One of the more mellow Fridays, perhaps due to the beginning of Lent as well as the chilling effect of Polar Air, especially after the last couple weekends have been unseasonably warm.
Thoughts on the Lenten Season: I remember from my years at Xoco the impact Lent has on Chicago’s restaurant biz: we saw the first Friday (today) and the last Friday before the Easter holiday (Good Friday) impacted by being slower than usual for dinner service. At Xoco we counterprogrammed by pushing our fish special (Catfish Torta, when that was a thing, and then Shrimp Torta both for breakfast and lunch/dinner) and trying to focus on the earlier hours. My 2 cents would be to push Encamaronadas on social media, and this may just be the perfect time to try out Shrimp Tacos Platter or Shrimp Tlayuda.
True Champion: Bobby was solo bartender at CB1 from 10PM through the closedown, and we had a few pops from bunches of guests arriving together and one large party who all ordered at the same time. Bobby stayed calm, cool, collected and in control behind the stick, all qualities which exemplify what it means to be True Champion.
Tom Skilling says… 2 inch dusting.
