Over the years, we have had the fortune of being served by what I like to affectionately refer to as professional waiters or bartenders; people that take their jobs so seriously and exude such sincerity, that I can only view these people as artists of their trade. The positive experience may start with a sincere smile the first moment they spot you. This isn’t about some tip-sniffing schmoozer who knows how to butter his own bread from his regulars and tourists. No. I’m talking about the true professional who regardless of whether he’s serving a first-timer or a 20-year veteran their ultimate objective is the optimum experience for you, the customer,
My first encounter into this world came via a well-crafted martini executed by Peter Karolis, a professional bartender at EJ’s Place in Skokie. Peter wasn’t shmoozy, and didn’t pretend to be your best friend, but he left no doubt that all the details that need paying attention to from behind the bar are being taken care of. A little banter here and there, that’s all. Peter never created the illusion that anything was more important to him than you’re happiness with your cocktail and being warm and fuzzy in his professional work space. He has since moved back to his native Greece. I’ll always miss his care and expertise whenever I hit the bar over at EJ’s.
If you’re looking to go home, there’s no use searching further than Birrieria Zaragoza. Go into this very small family-run Mexican diner where Norma, the family’s matriarch, will give you a warm greeting upon your arrival, and usually talk to you while making sure you get piping hot, homemade tortillas, the best available parts of the goat, and maybe if you are there at the right time, she’ll have you sample something she’s been cooking in the back kitchen. This is my home away from home thanks largely to her warmth and professionalism.
Even before the recent cocktail boom took hold, finding the ultimate professional bartender was a true mission for me; a person who not only knew and truly loved everything about the world of the cocktail but understood the importance of the sacred interaction between bartender and customer. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say (with the exception of Peter at EJs) that I never really found that over the years in Chicago…until I met Brad Bolt from Bar Deville. Show any interest in what’s truly happening behind the bar and a whole new world will be shared with explanations of mostly-unknown spirits they carry, cocktail-making techniques, or if you’re lucky, maybe sample some of the largely unknown spirits hitting the marketplace that he enthusiastically carries. Brad’s passion for cocktails is infectious and his ability to create an unpretentious environment to enjoy those drinks is unmatched anywhere in town.
There’s no question in my mind that the absolute best waiter in Chicago is in the oyster bar at Shaw’s Crab House. Watch William work the room and you’ll see what I mean on that front alone. He’s total grace whether under pressure or waiting solely on your table. Impeccably dressed and manicured, perfect posture…you get the idea. His sincere smile the minute he notices your presence is similar to what one hopes to get when traveling home for Thanksgiving. And importantly, his knowledge of which specific raw oysters are mandatory eats that day is always dead-on treasured advice. Even his simple descriptions of their characteristics don’t convey a sense of canned bullshit and needed self-stroking/credibility because he knows within himself that he’s highly credible when it comes to the world of oysters.
The man’s a master— plain and simple.
We certainly have shown a serious desire over the years to recognize restaurants for their excellence by awarding them with GNR awards. I see no reason why we shouldn’t do the same for the upper echelons of professional servers who have the ability to make even an ordinary experience something special.
Birrieria Zaragoza (Norma Zaragoza)
4852 S Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 523-3700
Bar Deville (Bradley Bolt)
701 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 929-2349
Shaw's Oyster Bar (William)
21 E. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-2722
EJs Place10027 Skokie Blvd
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 933-9800
Last edited by
PIGMON on April 4th, 2009, 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.