Food Isn’t Everything

If a restaurant  has mediocre food but great customer service I will return. If you’ve read my earlier posts or saw my video on The Classic Martini, you know I’m a little old fashion. Today I was once again reminded of how old I’m getting. I stopped into a pizza place that had a bar.  I didn’t really expect the bartender to known what a perfect Rob Roy was but I ordered one expecting to explain how to make it. What I didn’t expect was for the bar not to stock dry vermouth. “You don’t make martinis?” “Sure,” says the bartender, “but no one asks for vermouth. We have sweet vermouth.” I ordered a beer and a pizza to go.

A close friend of mine passed away last week and he would occasionally order a perfect Rob Roy. I’m not sure if he really liked the drink of would order it just to see the blank expression on the face of the person taking the order. So for the last week I’ve been ordering the drink to honor his memory.
Here’s the recipe: In a cocktail shaker add ice and
2 ounces Scotch
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
2 dashes of bitters
Stir and strain into a cocktail glass or over ice and garnish with a lemon peel.

Just as I was thinking that I’d never returned to this place the bartender returned and asked me to explain once again how to make the perfect Rob Roy.  He had gone to the bar next door and had returned with some dry vermouth in a rocks glass. Now THAT’S customer service. I doubt if this one location pizza joint had extensive training but this kind of service is exceptional and is not easily taught. It comes from within. It was part of this bartender’s upbringing. Kudos to the person who had the good sense to recognize this person’s willingness to go the extra mile.

Ethan is my SEE™ (Service Exceeding Expectations) winner for the month of September. Thank you Ethan, thank you for making my day. And I’ll be back for mediocre pizza and great service.