In general, "as life has become more casual, kitchens have become more casual as well," said Maura Jarach, an associate broker with the New York office of Keller Williams Realty.
Why We Love It: This looks like a casual traditional kitchen which rightly matches the personality of famed chef Wolfgang Puck.
While the hotel has a distinct resort feel with a palm-fringed pool enclave, a DJ-hosted lobby bar, casual open-kitchen restaurants and a yacht-filled harbour, it is only about 13km from the CBD by cab – or via one of the hotel's Audi, Porsche or BMW sedans.
That property was bought in 2004 by Matthew and Gail Kar, who also run the more casual Jamesport Country Kitchen, and Frank and Anne McVeigh.
We are led through the busy izakaya (a casual bar and kitchen) to a table and handed the menu, obviously all in Japanese.
The atmosphere is informal and friendly, but there is nothing casual about the kitchen, where the chef, Marc Minella (formerly of Solaia in Greenwich) and his very competent staff turn out wonderfully creative dishes.
At night, it turns into a BYO restaurant which is too expensive for the purposes of this "budget" round up, but by day it operates as a casual cafe, the kitchen turning out good, honest, freshly cooked food at keen prices.
Casual consumers and kitchen evaders were the most reliant on convenience food and notably were the most wasteful.
On the interior, he said, "the layouts are designed for a casual lifestyle with kitchens opening into the living room like a beach house".
It is casual with an open kitchen, tile floors and waiters in striped shirts and spiffy ties.
