ETHNIC-THEMED WEEKENDS AT THE NATIONAL HOTEL

They say "word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising," and although I've always known this intuitively, it was proved to me quite conclusively this past weekend.  We did NO marketing...no advertising...no public relations, announcing our Thai-inspired Additions to the Menu this past weekend.  It was a test of sorts, to see if we could build enough "buzz" about the weekend's special items without actually utilizing traditional media outlets to get the word out that we were doing something truly unique for our area.

And it worked.

Photo courtesy of Lois Heyman

Lisa Frederick, our executive chef, truly outdid herself creating a sensually delightful selection of inspiring dishes that invited diners to select them based on her written descriptions of the dishes, followed by the visually appealing presentation of the dishes that appeared before them...and...wait for it...the taste.  The absolutely delightful, appealing, and excitingly exotic flavors of Thai cuisine came alive this past weekend.  Had I been a little quicker on the draw, I would have a photo of Lisa preparing these dishes to share.  My bad.  In the meantime, here's one of Pu-Ja, two soft shell crabs, stuffed with pork and crab, flash fried with Mee Ploy sauce...can you say, "YUMMMMM?!!"

Pete sat with Lisa at the end of 2010 and designed a slew of weekends that would be ethnically-themed, kicking it off in February with our Thai-inspired weekend.  We wanted to quietly promote these unique items that followed our fully-booked Valentine's weekend, without advertising it.  So much of our business comes from our local patrons, Frenchtown residents and Hunterdon and Bucks County patrons, that we didn't want to have a sold-out weekend that would exclude them.  After all, it is these same individuals that have shown up at our doorstep during the worst of our winter storms, always with a smile, and always grateful that our doors were open to receive them.

Our gratitude is immense, and our deepest honor comes in serving our patrons.  And this is why, truly, we didn't "pound the pavement" to make sure EVERYONE knew that we were featuring these special dishes.  We wanted to make sure our "regulars" were treated in a special way, and that they received the same treatment that our weekend visitors would receive.  At The National Hotel, we pride ourselves in being able to meet our clients' expectations--and exceed them.  We are so pleased with the way things turned out.

And to those of you who follow our blog, or have checked our website, or our facebook fanpage, you'll be happy to learn that this Thai-inspired weekend was just the beginning.  Oh yes, we have our second installment of our Indian Nights weekend planned for March, and a Vietnamese-themed weekend in April.  Stay tuned for more details...

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  How about our St. Patrick's Day celebration, with an authentic Irish band, Club Subheine (pronounced "Sweeney"...in case you were wondering) playing on our porch that following Saturday night, March 19th, and our wonderful and robust line-up of musicians that are listed on our website?  How about our incredibly well-attended bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia nights?  And best of all, these are all programs that have grown organically...not because Pete or I wanted to feature this or that, but rather, because you brought these programs to our attention, and you were willing to host, program, encourage, or attend these special nights.  No wonder The National Hotel has become an evening destination for so many people.  There's always something happening.  Even on the the odd days when there isn't a planned program, there's always a friendly or familiar face waiting for you indoors.  And we love that.

I think that what Pete and I love about being associated with The National Hotel is not that we "own" the building, it's not that we "run" the restaurant, it's not that we "dispense" the libations that keep patrons coming back...it's more than that.  Pete and I have been absorbed into the very fabric of the building; we love learning more and more about the building with every day that passes.  Its history is rich...and its heritage is envied by many.  Pete and I are only hoping that our minuscule moment in time with The National Hotel will prove to our next generation that honesty, integrity, and a just plain "roll up your sleeves" attitude can truly create a place that resonates with so many.  And you, who come to dine, or for a quick lunch, or to enjoy some local talent on Open Mic Night, you who boost our spirits with accolades about our menu choices and specialty drinks, continue to make sure that The National Hotel NEVER undergoes the terrible crisis it felt in 2008 and 2009 when it was shuttered.  This establishment is bursting out of every pore of its facade with joy, with happiness and with familiarity.  It is a building with such tremendously rich history that just being associated with it brings us a tremendous sense of satisfaction.  And from the feedback I've gotten from our patrons--it also brings you a familiar sense of "home."

This feedback is tremendously welcome.  So many of you have taken the time to email us, and to fill out the cards at the end of your meals with your birthday and/or anniversary dates, as well as comments on the back of the forms, that I've been amazed at the honesty with which you share your thoughts.  Again, thank you.  It is this very transparent communication, this true integrity in our relationship with our patrons, that propels us forward every day.  And boy do we have plans for 2011!  From our March Indian Nights weekend, to our April Easter brunch, to a Vietnamese-inspired weekend, to a Spanish-themed weekend...oh, and let's not forget our 2nd annual National Palooza scheduled for June 4th.  2011 is definitely shaping up to be a banner year!  Hope you'll get on board and share this ride with us.  We'll keep posting information on our facebook fanpage, our website, our youtube channel, and our twitter page.  Do continue to email me your feedback, because ultimately, our success is tied directly to you.  We are very appreciative of your support, your ideas, and your continuous commitment to making sure we "get it right."  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

INDIAN NIGHTS @THE NATIONAL HOTEL, DINING REVIEW, MUSIC & THE ARTS...SO MUCH IN JUST A FEW WEEKS

It must be September, because the days are just SOOOOO full of things to do. Between The National Hotel, the girls' school (and let's not forget their afterschool activities), friends' fundraisers, etc., the days have escaped me and I am only now putting "pen to paper" to post another installment of our blog.

Pete's been in the kitchen! I know he's my husband, but I'm so proud of all that he's been able to do and the enthusiasm with which he embraces every day. He's been hard at work re-creating some Indian delicacies with which he grew up in India, and combining his memories with some delicious traditional recipes from classic Indian cook books with our terrific kitchen staff. These will make up our entire Additions to the Menu that started this past Thursday, September 23rd through tomorrow, Sunday, September 26th. Be sure to stop by and savor some exotic flavors right here in our own backyard--Indian Nights at The National Hotel! Click on the link to see some of the delicacies we'll be featuring this weekend...

This follows a wonderful write-up from Icon Magazine by Robert Gordon. Their Dining Out section took our summer menu to task and we are just so pleased to have passed their litmus test. What a terrific endorsement from a wonderful publication.

And we just hosted another Open Mic Night session on Thursday too, featuring Brian Molnar. The night's host was Kevin Gilson and it was a total crowd pleaser. Our other Open Mic Nights have seen new talent the the mic as well as some familiar faces.

And many of these familiar faces came out to support our featured performers these last few weeks, during our Sunday Musical Afternoon series. We've been fortunate to have had so many talented performers, including Mike Pfeiffer once again, Chuck Schaeffer returning for another successful night of country rockabilly fun, Steve Jones , and a former Frenchtown resident, Russell Norkevich . We also were treated to the sounds of David Falcone on the 12th of September, and tomorrow we'll host the return appearance of Ray McGeehan. Every week, another wonderful 2 hours of music that delight our patrons, and lift the spirits of those of us working on the premises. Sunday is one of our favorite days of the week! Just look and listen to a few of our featured musicians...find more at our The National Hotel NJ YouTube channel:

This entire month has been a month filled with the arts. We just finished hosting the last installment of "our" monthly People's Poetry last week--and I say "our" in quotes, because it's a program initiated and supported by our local community members...not something that Pete and I put into motion, but rather something that has grown organically. It was a treat to be a witness to the wonderful poets who took the mike. Be sure to visit the People's Poetry facebook fanpage to get up-to-date information on the poets, the events, and future plans. And last Sunday's poetry open mic was followed by our weekly Sunday Musical Afternoon series that has provided our guests with the wonderful musical performances of local talent. Again, yet another opportunity for The National Hotel to shine, simply because these artists have adopted The National Hotel as their chosen venue. Thank you!!! Thank you for bringing your art, your talent, your creativity to our establishment, for ALL of us to enjoy.

We can't wait to see you at The National Hotel. Whether you're coming to savor our Indian Nights Additions to the Menu items this weekend, spending time with us at the Rat's weekly Open Mic Night, joining us for our monthly People's Poetry, or supporting our local artists as they perform during our weekly Sunday Musical Afternoon series, please continue to visit our facebook fanpage, search our artists' webclips by subscribing to our National Hotel NJ youtube channel, or sign up for our twitter page. If you'd like to leave a comment on things you've enjoyed at The National Hotel, send a note to one of these artists, or just share some thoughts, please do so, or email me directly at marie@thenationalhotelnj.com. Hope to see you this weekend...the food is YUMMM!