(Gold stilettos, fur stoles and short jackets, and dresses accented with chiffon dominate the female fashion trends.) “That looks like trouble,” I joke to Hardin as he walks by with a large tray full of tequila shots.įor the rest of the evening, I position myself in front of the open kitchen, which offers a great vantage point. As the lounge area starts to fill up, I relinquish my precious bar real estate to the three bartenders.Īs I make my way through the restaurant halfway through the evening, it’s apparent the scene in the dining room is changing: the music’s getting louder, the dresses are getting shorter and the average age is heading younger. “It’s basically booze on booze on booze,” he says, “but it’s perfectly balanced.” I couldn’t agree more, though Martinis, more often than not ordered dirty, vie with Champagne to top the drink orders tonight. To further my, um, education, bartender Matt Gaertner thinks I should try one of M&A’s most popular cocktails, Scotchy, Scotch, Scotch, a mix of Glenmorangie 10-year Scotch, David Nicholson 1843 Bourbon, Cocchi di Torino, Grand Marnier and a Laphroaig float. There’s a slight lull in the restaurant as I head to the bar for my next ‘shift.’ But not before getting a glimpse of Gordon Hardin, another maitre d’, perfectly sabering a bottle of Champagne before pouring it into the coupe tower on the 10-top table. “It’s like a culinary lap dance,” says Marks as he gathers his gear and heads back to the kitchen. Judging from the way the tower of flames captures the attention of the table being served as well as the ones around it, I have no doubts. ![]() Typically, they serve about 10 bananas foster a night, but Marks predicts tonight they’ll do at least 20. “Let’s go have some fun,” says Marks as he grabbed a burner and tray along with the ingredients to make the evening’s first flambéed dessert. Part of elevating the experience includes a tableside preparation of bananas foster. “We’re a steakhouse, but we want to bump up your experience.” “My job is to walk around the room and make sure customers are having fun,” he says. It was almost like a synchronized dance routine as he effortlessly moved around the 160-seat dining room, folding napkins, greeting regulars by name, deftly grabbing dirty dishes and helping servers plate side dishes-which, he says, is a great way to connect with people and get a sense of the table’s vibe. If I thought keeping up with Chang was tough, Marks would prove to be even more challenging. “It’s our commitment to throwing the best party in town.” “We want to bring back maitre d’ culture,” Chang says as she departs. While I didn’t actually “work”-my service days are best left in the past-I did take Chang up on her offer to observe the goings-on at one of Chicago’s top restaurants on its busiest night of the year.ĪFTER WALKING ME THROUGH HER PACES for the evening, Chang hands me off to Mason Marks, one of M&A’s three maitre d’s. ![]() I quickly agreed-did I mention wine was involved?-and that’s how I found myself at the swanky Gold Coast steakhouse at 5pm on December 31 st. “You should come work with us!” she said. ![]() Or, at least, that’s what I thought a few weeks back when I said as much to Belinda Chang, partner and director of wine and service at Maple & Ash, at a media event after a couple glasses of wine. (For the record, I feel the same way about brunch, but that’s another story.) So while I have no fond memories of getting dolled up on the last night of the year after securing a coveted dinner reservation, I do miss being at a restaurant on New Year’s Eve-as a server, rather than a customer. I’m a die-hard member of the second group, even though friends have tried to convince me otherwise. WHEN IT COMES TO DINING OUT ON New Year’s Eve, either you’re a fan or you’re not.
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