internet, more people can find out about our services with just the click of a mouse. Wow, would anyone even know what “clicking a mouse” meant back then? It’s almost like those scenes in Back To Future when Marty McFly is in the diner asking for a Pepsi Free.

For decades, we offered great perks and discounts for our guests when they provided their address….and I’m talking about a physical address….a place in the real world where the postman could deliver mail. I liked sending our friends special discounts on their birthdays and special dates like wedding anniversaries. In fact, being that I’ve just recently been dragged, kicking and screaming into the cyberspace world, it’s only been about a year since we transitioned into electronic versions of these greetings.

I made a decision about a month or so ago to try to have the best of both worlds. We’ve implemented a new, physical sign up sheet to become part of our appreciated customer database. This sheet, available at the restaurant, not only asks for your email address (which I promise we will never sell, nothing worse than spam…..on a side note, when someone mentions spam I still can’t help picturing that awful “meat” in a can that we will never serve. That’s another promise you can write down!), but also physical address and important dates.

If you haven’t completed one of these forms yet, just stop in Peters Place and ask your server. Sure, I understand that everyone is used to clicking “open” rather than really opening mail, but, call me old fashioned, I still think there’s a place for real, written correspondence that you can hold in your hands. But, for those that prefer email, you can still check your in box for special offers. Those aren’t going away anytime soon!

So, with all that being said, if you want to expedite getting in on all the special offers, you can either email (now that really sounds ironic!) your name & physical address to petersplacerest@aol.com or you can post a reply below to this article with the same information. Your address won’t be visible to the public and I will make sure they get added right away so you can begin to receive notification of our great deals. Plus, if you add your email address, I’ll get you in the email listings, too!

Thanks!

Mike Peters

Want To Know What’s Really Scary About October?

Hey Friends,

Last time we talked it was all about Oktoberfest, which is really a fun time of year here at Peters Place, but I have to mention something else about October I just realized…..it’s really, really scary.

I’m not talking about Halloween coming up at the end of the month (however we have a great event planned that I’m going to fill you in about early next week). The 31^st is meant to be a fun kind of scary, you know, children dressed up in costumes, maybe catching a few thrillers like “Psycho” or “Night Of The Living Dead” on AMC, mother-in-laws paying unexpected visits; harmless type stuff. But I have to tell you what I saw just yesterday that literally stopped me in my tracks.

Kathy and I were out at one of those big box retailers picking up some entertaining supplies for the Pirates’ game tonight (Go Bucs!). I literally stopped dead in the pop aisle, feeling my chin drop to my chest.

“Mike, what’s wrong? You look pale. Are you ok?” You gotta love Kathy, that woman worries more about me that she does herself.

“Take a look at that”, I said. Her eyes followed my trembling finger as it pointed to the biggest Christmas display I’ve ever seen.

“Aww….those mechanical reindeer or adorable! Let’s buy a few!” Not the response I was anticipating.

“Kathy, can you believe it’s not even Halloween and they’ve got all this Christmas stuff out? How did this creep up so fast? I haven’t even opened the banquet rooms for Christmas parties yet!”

God bless Kathy, she always has the right thing to say, her response bringing me back to reality: “Guess you better get on that, then.”

She took the buggy from my stiff hands and wheeled off towards these enormous, mechanical, garish reindeer that I knew would end up residing on my front lawn, if I could figure out to put the darn things together!

Anyways, back to Kathy’s words of wisdom. We drove back to the restaurant and I checked the scheduling book surprised to notice that several of our regular business customers had already booked their parties, two of them even scheduled back in July! Now, normally the weekends are the most requested days to hold these corporate events, but this year I was thinking I could accommodate more holiday functions for local businesses if I really promoted weekdays, especially with a special offer.

So here’s what I decided to do this year. Even though space is filling up quick, (and it’s only the second week of October) I’m going to offer a discount of 10% to any local business that stops in and books their Holiday Party here at Peters Place before December 1^st. I just want to be clear, your company can have the party any day available, just stop in and schedule your date by the first of December and I’ll throw in the 10% savings. That’s about a month and a half for those party planners who have been given the responsibility of finding a location for this year’s seasonal office gathering to look like a hero.

You can find pricing and menus here, and you can always call me directly at the restaurant. If I’m not in due to wrestling with mechanical, lighted reindeer (you’re lucky I love you, Kathy!), you can always ask for Josh, John or my brother Bill.

Oh, what the heck! I’ll throw that 10% off even on the weekends, but only if you book by December 1^st. After that, the phone always rings off the hook with requests and the best dates are already taken. I have to add, this offer isn’t valid with prior bookings or alcohol and I’m sorry, but I can’t combine this discount with any other offers.

Now I have to start finalizing the big event for Hallow……caught myself! Check back next week for all those scary details, don’t want to let the black cat out of the bag just yet…..

Pittsburgh’s A Long Way From Germany…..Except During Oktoberfest!

The brisk air, the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet, the sun setting a little earlier. These changes can mean only one thing….Autumn has arrived.

Now some of my readers out there will complain that this means Summer is over and we’ll all need to brace for cold winter. Well, yeah, I guess so. Then there are those who will relish in the fact that football season is in full swing, but if you’re like anything like me you’re not as thrilled about our Steelers as you were in the past, so that doesn’t really bring any comfort. Hey, while we’re on the subject of sports, how ’bout them Pirates, huh?

Ok, cold weather, dark before the time Alex Trebek reads Final Jeopardy and football seems to be a bust. But you know what? I’m still pretty darn happy. Why? I thought you’d never ask!

OKTOBERFEST HAS ARRIVED! Yes, I know it’s the final days of September, but we’ve always started our Oktoberfest celebrations just a little bit early here at Peters Place because it’s so much fun!

Every year we bring in the best German beers, break out our lederhosen and throw some mischief into the menu. Our guests have come to expect some really European dishes and this year I think we may have outdone ourselves.

You can check out the entire menu here, but let me tell you a little about some of my favorites:

*How about some Brandenburg Lamb Stew? Some of the most tender lamb you will ever have, cubed and stewed with sliced onions, green beans, brown gravy and mustard sauce.

*Kathy’s favorite is the German Sirloin, consisting of a nice filet broiled with a Jagermeister mushroom bourbon sauce served over spatzle. Excuse me? You don’t know what spatzle is? Then you really have to get in here and try some!

*Saurbraten is really popular with the regulars. Imagine thinly sliced oven roasted sirloin marinated in vinegar brine, finished with a sweet and sour glaze. I didn’t even mention the Bavarian sauerkraut and mashed potatoes that comes with it. You’ll be lucky if you have any room left for dessert.

Did I say dessert? Yes I did! How about some Apple Strudel or Pumpkin Pie? For you chocolate lovers, nothing can compare to our German Chocolate Cake.

So, why not make some plans to stop in and try a little taste of Germany? Oh, and if that whole image of me in lederhosen scares you, I was only joking!

Till next time………………………….Danke Schoen!

Take Her Out For $30?

I’m married to a wonderful lady, and like most men, I want to treat her to some of the nicer things in life. You have to keep ’em happy, right? Well, the sad truth is, it can get expensive. Don’t get me wrong, she’s worth every penny I’ve ever spent on her, multiplied by infinity. (Hope you’re reading this, Kathy!) Depending on where you take her, and how often you take her out, it can get pricey.

We both love the restaurant, but we’re here all the time. Yes, we do go out to eat elsewhere on occasion, and it wouldn’t be truthful if I said I always thought the pricing was fair. I know the cost of a meal isn’t always a factor in a night out. I’ve always been aware of the importance of portion size, service and setting.  I like to think I’ve done a pretty job offering all of the above.

A few weeks ago we were visiting some friends in a neighboring state. The group decided to go out for dinner at a local restaurant, one of their favorites. I’m always up for seeing how my fellow restaurant owners operate, so off we went.

This particular establishment was running a special: 2 dinners for $45.00. Sounded good to me. Each couple took advantage of the promotion, but I have to tell you, there wasn’t much of a selection. Don’t get me wrong, the food was really good, I just wish we had more options. I should mention that we also we ordered appetizers which were extra, but nothing is too good for my girl!

As the night went on we had some cocktails….then desert, but I kept finding myself distracted from the table conversation. Several other guests were also ordering from the special menu. It got me to thinking, “Why can’t I offer a special like this at Peters Place?” I had to push those thoughts to the back of my mind when I noticed Kathy giving me that look, the one that says “you better stop daydreaming about work, we’re out with friends!”

When we got back to Pittsburgh I took a close look at our menu. I could do this….I should do this…..I’m going to do, but I’m going to do it better! That was the origin of our new 2 For $30 special. Yes, that’s right, I was able to offer a wider selection and for $15.00 less. Not only that, but I could even give my guests the choice of an appetizer included in the price.

So, to my fellow men out there, you can’t use money as an excuse to take your lady out for a nice dinner. Don’t believe me? Check it out here, and when you do stop in just, give me that wink that you read this post. She doesn’t have to know how much you spent, right?

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What Makes Summer Great?

Well, we’re in the middle of it again. Summer. We’ve been waiting since those last hot days at the end of September for weather like this. Salt trucks, sidewalk shoveling and snow days are nothing more than a distant memory.

The weather is just one bonus when you compare Summer to Winter. I don’t know about you but my mind conjures up images of

Swimming pools. Vacations. Family time. Grilling. Baseball. Fireworks. Picnics. Air Conditioned Movie Theaters.

That’s just a short list of some things that make summertime so much fun. Being in the restaurant industry, summer tends to bring a boost. During conversations with our guests I frequently hear “It’s too hot to cook, so we decided to go out to eat”, or “We just wanted to get out of the house and enjoy a nice meal somewhere with air conditioning”. Hey, whatever your reasoning to come out and see us, we love to have you!

And to make things a little more interesting around here, we decided to come up with a unique Summer Specials Menu for our guests. A wide variety of thirteen meals, sure to please, all at a very hot prices starting as low as $8.99! Just take a look at what we’re offering:

Almond Encrusted Flounder- Fresh flounder dipped in sliced almonds, sauteed to a golden brown and served with a wasabi dill sauce on the side.

Brandy Peach Chicken-Tender chicken lightly floured, sauteed, with juicy peaches, brown sugar, and finished with our brandy sauce.

Coconut Shrimp- Jumbo Tossed in our own Coconut breading, deep fried to a golden brown, and served with an orange marmalade dipping sauce.

Veal Bruschetta- Veal medallions sauteed with fresh garlic, diced onions, tomatoes and basil in a white wine butter sauce.

Crab Almandine- Jumbo lump crab sauteed with sliced almonds, a hint of brown sugar, sherry wine, atop a bed of wilted spinach.

16 oz Rib Eye Steak- Sixteen ounce bone I Black Angus rib eye steak cooked to your specifications, and topped with sauteed mushrooms.

Homemade Perogies- Your choice of either potato and cheese, or potato and jalapeno filled pillow pastas topped with sauteed onions.

Hawaiin Salad- Fresh pineapple, melon, strawberries and mandarin oranges tossed in a pineapple dressing over a bed of mixed greens with grilled chicken tenders and fresh coconut.

Island Scallops- Jumbo Scallops rubbed with jerk seasoning, broiled in orange juice, then topped with grilled pineapple, mangos and toasted coconut.

Black N Blue Salmon- Fresh filet of salmon rubbed with Cajun seasonings, broiled to perfection, topped with crumble blue cheese, and served with a side of dill aioli.

Ancho Sirloin- Filet tip sirloin steak stuffed with goats cheese, grilled to your specifications, and finished with an ancho chili pepper sauce.

Caribbean Chicken- Chicken tenders rubbed with our own jerk seasonings, grilled, then placed atop a shallot butter sauce, and served with fried bananas over rice.

Sesame Ginger Spots- Lightel seasoned fresh Virginia spots, broiled to perfection, topped with a sesame ginger sauce, served with a side of pickled vegetables.

Any of those enough to convince you to not cook tonight? Now, keep in mind, once summer turns to fall, these specials are going to go into hibernation. Maybe we should come up with a special Autumn menu to replace the Summer Specials? Let’s put that question out there for you, our valued guests, to discuss. What do you think of the Summer Specials? Why not drop us a response here on the blog and tell us what items you tried? Do you like the idea of seasonal specials? Any thing missing you would like to see added? Hey, you can even jump ahead to Winter if you like and tell us what you’d like to see on a Winter Specials menu! We always like to hear from you, but as we mentioned earlier, we love seeing you even more!

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