Matt Waite (Melissa Byron photo) |
Matt Waite
found at: Portofino's (Kensington)
What's unique about your customers?
Almost 90 percent of my customers are regulars. They all have their seats at the bar and each of them come in on the same day at the same time. They also stick to the same drinks, so when I see them walk in I make them their drink. But the most unique thing by far is that the owner is a die-hard Yankee fan. The bar is literally a Yankee shrine. Yet our customers are both Red Sox and Yankee fans, and they all get along.
What wines do you recommend this time of year?
People tend to order full-bodied reds around the holidays and through the winter so I would suggest either a Pinot Noir or a Cabernet.
What's the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while bartending?
I was walking behind the bar and hit a wet spot and I slipped and my feet went over my head and I landed flat on my back. It was during the dinner rush and the bar was full so I got up and took a bow.
Has anyone asked you to make a drink you've never heard of?
I've gotten a few when I first started here eight years ago. I didn't know what an Old Fashioned or Harvey Wallbanger was. I had come from a bar in downtown Hartford where no one ordered these types of drinks.
found at: Portofino's (Kensington)
What's unique about your customers?
Almost 90 percent of my customers are regulars. They all have their seats at the bar and each of them come in on the same day at the same time. They also stick to the same drinks, so when I see them walk in I make them their drink. But the most unique thing by far is that the owner is a die-hard Yankee fan. The bar is literally a Yankee shrine. Yet our customers are both Red Sox and Yankee fans, and they all get along.
What wines do you recommend this time of year?
People tend to order full-bodied reds around the holidays and through the winter so I would suggest either a Pinot Noir or a Cabernet.
What's the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while bartending?
I was walking behind the bar and hit a wet spot and I slipped and my feet went over my head and I landed flat on my back. It was during the dinner rush and the bar was full so I got up and took a bow.
Has anyone asked you to make a drink you've never heard of?
I've gotten a few when I first started here eight years ago. I didn't know what an Old Fashioned or Harvey Wallbanger was. I had come from a bar in downtown Hartford where no one ordered these types of drinks.
