In today’s (January 15, 2006) Strib, there was an interesting series of articles about Lake Pepin in winter. In addition to discussing the surprisingly pleasant scenery during the “off-season”, there were many details about the delightful dining experiences throughout the area. In a sidebar article with anecdotes about the road trip around Lake Pepin, there was a fact that really grabbed my attention.

In Wabasha, Nosh (one of the featured restaurants) tracks its reservations by phone number. Chef/owner Greg Jaworski said that “about a third come from Rochester, a third from Winona, and about a third split up between Wabasha and the Twin Cities”.

It certainly demonstrates the potential regional economic development power of a destination restaurant.