Business & Tech
What’s in a Name?
How some local restaurants, which have all been featured as "Bites Nearby," played the all important name game.
What does an aspiring restaurateur consider when naming a new restaurant? Success or failure could hang in the balance.
America’s Next Great Restaurant, a new reality show on NBC, has prospective restaurateurs vying for the opportunity to create a new food chain. Contestants are judged on both food and concept—one criterion being that the name and logo best represents the restaurant’s food and image.
Let’s see how some local restaurants put their thinking caps on and played the “name game” to win.
demonstrates a flair for the artistic and imaginative. Batik is a colorful cloth that uses a special tie-dye technique which originated in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. When naming his new restaurant in the Kentlands, Henry Sy wanted a name that was catchy and easy to remember…but also, something that represented a “blend” of the many different textures and tastes of the cuisine of Southeast Asia… which is exactly what his restaurant does with such eloquence.
Rio Center's cleverly combines whimsy with its’ mission of bringing cupcakes to the world with a hint of youthful fun. Lilly Magilly’s owner, Kristen Kendall, was researching ideas for her prospective baking business after the birth of her daughter, Lilly. Lilly’s aunt lovingly nicknamed her new niece, yes, you guessed it, Lilly Magilly. The name stuck and the rest is history.
Winning for “most unusual”, in the Kentlands literally went off the map for it's name. Owner and chocolatier-in-chief, Crisoire Reid, is from the Dominican Republic where their cacao beans are homegrown and harvested, then processed here in Gaithersburg. The Dominican Republic and Haiti comprise the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. According to some rare 16th century voyage maps, the island is referred to as Isla de Spagnvola. Surely no one anticipated this would translate to an ideal name for a 21st century chocolatier.
And sometimes it is just all about romance. owners wanted a name that emphasized the romance of the moon, just perfect for this quiet little spot on Kentlands’ Main Street. Who isn’t “moonstruck” with a romantic Italian dinner for two?
Hopefully, the restaurateur will entice you with a clever or memorable name, but keep you coming back for the food.