Message 6476 of 22774 in Behind the Bar

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I'm of the opinion that you simply want to argue. But, I'll step into this 
anyway.

I've gotta assume you haven't been tending all that long if this so-called 
"event" has you so worked up.

In my city, you'd be hard pressed to find a printed drink list in any bar. 
Even when I travel to NYC, etc. the only list I see is some glossy photo job 
sponsored by Bacardi or some other brand trying to push their product in some 
chain restaurant. The only reason for a list is for those customers that sit 
there going, "Gee, I don't drink very often, what do you suggest? Got anything 
fruity? What's really good? blah, blah, blah...."


You say: "O.K Look I just feel that the type of drinks that you make define 
the type of establishment you are." No - your arrogant attitutde has defined 
the type of establishment you are.

I know some places that will not make drinks when ordered by some obscene name 
and even some places (PF Changs) that will not make shots. But these are 
restaurants with a so-called bar - not a bar alone. 

You say: "After talking to half a dozen chefs they all said they would not 
pull this type of shit." Well, that's great, but you are now talking apples 
and oranges.

You say: "Look our cocktail list ain't small 80+ drinks ok." Actually - if 
those are the only drinks you are willing to make, then your list is tiny (but 
I'm sure you've heard that before).

You say: "I prefer to make a smaller number of consistently good cocktails 
instead of a large number of mediocre ones Quality over quantity." WOW - you 
just said alot about yourself. I've never heard a professional bartender 
define himself/herself by the few number of drinks they can make well. Ask 
your chef buddies if a good chef can make a large number of great dishes or 
only a few? Every professional bartender I know can make hundreds of excellent 
cocktails and they add to their list all the time. The key to being an 
excellent tender is understanding the ingredients, how they work (or don't) 
together, presentation and attitude -Not how many recipes the memorize.

I gotta tell you, if I ordered a classic cocktail (yes, there aremore than 80 
classics) that bwasn't on your list and I could see the ingredients behind you 
and you said "no" - I'd be laughing my ass off as I (and your tip) walked out 
the door.

Not trying to slam you left and right here, but you sound like one of those 
snotty nosed restaurant tenders that think they are really hot but they don't 
even average 100 drinks a shift and spend more time thinking about stuff to 
get pissed over.

I've been tending for 14+ years and I still learn new things and drinks all 
the time. Some of the best things I learn are from my customers that come from 
all areas of the country.

Brian


> All right. This event happended a couple of weeks ago to me. A guy 
> walks up to the bar orders two beers, malibu and coke and a couple of 
> soft drinks. I start preparing them. Next he asks if we have midori, 
> I nod, blue curaco, nod again, absolute, "no house or smirnoff blue 
> lable only champ." next he asks if he can tell me how to make a 
> cocktail even though his friend has already got a cocktail list. At 
> this point my manager steps in and agrees to make but says this will 
> be the last time. Then the punchline he's a bartender. O.K. fine your 
> a bartender, but jesus do you think chefs walk into other restaurants 
> ask if they have such and such ingredients and then ask for a meal 
> thats not on the menue. I mean I dont know if this is just me or is 
> it others that find this totally wrong, rude and arrogant.


-- 
So, If I make you a cape cod in a cocktail glass - is that now a Capetini?