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Richard Borenstein discovered the primary product of
The Big Tomato while having lunch in an Italian bakery in New York
several years ago. He says all it took was one bite and he knew he had
found a 'vastly superior' pizza, one he later learned had been named
best pizza at the 1939 World's Fair.
Borenstein says he was so convinced he had stumbled
upon a winner that he purchased the recipe, learned how to make the
crust and sauce and with his wife Phyllis opened the first restaurant
in Pinecrest in 1994 under the banner of The Big Tomato. The two
worked diligently to perfect the menu, creating an assortment of
specialty tomato pies, while adding salads and wraps. The operation
now includes stores in Kendall and Pembroke Pines, with another soon
to open in South Miami.
"Most of the people who have tasted one of our
tomato pies say it's the best pizza they have ever eaten," said
Borenstein. "That's why we've become one of the most popular
places to eat or order food for take-out or delivery in south
Miami-Dade."
Borenstein says he's now offering franchises to people
who want to operate their own stores and not just buy a restaurant as
a business investment.
"We want to make certain that every store that
bears our name serves tomato pies, salads and wraps that are as good
as the ones we serve," he said. "We are building the base of
our franchise network here in South Florida, where we can help each
franchisee to grow the business and become successful."
The Big Tomato's "Tomato Pie" is similar to
a pizza, made of a light, airy Italian pastry formed in a seasoned pie
pan, with a delicate, golden chewy crust, slightly thicker on the
sides and thinner in the center. Delicious cheeses, savory sauces and
a wide variety of unusual and interesting toppings flow to the edges.
Natural ingredients are used in preparation, with no added sugars or
fats.
"It's so good," said Borenstein, "that people come here
all the way from Broward County and South Beach just to get one."
Customers may order a tomato pie with the usual pizza
toppings such as sausages, anchovies, goat cheese, pepperoni,
mushrooms and bell peppers. There are also 18 named and numbered pies
each holding different ingredients and topping combinations -- to
select from.
These include the Baja Barbeque Pie, featuring chicken
breast, marinated in a smoky barbeque sauce with red onions, Gouda
cheese and cilantro; Santa Fe Sensation Pie with chicken breast, fresh
tomatoes, salsa, jalapeņo peppers, three kinds of cheese and
cilantro; Sweet Jamaican Jerk Pie; Tangy Thai Pie; Sinful Spinach Pie;
Hawaiian Holiday Pie; Fiesta Frijoles Pie; to mention only a few.
There are also four everyday special pies -- the
Spin-Broccoli, Mediterranean Magic, Tex-Mex Shrimp and Sweet Sunshine.
All tomato pies are available in either eight-inch or ten- inch sizes.
The Big Tomato also features sumptuous salads served
in French bread baskets and customers may choose from nine freshly
made delights including Caesar, garden green, Szechwan chicken, chef
salad, hot taco, Greek and several others.
And, in addition to garlic herb mini-loafs in three
varieties and delicious homemade soups, The Big Tomato also offers
five tasty and satisfying wraps, sometimes called rollers, which are
various fillings rolled in a flour tortilla and sliced in five
two-inch rounds. The Big Tomato wraps are the Original with turkey
breast or ham, cheese; the Philly, with lean roast beef and Mozzarella
cheese; the Veggie, with spinach, carrots and other vegetables; the
Club with turkey, roast beef or ham; and the Tuna roller.
"We insist on using absolutely fresh ingredients
in every product we make," said Borenstein. "That's what
helped to establish our reputation."
The Big Tomato supplies fresh tomato pies to the
Bloomingdale's store in the Falls every day, ships frozen pies to
California, the William's Island Resort and several South Beach
hotels. Borenstein says he has plans to make some of his salad
dressings and tomato sauce available through wholesale distribution
channels.
"All of the franchises sold to date have been to
people who first learned about The Big Tomato as customers in the
Pinecrest store," said Bruce Elfenbein, a long-term friend of the
Borensteins who recently joined the firm as vice president of
franchise sales and marketing.
"We have a superb product and a proven
system," he said. "Now we're ready to work with people who
are as devoted to quality as we are. Unlike most franchises in which
the franchiser retains a percentage of gross sales, we offer ours on a
flat fee basis. We will assist franchisees in every phase of the
business, from planning and site selection to store design, working
with suppliers, training and marketing. The typical store will have
between 1,000 to 1,400 square feet, six to seven employees, including
two drivers who will deliver within a three-mile radius, and seating
for up to 20 customers."
Elfenbein says the company hopes to open as many as 10
franchised stores in South Florida over the next 12 months.
The original Big Tomato is located at 12447 South
Dixie Highway, (305) 233-3344. The Kendall store is in the Kendall
Mall at 107th Street and Kendall Drive, (305) 598-4454. For franchise
information, please call the Pinecrest store, (305) 935-5183, or send
a fax to (305) 233-2211
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