Lavastoviglie – that’s Italian for “Dishwasher” – is Jim Parks’ third Detroit restaurant, following Peaceful Cheese and Shove It. It opened two weeks ago, and even with pandemic concerns reservations are booked for the next five months.
Parks attributes this to the restaurant’s “focused conversation.” Each day a list of three topics is posted at the host stand. Patrons are required to limit their discussion to one of the three, or to any combination.
“Disjointed, disorganized chatter can quickly kill a new establishment,” says Parks. “When high-end diners hear people at another table blathering on about their first grader’s art project or their teacup poodles, they walk out and never come back.”
The conversation is curated by Helen Wortman, who performed a similar role at the six-star Astonish in Manhattan. Topics are changed daily, and last Wednesday included:
- Are you really the you you want to be?
- The crabcake revolution and what it means to the end-user
- Why does Bernie Sanders so rarely close his eyes?
And what if people don’t stick to the approved topics?
“We don’t allow that to happen,” says Parks, noting that the waitstaff is continually monitoring table talk. Diners not in compliance are given two warnings. “The third time,” he says, “we politely ask them to finish their meal in silence.”
It’s best to call ahead for reservations – and also a schedule of topics, since advance preparation is highly recommended.
