TALES FROM BEHIND THE BAR
If there is one profession that places its workers in ringside seats to the world, it’s the men and women who tend bars.
Much like psychiatrists, bartenders stand witness of a host of human behaviors, and they’re adept at listening to people with stories to tell. The only difference is that pulling the ear of a bartender is free, except for the money spent on whatever libations they sling.
We reached out to a handful of esteemed bartenders throughout San Diego to ask what customer interactions remain forever etched in their minds.
What we heard were narratives ranging from good to bad to comical and racy. We also gave them a opportunity to share with us their signature cocktails or latest and greatest concoctions.
Don’t count on winetender Nick Chable to choose your vino if you don’t peruse the menu first. He learned a lesson once from a well-dressed guy who came into The Wine Lover with a few friends.When Chable started handing him the wine list, the man said, ‘I don’t like menus’ but made it clear that he loves cabernet sauvignon. (The good ones, as we know aren’t cheap.) So he asked for a bottle of Chable’s choosing.
After washing down a cheese board with a second bottle of the cab, he was given a reasonable bill for $100. But he rudely pro- tested it, saying he expected to spend only $20 per bottle.
“We gave him a deal and ended up losing a percentage on that bill,” said Chable. “Today, if people ask me to pick their wine, I’ll definitely help. But they have to make the final decision from the menu.”
Current wine favorite: Stolpman Vineyards Syrah from Ballard Canyon in Santa Ynez. “It’s a deep, rich luscious syrah. We’re one a few places that carry it,” Chable noted.
