Locally-owned Italian restaurant Portobello’s Grill  released its new menu last Monday, with new and fewer dishes.
Nathan Normand, Portobello’s brand manager, explained this change was an effort to keep things “fresh” and to remain a progressive business.
“We want to keep our guests guessing,” Normand said. “And needs and wants change. Students come in for homestyle meals, and we have to keep up as their palates evolve.”
These menu changes — which include the addition of a few items, the removal of more items and an overall smaller menu — provide a reason for guests to keep coming back, Normand said. While the modifications were not necessarily competitive, Normand said the forward-thinking attitude lends itself to competitiveness.
Normand also explained that failure to evolve with the needs of the customers leads to the downfall of many restaurants.
Whitney Abadie, a server and bartender employed at the Old Hammond Highway location, said the changes had some negative results upon the new menu’s release. As guests of a “regular-based company,” a few frequent customers were displeased to find their favorite meals removed from the menu.
“But we strive to have excellent service,” Abadie said. 
Abadie said she and her fellow servers “guide” guests and long-term customers to new dishes, even at the cost of abandoning long-time favorites such as the Pomodori pasta  and spicy shrimp Portofino. Abadie said guests have been responding positively to new meals. However, Portobello’s still offers its guests signature plates like the eggplant roulades, an appetizer Normand said would spark a “small revolt” if removed. 
While the restaurant may be losing plates that were available since opening, Abadie explained that by trimming down the menu, Portobello’s is remaining true to itself. She said the company took efforts to have “something for everyone” too far, resulting in too large of a menu.
With fewer items, Normand said Portobello’s can focus on making good dishes great and elevate execution, while still maintaining its Louisiana-Italian style. Both Normand and Abadie noted these changes are meant to “wow” customers in ways that the removed dishes could not. 
Normand said the two primary  menu additions received good reviews so far. Abadie said that customers have reacted most positively to the fish and shrimp creole, which includes Mahi Mahi and Louisiana white shrimp.
Portobello’s also began offering customers fresh ciabatta bread with baked-in rosemary. In addition, it serves infused olive oil — which includes thyme, salt, and garlic seasonings — straight out of a wine bottle.
Portobello’s celebrates the frequent, smaller changes it makes regularly. For example, Portobello’s prides itself in seasonality, Normand said. The restaurant offers seasonal cocktails, which will soon transition from summer into fall flavors including sweet potato, pumpkin, molasses and bourbon.      
Normand explained the changes in the menu were intended to not only enhance presentation but also to keep customers happy. The restaurant also strives to serve a wide variety of people, which led the restaurant to use a larger menu before the recent changes.
Normand said “there’s always a next move” in terms of changes in the near future, and that Portobello’s will keep such changes secret to surprise guests.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Sam Karlin

Portobello's Grill rolled out their new menu on Monday September 22nd, 2014, which includes the eggplant roulades appetizer.