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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/28636
really understands Belgian beers, because of their crisp fl avors. And the fl avors of the beer go well with the fl avors of food.” Gunderson likes to start his guests off with an aperitif, such as sparkling wine. “T en we might move to a vodka drink that’s lighter in fl avor,” he says. “We clear the palate by moving into rum and then fi nish with a whiskey or Scotch. …. It’s always a progression. MAKING SPECIALS MORE SPECIAL AND TRAINING THE STAFF Even the most practical union of dishes and drinks seems Chicken Breast Marinated with Garlic, Citrus and Ginger is often served with a Ginger Rum Cocktail, made with Bardenay’s Ginger Rum and Triple Sec, at the distillery and restaurnat. more alluring when promoted as an ideal match and is made ever more appealing by being off ered at a discount. Owner Kevin Settles of three-location, Boise-based distillery and restaurant Bardenay says his company uses “pairings to match our specials and the specials change constantly. Wine is usually suggested, but we will suggest a beer if we think it is more appropriate. We do not discount for the pairing because we like to think that we are already off ering a great deal on the special.” Settles adds that Bardenay often relies on its suppliers to suggest pairings for special dinners, such as a steak entrée paired with a wine. “We’re looking all the time for great value,” he says, and pairings rotate constantly based on individual items that suppliers suggest and on what they can deliver at the time. Training servers in the synergies of selling pairings is key to making such programs sell profi tably. When it comes to training for pairings, Settles says his staff has to be given “the opportunity to try all new items. In addition, we try to hire a staff with the experience and maturity to have a fairly good knowledge base and inclination to food and beverage.” Part of the success of pairings, Settles says, comes in the hiring sells Tecate, Dos Equis, Pacifi co and Negra Modelo on tap. T e beers are paired with the fajitas and cost about $3.99. On Tuesday, Sharkeez pairs tacos “at heavily discounted prices” with a house Margarita for $3.25 and a Don Julio Margarita for $6.50. T e tacos that come in pairings start at $3.25, but typically run about $3.99. “Normally, that would cost $9 or $10,” Lupinacci says. “We also do tequila shots with a taco pairing. T e cheapest is $2, with the Casa Dorada $3.50 and the Don Julio for $5. And, if you like, we have buckets of Corona to go with tacos.” Ninety-fi ve percent of guests opt for the deal and get them together. At the T irsty Bear, Gunderson enjoys the more conventional route of pairing “certain wines with certain foods,” but also does beer pairings. For instance he might use a light, Belgian-style beer such as Valencia Wheat, to accompany a dish that would also work with a crisp sauvignon blanc. T e Valencia Wheat is steeped in orange peel with coriander. It costs $6 for a 20-ounce serving. “It sells itself,” Gunderson says. “People love Belgian beers. T e beer community 44 | APRIL 2011 process. His company wants a staff that already has at least three years experience working in other establishments. T at way, “when they come on board, they’ve already got a pretty good handle on what wine works best with what food and so forth.” In San Francisco, Gunderson holds pre-shift meetings to go over the specials he’s off ering to “walk the staff through what I’m thinking. So that when they talk to our guests for the evening, they’ll know what we’re off ering, and we’re all on the same page.” At Sharkeez, Lupinacci says the staff and the customers revel in the creativity that pairings allows. “We do our best,” she says, “to suggest fi ve to six drinks to work with [diff erent food] promotions during the week. But once they catch on, people really go with it.” Suggested pairings continue to up operators’ bottom lines by off ering their customer base an ever-changing, and well-priced, lineup of food and drink options. Dallas, Texas. www.cheersonline.com Michael Granberry is a journalist who lives and works near