I've been trying to experience as many new places to eat as possible. Sometimes I google the places here to check out the reviews from other food inspired folk but lately I haven't seen reviews for any in which I was interested. Like today…who likes Big Bad Breakfast? (No reviews.) Then, I eat there and find it delightful. I'm left wondering, "Why hasn't someone posted about this place?" (Again, like today after eating at Big Bad Breakfast.)
So I sit and try to zero in on what dishes made my dining experience so rewarding and I come up with the same thoughts time after time.
-Was it the menu offerings? Well, yeah, everything sounded mouthwatering even if they weren't over the top unique.
-Were there enough options from which to pick? There were plenty of options both sweet and savory.
-Did the menu profile make it stand out and be distinct from other restaurants? Sure. (Oh look! I can get pan fried oysters with my eggs!)
- And, very importantly, my meal was cooked properly and plated artfully.
It soon becaime obvious to me that the real glue that held all of those positive notes together was the server. That bright face, that caring demeanor, and their obvious capability provided the necessary backdrop to take a simple, good meal to the next level of a memorable meal. Bottom line is I can cook eggs at home. I can dredge up some oysters that are fantastic. And frankly, I'll put my bartending skills up against anyone's. But it takes someone else to make you feel welcome, invited, nurtured. Then you hand that job over to a stranger that doesn't know you from Adam in the garden and you realize what an artist a good food server actually is. It takes years of practice to learn both the mechanics of timing and menu knowledge as well as the intangible skill of 'people handling'. Suddenly, 20% doesn't seem like that much.