Not Every Food Establishment Should Offer Craft Cocktails

Not Every Food Establishment Should Offer Craft Cocktails

by | Aug 12, 2016 | IndiNews

The craft cocktail event horizon has long passed. The truth is that craft cocktails are no longer a new thing. We’ve reached a point where customers expect virtually every restaurant and bar to understand their obligation for offering the drinks, even if it isn’t their main selling point. And that’s a problem. Creating a craft cocktail list and keeping up with it night after night is far trickier than many people think.

Part of the issue lies in the fact that mixing a drink and doing it well is a complicated process. This especially rings true when the server is trying to throw together a dozen different concoctions in just a few minutes to keep bar goers happy. The number of bartenders who can juggle all that at once is blatantly insufficient for the demand.

The truth is that craft cocktails are no longer a new thing.

In addition, numerous establishments that have attempted to implement an ambitious cocktail menu in the past are ultimately forced to return to offering their regular drinks. It’s unrealistic to assume that every 20-something with a few months of hospitality experience can be taught how to make a proper craft cocktail.

More so than execution, however, what trips up restaurants and bars the most is the planning. Given the wide variety of craft cocktails that already exist, it stands to reason that there are literally billions of potential combinations for various ingredients. So it should come as no surprise that many of those cocktails taste quite terrible. Because of this, there are actually fewer combination possibilities that are worth exploring. To top it off, the majority of the great cocktails have already been created and named.

That doesn’t mean an establishment should not experiment and see what they can come up with. Just because most have been done, what’s to say the next great cocktail invention isn’t right around the corner? Restaurants and bars would have a far smaller drink lineup without that experimentation. At the same time, it also doesn’t mean that every business should be trying to create something patrons have never seen before.

The reality is that an increasing number of customers are demanding what used to be a novelty everywhere they go, and it doesn’t matter where they are.

Not all restaurants should attempt to reinvent the wheel when exploring its food options. The same holds true with bars and the drinks they offer.

Despite all of this, the reality is that an increasing number of customers are demanding what used to be a novelty everywhere they go, and it doesn’t matter where they are. Whiskey drinkers are no longer content to stick with a well-made Manhattan. Even diners at Asian restaurants are asking to see a craft cocktail menu, even if the establishment doesn’t have one.

That’s taking it a bit too far.

The unfair assumption that craft cocktails are served anywhere drinks are available damages everyone in the hospitality business. Restaurants and bars can’t please those customers who demand they comply with their unreasonable expectations. Patrons may not be able to guess whether or not a specialty cocktail will actually taste any good. And genuine craft cocktail bars are forced to watch their products become lost in the shuffle.

When someone wants to try something exotic, they will make it a point to find a bar that already has a creative drink on their menu.

Everyone loves to try a creative food or drink once in a while when they go out to eat. But most of us are reasonable enough not to expect every pizza place to have its own unique topping combination. Many people would balk if a restaurant tried something creative with fried chicken. So why should cocktails be any different?

Not all establishments should feel the need to give in to the pressure of coming up with something new – because truth be told, classic combinations are perfectly fine just as they are for the majority of the population most of the time. When someone wants to try something exotic, they will make it a point to find a bar that already has a creative drink on their menu. Let them have their moment, and they’ll return soon enough.

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Sirvo Says: Where to Find the Best Burger In Colorado

Sirvo Says: Where to Find the Best Burger In Colorado

by | Aug 1, 2016 | IndiNews

Colorado loves hamburgers! This is no surprise due to our western background and the fact that the “Cheeseburger” was invented here in Denver by Louis Ballast at his Humpty Dumpty Drive-In once located on Speer and Federal back in 1935. With the Denver Burger Battle right around the corner, we figured we’d hop around town to see who we thought had the best burgers in town. While there were so many great options to choose from, this is the list of the top ten that tantalized our taste buds the most. 

 

1. Highland Tap and Burger

If you’re going to put the word “Burger” in the name of your restaurant, you better have a great hamburger and HT&B doesn’t disappoint. The most apparent and popular choice is the Shroom Luva: an all natural beef patty, sautéed mushroom blend, Emmenthaler cheese (a variety of Swiss) & white truffle aioli! Pair it with a Stone IPA and you will be full and overly content. This is a great neighborhood spot, with a great staff.

2. Cherry Cricket

The Cherry Cricket has probably made it on every top ten burger list since its inception in 1945. This place is a Denver classic and us natives cannot picture a future without it. With all of the options that have entered town, the Cherry Cricket continues to pack them in and that can be attributed to one thing mainly, their hamburger. It’s easy, start with your choice of meat (beef, bison, chicken, black bean & turkey) and start building. Ever had peanut butter on your burger before, do it here! Oh and the Stuffed Jalapeños for an appetizer aren’t too bad either! P.S. If you’re looking for a job, check out Cherry Cricket’s page on Sirvo to see if they’re hiring.

3. Park Burger

With five Park Burger locations across town, this three time reigning Denver Burger Battle champion isn’t hard to find! While The Royale and the El Chilango are fan favorites, we like The Scarpone: ⅓ beef patty, provolone, crispy pancetta giardiniera & a truffle garlic aioli. Chef Jean-Philippe Failyau has brought elements of his fine dining background and fused that together with a casual burger joint. Great beer selection, atmosphere and concept make this place a legit option.

4. Meadowlark Kitchen

Located in RiNo, which is wrapped in Five Points, resides a hip and delicious establishment run by co-owners Casey Karns and Chef Joshua Bitz. Meadowlark Kitchen is not a burger place, but it has one of the most amazing burgers you will ever have simply called The Meadowlark Burger. Are you ready? It’s a cheddar sauce, candied bacon, an onion ring, poached egg, jalapeño confit all on a house made brioche bun. It’s marvelous and big and worth every bite.

5. TAG Burger Bar

Chef Troy Guard is one of the most recognizable names in the city and has been a major influence on Denver’s food scene. When you’re this big of a name, it makes sense that TAG Burger Bar’s best burgers is called Godzilla. This 2014 Denver Burger Battle People’s Choice Award winner is unlike any burger you will ever have, teriyaki sauce, shiitake mushrooms, butter lettuce, crispy tempura & smoked kewpi. Do it, and see if they’re hiring on the Tag Restaurant Group page on Sirvo! 

6. Steuben’s Food Service

Ladies and gentlemen…Steuben’s famous Green Chili Cheeseburger: a six ounce beef patty, covered with roasted Anaheim chilies, American cheese on a toasted challah bun. This burger has made it on almost every top ten burger list created and has been recognized by some national media outfits as well. Chef Brandon Biederman and Owner Josh Wolkon have provided this city and state with some of the best comfort food in town for the last ten years. Is it an elevated cuisine? Not necessarily, it’s comfort food done right. With all the buzz around their new location in Arvada, don’t forget about the original Steuben’s located in the uptown neighborhood where it all started. And, if you’re in need of a gig, why not check out the Steuben’s page on Sirvo to see their open jobs!

7. Acorn

One of, if not, the best restaurants in town ran by one of the best chefs in town. Chef Steven Redzikowski is becoming a household name with all of the accolades his two restaurants (OAK on 14th in Boulder) have received. Acorn’s Oak Grilled Double Cheeseburger (only on lunch menu) does not disappoint, harissa aioli, Gruyere a side of tater tots and you might as well add either an egg, fried pickle, avocado, bacon or maybe add all of them! Acorn is the place you bring friends or family who is visiting from out of town or where you take that date you are trying to impress, just so you know. Plus, their staff is great so if you’re ready for something new professionally, see if Acorn is hiring on their Sirvo page.

8. The Royal

A family friendly joint in a family friendly neighborhood (Berkeley). The Royal is where to take the kids to get some burgers and floats on a Saturday afternoon. An excellent staff provides you a timely and entertaining experience that will make you want to return every week. We suggest The Royal Jelly: a beef patty with honey-sweetened Habanero jelly, cream cheese, Bib Lettuce, sliced tomato. The Royal is the sister restaurant to Jelly (one of Cap Hill’s best brunch spots) and has been a wonderful addition to the fast growing Tennyson Street food scene.

9. West End Tavern

Since 1987, the West End Tavern has been serving some of the best BBQ in Boulder. We suggest starting with the Skillet Cornbread with a whipped honey butter and then for our main course we get the Double Double: a bacon double cheeseburger, smoky mayo, lettuce, tomato & onion. Wash it down with a Ron Burgundy: bulletin bourbon, Leopold Bros Tart Cherry Liqueur, bitters and a house-soaked bourbon cherry. The keywords here were honey, butter, cheeseburger, bourbon. You stay classy Denver and see if West End Tavern is hiring on Sirvo.

10. Larkburger

“One of these things ain’t like the other”, no it is not. Denver is one of the originators of the fast casual scene (ever heard of place called Chipotle?) and it would be a disservice to not include that type of concept on this list. Well that and the food at Larkburger is really good. What do we like best? The Tuna Burger: four ounce sushi grade Ahi tuna steak with wasabi ginger sauce, cilantro, marinated Tamari-miso served in a warm brioche bun. Best thing about this type of place, it doesn’t take forever to get your food and it has a sleek design that compete with most. It’s simply a great, local gourmet burger.

Clearly there are more than ten burger options to choose from in this great city of ours, but these are the one’s we like a lot. Now it’s time for you to check them out, we promise you won’t be let down!

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7 Ways to Make Your Resume Stronger

7 Ways to Make Your Resume Stronger

Crafting a strong resume is the first step in attaining the employment you’ve always wanted. Don’t just slap it together; instead, take the time to do it right with these helpful tips!

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5 Colorado Beers We’re Crazy About Drinking This Summer

5 Colorado Beers We’re Crazy About Drinking This Summer

by | Jul 25, 2016 | IndiNews

Looking for something to pair with the excruciating heat of summer? How about a frothy, cold, delicious craft beer? Whether you’re planning a car-camping excursion into the mountains, or an afternoon of day drinking at Wash Park, here are five best beers to enjoy for every occasion, courtesy of Thrillist. 

 

New WaveScreen Shot 2016-07-21 at 3.19.34 PM

Ratio Beerworks
River North
This RiNo brewery has slowly become a widespread Denver favorite, thanks to its consistently solid beers and killer taproom vibes. Back again for another summer release is New Wave, Ratio’s tart, low-ABV Berliner Weisse, and this year, it’s being released in bottles. Brewed with 300lbs of real strawberries per batch, the bright-pink, effervescent beer is “brewed with patio sessions in mind,” according to the brewery. Grab a bomber while you still can.

 

Heavy MelonScreen Shot 2016-07-21 at 3.25.46 PM

New Belgium Brewing Company
Fort Collins
Between its rotating Lips of Faith releases, the Fat Tire 25th Anniversary mixer, and the annual Tour de Fat celebration, our friends over at New Belgium are staying busy this summer. Yet somehow, the brewery still managed to debut a new seasonal beer in Heavy Melon… and it’s a solid summer ale at that. Brewed with melon and lime peel, this crisp, refreshing beer is perfect for patio and summer nights.

 

PriscillaScreen Shot 2016-07-21 at 3.29.29 PM

Oskar Blues Brewing Company
Longmont
Frequenters of the Tasty Weasel Tap Room, Oskar Blues’ tasting room in Longmont, will most likely be familiar with Priscilla. While it’s been on draft for a decade, this summer is the first time it’s being distributed in cans. Pouring a straw yellow with a bright nose, the light, effervescent witbier is a little fruity, a little citrusy, and a little tart. Be careful with this one. Thanks to its wildly drinkable characteristics, one beer can easily turn into three.

 

Alternating CurrantScreen Shot 2016-07-21 at 3.31.22 PM

Little Machine Beer
Jefferson Park
Little Machine has been slinging suds blocks from Mile High Stadium since opening last October. And while Alternating Currant has been on tap since day one, it’s making its official summer debut in 2016. Approachable and refreshing, this sessionable wild ale offers a distinct, fruity currant flavor paired with the perfect amount of bretty, funky goodness. Perfect for puckering on the brewery’s brand-new patio. 

 

Black Project Wild SaisonScreen Shot 2016-07-21 at 3.37.10 PM

Former Future Brewing Company 
Platt Park
The passion project of James Howat, the owner and brewmaster of Former Future Brewing Company, Black Project has racked up awards for their mixed-fermentation beers. Their latest, a draft-only wild yeast saison being released on July 1, features isolated, 100% coolship-caught yeast from Dreamland — the brewery’s golden sour ale. With notes of cloves, pepper, esters, and a hint of bubblegum, this dry finishing, bright saison is a perfect summer sipper. But be warned: The limited, small-batch deal will move quick.

Check out the rest of the best beer selections on Thrillist!

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9 Ways Working in a Restaurant Prepares You for Life

9 Ways Working in a Restaurant Prepares You for Life

by | Jul 22, 2016 | IndiNews

Let’s face it – working in a restaurant isn’t always (or even ever) glamorous. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t build character and skills that will help you later on in your life. In fact, it’s our humble opinion that everyone should work in a restaurant at least once in their life. Here are 9 ways working in a restaurant prepares you for life. 

You learn how to deal with mean people

People aren’t always the nicest, and, unfortunately, when you work at a restaurant you get to see the worst in humanity. You also have to deal with them–there’s no option of looking the other way when you have a customer ranting to you because their steak is too well done. Working in a restaurant equips you with the grace and patience you need to deal with people who aren’t on their best behavior.

Mistakes happen and you get over them

You’re never going to get through a restaurant shift without making some type of mistake, whether it’s mixing up Coke with Diet Coke, dropping a stack of dishes or doing something else that, honestly, you’ve probably already forgotten about. Restaurants move fast, so you learn to fix your mistakes quickly and move on without stewing over it.

On top of the physical multitasking, you also get really good at mentally storing a lot of information.

Multitasking

Working in a restaurant gives you mad multitasking skills. Taking a phone order while checking out a customer while training the new cashier? Check, check and check. On top of the physical multitasking, you also get really good at mentally storing a lot of information.

In a matter of a few minutes, you could be refilling water, taking an order, directing someone to the bathroom, cleaning up a spilled soda and making sure to talk to the chef about a customer’s dietary restrictions. You’ll find yourself walking around with a running checklist in your head that will never fully go away.

You’ll always leave good tips

Nothing makes you a better tipper when you dine out than having worked in a restaurant, even if you aren’t on the wait staff. You know first-hand how demanding the job is, and you don’t take it out on your waiter when your meal is a little overcooked, or it takes an extra five minutes for him to take your order. You get it, and you appreciate him.

You know how important it is to be on time for a job.

Punctuality gets ingrained

You know how important it is to be on time for a job because you’ve had enough experience as the one who gets stuck working an extra hour because the guy working the next shift slept in. This one is going to become a pet peeve, for the record.

Efficiency is everything

It is going to drive you CRAZY to see people walking to and from places empty handed. Is it really so hard to grab that empty glass from the coffee table since you’re going into the kitchen anyway?? You never walk around the restaurant empty-handed or without a specific purpose.

You know from working in a kitchen that nothing happens without a good team.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Cliche, yes, but you know from working in a kitchen that nothing happens without a good team. Whether you’re washing dishes, preparing food, waiting tables or greeting guests as a host or hostess, you are an important part of the whole dining experience for your guests. If one person falls out of line, doesn’t show up or messes up big time, everyone else has to pick up the slack.

The opposite is true too–when everyone’s working together and in a rhythm, it’s magical. You’ll try to recreate the team experience in every future job you have, and you’ll feel lost (and annoyed) when other people just don’t get it.

People skills

From the restaurant owner to the head chef to that annoying guy at table 9, you engage with a lot of different types of people every single day that you work at a restaurant. Working at a restaurant helps you quickly figure people out so you can engage with them in a meaningful way. This is going to come in handy with every single job you have after you leave the restaurant industry.

Working at a restaurant helps you quickly figure people out so you can engage with them in a meaningful way.

Organization

Everything has its place in a restaurant kitchen, and things don’t go well when anything is out of place. You’re going to be organized (possibly to a fault) after working in a restaurant, and you might freak out when your roommate keeps leaving pans on the stove instead of in the pantry, where they CLEARLY belong.

Working in a restaurant isn’t easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding. You’ll learn major life skills by working in a restaurant that can’t be taught anywhere else. These will help you when you decide to leave the industry, and they’ll definitely be a bonus if you decide to make a career out of working in a restaurant.

Find restaurant jobs on Sirvo now! →

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How Boilermaker Made It To Upscale Cocktail Menus

How Boilermaker Made It To Upscale Cocktail Menus

by | Jul 20, 2016 | IndiNews

As with most classic cocktail names, no one is really sure when the term “boilermaker” was first used or exactly what was originally served. In the workplace today, the name is associated with the trade union that represents blacksmiths, shipbuilders and a variety of welders and iron workers. The Oxford English Dictionary puts the origin of the word as a term specifically for steam engine builders first used sometime in the 1830s. So it’s appropriate that, throughout its history, the pairing of a strong shot of hard alcohol with a cold beer has always been associated with the working class.

BoilerMakerThat is, until recently, when it’s suddenly become the darling of any number of upscale (some might use the term “hipster”) drinking venues in the world’s trendiest cities, the patrons of which are unlikely to have work-calloused hands or come in at the end of the day covered in soot.

While the traditional dive bar boilermaker was cheap whiskey or bourbon paired with a PBR or Bud, this new incarnation is more likely to be Sazerac or Four Roses paired with a craft beer. It’s also more likely to run for much closer to $10 than any dive bar Boilermaker ever has.

The first evidence of the term “boilermaker” being used for the whiskey-beer pairing comes from British pub menus in the early 1900s.

How did we get from there to here? The beginning of the story is the most unclear part. The first attempts at distilling grain into what would eventually become whiskey began roughly 800 years ago, in the waning days of the medieval period in Europe. At the time, what they distilled was potent, but tasted absolutely nasty. So this is the likely origin of chasing whiskey with a beer to cleanse the palate.

Though it’s widely thought of as an American drink, the first evidence of the term “boilermaker” being used for the whiskey-beer pairing comes from British pub menus in the early 1900s. There was a long history throughout Europe of chasing a hard alcohol with a beer, but the practice was extremely uncommon in the United States until immigrants in the 1800s brought it over with them.

It’s unclear where the name “boilermaker” actually first appeared in the United States, but we do know that by the 1940s it was commonly seen on the menus at bars all around the country.

The “slam then drink” approach is widely regarded as the original method, though there’s no real evidence to prove this.

Boiler MakerThe traditional method of drinking is also a subject that is not historically verified and is still very much up for debate. There are three approaches to drinking a boilermaker: slam the shot first then drink the beer, chase sips of the shot with sips of the beer, or drop the shot glass entirely into the beer so that the two liquids mix. The lattermost of these methods was known to be practiced in British pubs in the 1600s, though under a variety of different names such as the “Pop-In.”

Modern bartenders will often call this a “depth charge” so that there is no confusion over what is being ordered. The “slam then drink” approach is widely regarded as the original method, though there’s no real evidence to prove this.

Boilermaker makes the upscale bar a more accessible place for those who don’t have the time to plumb the depths of the craft cocktail.

The only thing that is certain is that whiskey aficionados are cringing at the prospect of any of these options being perpetrated on anything better than a Jameson!

That’s the central point of the Boilermaker, however, and why it’s made a comeback in the most unlikely of places. It makes the upscale bar a more accessible place for those who don’t have the time or inclination to plumb the depths of the craft cocktail or Scotch scenes. It also represents a growing sense of embracing working-class roots in such venues, even if the price point is now at a level that the average working-class patron can’t afford.

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Creative Ways to Deliver the Restaurant Check

Creative Ways to Deliver the Restaurant Check

by | Jul 18, 2016 | IndiNews

Usually, one of the least enjoyable parts of going out to eat is paying the bill. With all of the creative ways you work to “wow” your customers, from signage to social media to redesigned spaces, what are you doing to impress guests at the close of their meal? The Restaurant Hospitality magazine talked to a few operators who are thinking outside of the traditional check presenter.

Geraldine’s, on the fourth floor of the Hotel Van Zandt, in Austin, TX, delivers its checks inside vintage books that highlight Texas history and Austin Music. Geraldine’s Director of Food & Beverage, Tobias Peach, says, “Guests love it and often comment on the books being a charming surprise at the end of their meal.”

The notebooks started as just a fun and easy presenter, but soon guests were writing mini reviews, notes to servers and chefs, and it just kind of took off.

At Honey Salt in Las Vegas, owner and founder Elizabeth Blau says that when Honey Salt first opened, they were looking for new ways to connect with friends and guests and chose notebooks as check presenters.

“The notebooks started as just a fun and easy presenter, but soon guests were writing mini reviews, notes to servers and chefs, and it just kind of took off,” says Blau. “We have a whole cabinet of them in the office, and sometimes it’s great to flip through and be able to relive the stories of the restaurant. I much prefer them to reading Yelp reviews.”

Digital bill folder made our table servers more efficient, and as a result, we’re able to turn tables more quickly.

Emory’s on Silver Lake in Everett, WA, uses a digital bill folder to cleverly disguise a high-tech RAIL payment terminal inside the otherwise normal looking check presenter. G.M. Robert Frost says the main reason they made the switch was for customer card security.

“We didn’t want to be the restaurant that had a customer’s card information breached,” he says. “The system has helped us from both a labor standpoint and from an efficiency standpoint. It’s made our table servers more efficient, and as a result, we’re able to turn tables more quickly.”

The ones who go on Yelp are either angry or love it; in Saylii we see many happy or neutral customers.

Several restaurants in San Francisco are testing a new app called Saylii, which asks customers to share their experience via writing, voice recording or video at the time of check payment, according to Saylii CEO Esther Kuperman.

“We’re seeing that the restaurants are getting reviews from people who generally never post reviews,” says Kuperman. “Usually, the ones who go on Yelp are either angry or love it; here we see many happy or neutral customers.”

More check delivery ideas

  • Utilize branded wooden clipboards and attach postcards showcasing local artists or upcoming events at the restaurant.
  • Use an item that represents your brand, such as a miniature pizza paddle, a mason jar, or a coffee cup to deliver the check.
  • Attach the check to a personalized photo album that highlights the buildout—or history—of your restaurant.

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