How did business lunch historically come about?
A business lunch is a lunch for busy people served in restaurants during certain hours, most often between 12 and 15. It includes tasty, hearty but easy-to-prepare dishes so that you can have time to eat during your lunch break. And business lunch is also relatively inexpensive compared to the regular menu, which also makes it attractive to office workers.
Each of us has been to a restaurant for business lunch at least once in our lives, but not many people know its history. Let’s fix that!
How it all began
Business lunch appeared in England in 1706. In those days, businessmen did not have their own offices, and all important issues were solved in restaurants, over a shot of cognac or a cup of coffee and a cigar. Tea was not served in such places — the drink was considered rare and expensive, and it was more often preferred by women, who were not allowed in places where men drank alcohol and smoked tobacco.
Restaurateur Thomas Twining decided to kill several birds with one stone at once — he opened a tea room at his restaurant and introduced the drink into everyday life, excluding alcohol on principle. The news that there was a quiet place where you can quietly negotiate, soon spread throughout London, and gradually the restaurant acquired a reputation as a business center. And the snacks served with tea and sandwiches, which were invented in the same England a little later, began to be called business lunch — that is, a lunch at which all business matters could be resolved.
In our country, the convenience of business lunch was appreciated a little later — only in the 19th century, and it was served exclusively in inns. And in the days of the Soviet Union it changed its name altogether, becoming a «set lunch». In inexpensive establishments this phrase is still used today, while decent restaurants have returned the business lunch to its usual name, although the principle of the three-course menu has been preserved since the Soviet times.
Where to try
Today, business lunches are offered by most of the capital’s establishments. Usually they are a standard set of soup, salad and hot food, sometimes they can be supplemented with drinks and desserts. At the same time, the dishes themselves may vary, and it usually depends on the cuisine offered by the restaurant.
There are business lunches and in the menu of Belgian brasseries Lambic. And it bears little resemblance to the Soviet «complex lunch» — here we are rather talking about refined cuisine. For example, you can order cheese soup with shrimps, fish and chips with tartar sauce, bruschetta with chicken liver with caramelized onions for only 790 rubles. Salad+soup" or ‘salad/soup+hot food’ sets will cost you even cheaper. And since Lambic is a beer restaurant, you can ask for a glass of refreshing beer to pair with the dishes, breaking all Thomas Twining’s principles. We are waiting for you for lunch!
Jeju Beer Company: legendary craft from South Korea
When talking about good beer, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic and other European countries are most often mentioned. And the reason for this is not that other parts of the globe do not make high-quality foam, it is simply that many varieties simply do not reach Russia. It is about such a case — the famous South Korean beer of Jeju Beer Company — that we will talk today. History of the brewery Jeju Beer Company was founded in 2015 on the largest Korean island of Jeju. The company, whose main mission is to create a new beer culture in the country, became the first global craft brewery in Korea, and in a short period of time — also the most popular. According to analytics, one bottle of Jeju Beer is purchased every three seconds in the country. In 2017, the company introduced a series of new wheat beers, including the already sensational Jeju Wit Ale, Jeju Pellong Ale and Jeju Slice. The highlight of these brews is the composition: the unique flavor of the beer is given by the rind of gamgyul, a citrus plant native to Jeju. Now Jeju Beer Company’s beer is exported to Taiwan, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and other countries of the world. The global distribution network of the Korean brewery is ensured by partnership with Brooklyn Brewery. Jeju Beer Company is a winner of many festivals, in particular, the winner of silver medals of Australian International Beer Awards and Korea Liquor Awards 2019 in the category of craft beer. Best brews One of the most popular brews is Jeju Wit Ale. It is a luxurious wheat beer with the addition of the aforementioned Jeju Island citrus and coriander. The drink has a delicate floral aroma and a pleasant taste dominated by citrus notes. The beer recipe was developed in collaboration with Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and winner of the James Beard Award, which is called the «Oscars» for chefs in the beer industry. Special attention should be paid to Jeju Pellong Ale. This is an American Pale Ale style beer with a citrusy aroma dominated by tones of apricot. The flavor has the sweetness of the tropics. The aftertaste is dry, with a pleasant citrus bitterness. There is also Jeju Geomeong Ale, a dark beer made with local black barley and chocolate malt. The drink has a rich flavor that reveals tones of coffee and dark chocolate. The same notes, as well as malt sweetness, can be felt in the taste of the drink. You don’t have to go to South Korea to try Jeju Beer Company beer. Come to Lambic! Our beer restaurants have hundreds of high quality beers from all over the world. We also have delicious food, excellent service and always cozy atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
23 January 2025
Belgian waffles: history of origin and interesting facts
If you ask anyone what Belgium is associated with, most people will name three things — a sculpture of a boy in Brussels, beer and, of course, waffles. Flavorful, airy and crispy, they have long ceased to be just a dish on restaurant menus and have become a real culinary landmark of the country. Back in the past Surprisingly, the history of the most famous waffles originates not in Belgium, but in the United States. During the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, Belgian pastry chef Walter Clement introduced his unique dish to the Americans. The waffles, served with strawberries and whipped cream, were so well liked by the local population that they soon spread throughout America. It is said that in the first four months after the «premiere» more than half a million waffles were sold in the United States. It is believed that the name «Belgian» was established because not all Americans knew where Brussels was located. In their homeland, Belgium, the famous waffles are called only Brussels waffles. Did you know that... Brussels waffles are made from yeast dough in cast iron waffle makers, which makes them soft on the outside and crispy on the inside. Some pastry chefs add a secret ingredient to it, but what it is they don’t reveal. There is speculation that it could be one of the beers, but there is no proof for this theory. Brussels waffles are often confused with Liege waffles, which are also made in Belgium, in the city of Liege. But these are different dishes: Liege waffles are drier, more like buns, and their dough contains bits of caramelized sugar. Classic Belgian waffles are sweet, served with coffee or tea. But there are also unsweetened waffles with different fillings. Where to try Of course, it is better to taste any national dish at home, but if you can’t go to Belgium yet — come to Lambic! Our Belgian beer restaurants have everything to feel the real taste of this wonderful country: dozens of varieties of beer, national cuisine and cozy atmosphere. And for Belgian waffles we have allocated a whole section with sweet classics with strawberries and ice cream, and unsweetened potato positions with fish, meat and other fillings. Come — it will be delicious!
23 January 2025