Tyler Florence, the popular Food Network host is teaming up with Applebees to "inject a youthful flair into an already outstanding menu," meaning that the restaurant that is primarily known for its family fare is hoping to attract diners in a different age bracket. The pairing makes sense since Florence's shows are geared towards a younger audience of less experienced cooks moreso than some of the network's programs. He is also known for helping to introduce home cooks to new ingredients and techniques in a familiar setting, which may make the new menu items he helped design more appealing. They include Penne Rosa with Sweet Italian Sausage; Herb-Crusted Chicken Topped with Italian Country Salad; Crispy Brick Chicken (a small flat-grilled chicken) with Warm Spinach Salad; and a Bruschetta Burger, which is a burger on focaccia, topped with a pesto and bruschetta mix.

Florence will also be feature in the chain's ads and will have a photo in their menus. The new foods will be available in mid-September.

You walk into a restaurant and, instead of the expected array of seating, there are only a handful of tables surrounding one large, central table that seats 20. The host smiles and directs you to seats between a couple reading the newspaper and a small group that is having a lively discussion. A few of the other diners seem to be keeping to themselves and a few more are drawing new people into their chatter. Generally, the food is not shared, but the space is.

The first time that you find yourself in a restaurant with a large communal table, your initial reaction might be something like mild shock because we are all so used to being seated at our own tables and not interacting with anyone other than members of our own party and the servers. Some people find it to be uncomfortable, eating a meal while seated with strangers, while others enjoy the experience.

Quite often, the things on which Consumer Reports reports don't make it online (or it's by subscription only), but since they tested casual dining restaurants - one of the most popular sectors of dining - it's no surprise that the story has popped up. Casual dining restaurants range from lower priced Cracker Barrel and Denny's to more upscale chains, like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. They're popular because not only do they offer a familiar option to hungry patrons, but you generally know exactly what you're going to get and how much it costs before you walk in the door. This can be a huge asset for diners on a budget.

CR grouped the chains by the type of food they offered and their price level, then rated them based on the survey results from 66,000 readers who ate 149,000 meals over the course of a year. If you're familiar with the magazine, you already know that they go into great detail on all the things that they review, so this piece doesn't even cover half of the info in the article. To get the full story, pick up a copy the next time you're out at the newsstand, but I'll share their quick picks for special occasions, where the food and service justify higher prices, and "good food at a good price", where price and quality hit an equilibrium:

Thomas Keller's new restaurant, which we first mentioned in passing when it was still just a rumor, is not officially going to open until July and the venture may be only a temporary one. Named Ad Hoc, the restaurant will serve a fixed price, four course menu each night it is open (Thursday-Monday) with a casual, Sunday dinner atmosphere. The food will be comfortable and homey, not as upscale as the French Laundry down the street, and will focus heavily on seasonal ingredients and foods that Keller says are some of his favorites, like fried chicken and beef stroganoff.

Ultimately, Keller plans to turn the space into either a burger restaurant or a sushi restaurant, so Ad Hoc might not be around all that long. They will not take reservations, so plan a trip through Yountville, CA to check it out before it's gone.

[via Food Section]