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What Makes a Great Bar?
Happy spring, Got Rum? readers!! With my new job, I have had the pleasure of going to a lot of bars and restaurants. They run the gamut too- from dive and sports bars to craft cocktail bars to fine dining restaurants. In regards to styles of cocktails I see everything too….from rum and coke to daiquiris to molecular mixology and liquid nitrogen. But what makes a bar great? Is it the cocktail menu? Is it how fancy the bartender stirs the drink? Yes, I believe these things matter, but in my honest opinion, it is all about hospitality.
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The history of the hospitality industry dates back to ancient Greek times, but it was around 40 BC according to experts that hospitality services for social and religious gatherings were quite common. The word hospitality comes from the French word “hospice” which means taking care of travelers.
During medieval times, caravanserais were built as resting destinations for caravans along Middle Eastern routes, provided as refuge. This gave rise to what we now know as modern day hospitality. Hospitality, at its core, is about pampering, taking care of, and helping others. The famous bartenders whose names we all recognize (Jerry Thomas, Ada Coleman, Harry Craddock and Victor Bergeron) were known not only because of their cocktail creations, but because of their personalities and large followings.
The pineapple became a symbol of hospitality as far back as colonial days, when American colonists would display them on their establishment or home’s door as a form of welcome to guests. The pineapple is still used in hotels, resorts, and restaurants all over the world as a symbol of hospitality, and if you look on your favorite bartender’s arm you might just see a tattoo of one as well! (I got mine in 2015).
So this brings me back to my original point-- what makes a great bar GREAT? It is how the bartender welcomes you, takes care of you and how he makes you feel. Many people can make a delicious cocktail, but the lasting impression they leave on you is what will make you want to go back and see them. The restaurant and hotel industry took a huge hit in this last year because of the pandemic, and it is slowly but surely rebuilding. If you are a bartender or service industry worker, dedicate every shift to showing genuine hospitality towards your guests, it will keep them coming back to you. And if you ARE the guest, thank them for their service, and tell a friend about your great experiences.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou
And because no Cris Dehlavi article is complete without a cocktail recipe, here is my favorite Pineapple RUM cocktail, the “Mary Pickford”:
- 2 oz. Plantation Pineapple Rum
- .5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
Shake all ingredients well with ice, strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry. Cheers!
Cris
