“I’m going to order you the steak bites,” Rechell the bartender said to the three men at the bar to our right. They had ordered drinks, but she wanted to make sure they didn’t miss the food samplers that came free with happy hour drinks. Elbow Room Bar and Grill was founded in 1955, and it’s often received local awards. The interior has a warm feel, with dining, bar, and banquet areas.
But since it was a pleasant autumn afternoon in Fresno, it was nice to sit in the patio’s bar area. It was also nice to be there at 4:00 pm instead of after 9:00 pm, when smoking is apparently permitted in the covered patio. Still, the big stone fireplace is probably a cozy spot on a cool evening.
When we first sat down, we didn’t see a bartender, but a couple of guys at the bar had drinks. We figured we had nothing better to do, so we just waited and idly watched the NCAA game on one screen and NHL on the other. A waitress came by, brought menus, answered our questions, and took our orders.
Unlike some other guys who came later, WE knew that food samples came with our drinks -- that’s one of the reasons we came during happy hour. I got an Angry Orchard (which frankly, I might be overdoing as my go-to) and Mindy said she was in the mood for cranberry and vodka (she’d decided before we left home, mostly because she’s been embarrassed by her own indecisiveness far too many times). Since both of us had drinks from the happy hour menu, we didn’t just get the ginger steak bites, but also classic deviled eggs as well.
After we’d been there about fifteen minutes, Rechell arrived for her shift, and she did her prep work while also taking orders from people at the bar and servers who were covering the patio tables. She greeted guests she knew as they walked by while she stocked the liquor, filled up the olives, cleaned the sink, and washed glasses.
In spite of being busy, she also cheerfully took time to answer our usual two questions, “What makes for a good bar?” and “Whether you go or not, what makes for a good church?”
She said that a good bar had “good drinks and actually the people. Number one is the people. Oh my gosh, there are so many things. You have to be comfortable. Good service. It’s nice to be treated well.”
I asked what she thought was the best thing about Elbow Room, and she said, “It’s the customers. The people make this place. The clientele here is amazing. There’s such a variety, but everybody just gets along. Doctors, lawyers, ranchers, and construction workers.”
She was busy, but she had time to answer our other question, too. She said a good church had, “Good people, definitely, and, of course, the preacher.”
People did seem to be enjoying themselves, many meeting friends or colleagues, some already enjoying the long holiday weekend. We were happy with the hour we spent there.
No comments:
Post a Comment