Cherry Limeade Recipe

A brief break between shifts on a double today.  I have worked exceptionally little over the last two weeks.  This of course meant that it was too hot for anyone to sit on the patio this afternoon for my patio shift.  A piece of Sockeye Salmon over a mushroom risotto with a white wine sauce topped with marinated diced tomatoes made it worth my while.  This reminds me that I need to write up my post on rule six.  Expect rules five and six in the coming days.

The other task I accomplished is sitting down with Kansas City’s most vivacious mixologist and cocktail critic to create a simple cherry limeade recipe.  I have written about my cherry limeade line and why it is such powerful tool to read your tables.  I have also discussed the number of search engine hits I get looking for a cherry limeade recipe.  Today, I decided to finally reveal the recipe to the drink that still officially appears on my restaurants menu as “The Hayden.”

Read the full post at Foodie Knowledge

Clip Show: Starting a Blog

In television they call them clip shows.  Instead of producing a new show, they edit together clips of old shows to create the illusion of a new episode.  So I am right about at the two month mark on this blog.  I could dishonestly say that this post is a clip show.  In reality I am taking a trip tomorrow to one of my favorite towns, Columbia, MO, to see some of my favorite people.  Before I go I committed to myself that I would write two more posts.  The post on crabs is still coming on Friday.

I realize that a lot of people reading this are either bloggers or blog-curious.  I thought I would share some of my reflections on starting this thing and some of the stats I find amusing.

Read the full post at Restaurant Laughs

The Rules of Serving: Rule Three

Rule Three: Generic Servers Receive Generic Tips.

We all have seen it before.  The server who walks up to a table and lifelessly repeats the corporate approved script when greeting a table.  They seem as if they are only about three more repetitions from developing a facial tick from irritation.  No inflection or signs of life.  Reading between the lines is not difficult and roughly translates to “what do I have to bring you to get you to leave?”

Then there is the other kind.  They walk up to the table and give you a more enthusiastic greeting than you got on your last birthday.  They ramble on through the generic script punctuating it with adjectives like “awesome” and “incredible.”  They suggest 37 specific drinks to start you off with before looking at the table to see you got your first round at the bar.  As they turn away from the table their posture immediately changes in a way that translates to, “thank goodness that is over.”

Read the full post at Tips For Improving Your Tips

I Make A Mean Cherry Limeade

If my tombstone was written by coworkers, guests, or bartenders it would read, “Here lies Dave, he made a mean cherry limeade.”  I have declared this to every table I have served in the last three years.  When you order a cherry limeade at my restaurant, the chit prints up at the bar with simply my name.  Guests who I have waited on before recognize me from the line.  Perhaps no one other than Sonic has done more to increase awareness of cherry limeades in my town than I have.

Here is the initial drink pitch:

Read the full post at Tips For Improving Your Tips