Lounger input needed

[Capn Sunshine]

So, we're starting another restaurant. It will be contemporary Tuscan syle Italian, here in So Cal. I'm down to two names. Which do you guys like better? One is red-themed. Cometa Rosso means "red comet" and is an obscure gypsy folk song. Luna Blu means blue moon.

[AsahinaKimi]

1. When I think of Blue Moon..

These guys come to mind..

[Cant trust em]

2. Cometa Rosso sounds a little more obscure.

I think the translation will be less obvious and more foreign sounding.

[old mark]

3. I like Blue Moon better...hope the food is outstanding .

We have better Italian restaurants here in Pennsylvania than I found in San Francisco, which was a real surprise to me.


mark

[hippywife]

4. Shouldn't really be surprising.

There were/are a lot of Italians that settled in PA. My favorite Italian restaurant is in Pittsburgh. :hi:

[old mark]

12. We live near a small town called Laureldale that has a fine restaurant

owned by a couple from Sicily. They came to NYC and cooked there for years, moved here and opened the restaurant about 15 yars ago.

We have had guests here from Philly and Boston who we took there and they could not believe how good the food was.

This area - as is Pittsburgh - is thick with restaurants, and you have to have really great food at good prices to stay in business. Great for anyone who loves restaurants!!!


mark

[hippywife]

5. dupe

[trof]

6. Blue Moon. You already have a theme song.

:-)

[mzteris]

7. Cometa in Spanish

means Kite -

would that be confusing to people in that area?

[Capn Sunshine]

14. I did not know that, and I'm fluent!

but it's new world spanish I learned. In Nicaragua its papagayo and in Mexico its papalote.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. My dear Capn Sunshine!

I greatly prefer Cometa Rosso. There are far too many Luna Blu or variations thereof all around.

Red Comets are rare, and therefore are more worthy of being the name of your new restaurant.

Sounds great, and good luck!

:toast:

[Capn Sunshine]

15. I feel ya Peggy

I think Cometa Rosso might be another in this chain, if we get that far. A variation on the theme.

[Capn Sunshine]

16. kick for a bigger sample

vote early , vote often

[noamnety]

9. I would go to luna blue but not cometa rossa

Pathetic but honest reason: I don't speak Italian, but I can pronounce Luna Blue - I can figure out if the vowels are long or short and which syllables to stress. I don't suggest restaurants I can't pronounce for fear of looking stupid.

(I also don't order menu items that have overly cutesy names. Just not comfortable with it.)

[Capn Sunshine]

10. OKay, fair enough!

Thanks for the feedback

[EvolveOrConvolve]

11. Alright, who voted for "Olive Garden"?

C'mon, fess up - someone likes frozen food steamed and served.

BTW Luna Blu, is a really cool name. I would definitely eat there just based on the name.

[Capn Sunshine]

13. I gave them an opening

there's some great senses of humor in the lounge. So this informal sampling it's 3-1 in favor of Luna Blu.

Hmmmm. Maybe I'll have to do another restaurant, because I'm not giving up Cometa Rosso. But wife says Luna Blu gets the nod, and she's the main wheel in this one. :hi:

[Capn Sunshine]

17. just got another vote for the OG

lol

[Crabby Appleton]

18. I voted for Luna Blu

had to use all my willpower to not vote for OG.

[Capn Sunshine]

19. Thank You

I think we're going with Luna Blu , but check out this Youtube of "Cometa Rossa"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdwfPd4_L9g

[Chan790]

20. Just my input as a veteran of food service and coming from a family of restaurateurs...

Luna Blu is kind of a bad name choice IMO. I doesn't speak to me and I find it dull. It's bland, common and not terribly original. It's not quite so bad in the way of every dipstick who opens a coffeehouse and thinks they're the first person to ever come up with The Daily Grind as a name....but it's pretty terrible. I'd probably never eat there honestly without a strong recommendation from a foodie I trust, based on that name alone...bad unimaginative not-terribly-unique names suggest bad unimaginative food designed to be bland and unoffensive to a broad number of palates and thus not terribly great either.

Ignoring the uniqueness angle, the names suggest completely different dining experiences etymologically. They say something substantial about your food. Cometa Rosso works provided the food provides the same sort of impression of vibrancy, passion and spice that the name suggests. Luna Blu suggests a certain sophistication and class, maybe not terribly authentic either but a strongly-considered fusion. Cool, calming, serene, sophisticated by its' lack of adornment allowing the qualities of each of the ingredients to show through. I'd probably go to Cometa Rosso if I were in the mood for a good arribiata or fra diavlo or maybe a roasted-red pepper-ravioli paired with a spicy-noted wine. I'd look to a Luna Blu if I were in the mood for a good Aglio Et Olio with pine nuts or maybe a spring-special Primavera utilizing local organic produce paired with a mild and fruity white or sparkling water.

An equal consideration is who do you want to draw to your restaurant? Close your eyes and picture the restaurant that each of those names brings to mind. I always like to use the dating scenario test on names as well; I'd go to Cometa if I were trying to close the deal and get laid and I'd go to Luna if I were trying to impress someone I thought might be wary on me. I see Cometa in a warm vibrant palate, slightly rustic: maybe a fireplace, stone-work, candles in bunches, brightly-lit, vibrant, A little-loud. It implies passion and fiery-creation. Luna suggests a cooler palate, modern: elegant-simplicity, cooler-tones, open-space, clean-lines, dimly-lit, a single candle on each table, quieter, cozy even. It implies romance and cool-sophistication. It's as simple as the colors in the name.

It's your restaurant though...go with what speaks to you, just make sure you do something to differentiate yourself. That's the true sin of the industry...if you're not special, you don't thrive. It's not your first restaurant though, you know that.

[tango-tee]

21. Definitely Luna Blu!

That has a great ring to it. Easily remembered and pronounced.

I wish you lots of success! Having lived in Sicily for four years, I would love to visit your restaurant some day. Tuscan food is outstanding as well. My next door neighbors moved to Tuscany (close to Lucca) years ago, bought an old mill and converted it into a small hotel. They recently published a cookbook with Tuscan home cooking.