When the Staff Surprises You... In a Good Way!

No, kids, I'm not talking about the Happy Birthday brigade that half-heartedly marches out to make an unwanted surprise more awkward.  I'm talking about when your server gets creative and active and takes that little extra step to make your dining experience even better.  This is what happened when I went to the Chart House this past weekend.




When it comes to the Chart House, I'm usually never disappointed in what I select because the chefs take full accountability of the dishes that they prepare.  What happened to be a pleasant surprise was the server.  I like it when the server is enthusiastic and ready to accommodate your dining needs, and the server at Chart House was great.  Even after we had presented our "Prix Fixe" menu coupon to her, she didn't get discouraged like some servers do with that, "oh, I guess my tip will be non-existent" look when a patron presents their, "buy one, get the whole darned family for free, no limit, no exceptions" coupons, usually detached from those "fun"d-raiser coupon books the size of a small phone book sold door-to-door by poor little Catholic school girls in the retched, humid, South Florida heat.  But I digress.

She offered us a "secret" special.  What was it, and why was is "special?"  Well, it was special because she introduced me to something she got to try while on vacation in Keys, a chocolate ganache rimmed wine glass filled with the house cabernet!  And the reason this special was secret was because she was the only person offering it to her tables.  It was quite the score!  Well, at first, when this messy ganache coated glass was set down, I had my doubts. Y'know, about licking my fingers in a "casual fine dining" restaurant, and having a ring of dark chocolate ganache on my face... But it was surprisingly delicious as a dessert!  The chocolate and the wine was an excellent pairing.  The thick, rich, ganache was cut by the cabernet in a way that made a non-wine drinker, very very happy.  The bite of the wine was subdued by the ganache.  It was like the wine and ganache made each other mellow out in a really good way.  My server did admit that she hadn't quite figured out the right consistency of the ganache to rim the glass, but I let it slide since it was awesome.  Things could have been worse.  It could have been my birthday ;)