Opening a restaurant at any time is an expensive proposition.  When money is in tight supply as in today's marketplace, it becomes even more of a challenge.  In a November 8 article, "To Raise Cash, Restaurants Turn to the Crowd," New York Times writer, Glenn Collins , reported on a number of creative ways restaurateurs are finding funds while avoiding the common path of taking on big investors.  The popular web funding platform, Kickstarter, is one avenue, relatives might respond to a plea to make a dream happen, and other community-based approaches that include loans and memberships have been tried or are in the works.