Wine & Rumours

For years I’ve meant to stop in this little wine and art bar not far from my office. Today I visited the website for Rumours Wine & Art Bar and found that they happen to have a wine tasting every other Wednesday night. Now wouldn’t you just know that tonight happened to be one of those tastings! J So of course I took that as a sign that I had to go…

The wine tasting was from 5-8 and I arrived about 5:30pm. Tonight they had a selection of four of their favorite winter red wines. Red just happens to be my favorite for wine.

I was greeted by no less than three of their employees almost immediately upon entering the building. I was also welcomed by the wine distributor who was there to serve the wine and talk about the different vintages in detail.

I have to say, I loved the atmosphere and the welcome. Everyone was so friendly and warm, both employees and customers. It’s the kind of place where no one really feels like a complete stranger. The building is tiny from the outside, but inside it simply feels intimate. Very nice.

For such a small place, they boast a very nice, extensive wine selection. I’m definitely going to have to go back with a friend soon so I can try some of the interesting selections that are only offered by the bottle. I love wine, but drinking a whole bottle by myself isn’t really an option… They have a lot of wines by the glass, though, so a customer like me isn’t out of luck. And of course if you go on the evening of a wine tasting, even better. The tastings run approximately $20 and you get about a third of a glass of four different wines to taste. Once you’ve completed the fleet of wines offered in the tasting, you get a full glass of your favorite from the offerings.

I met some really nice people there, both customer and employees and can’t wait to go back soon! Even if it weren’t for the company, I would go back just for the food and the wine. They have a small but interesting menu, and have daily specials. Although the regular menu had several intriguing items, I opted for the pork dish on the specials menu today. It was tender, with just the right hint of spice, and was served atop a square of potato gratin (thinly sliced potatoes baked with parmesan cheese, I think), asparagus, and a green salad made with mesclun mix – my favorite salad green. The foog tasted amazing.

The service was fabulous and attentive long after the warm welcome and I could have stayed all night, except I had to drive home and I have an early morning staff meeting at work tomorrow. Dangit. I will definitely be back for another wine tasting at Rumours Wine & Art Bar soon, though!

Rumours Wine & Art Bar has two locations in the Nashville area – the one I visited on 12th Avenue this evening and another in East Nashville on Woodland Street. Check their website for hours of operation and complete addresses. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for their newsletter! Website: http://www.rumourswinebar.com/

When Bad Things Happen at Good Restaurants

Tonight I dined for the first time at a restaurant called Mimi’s Café. It took them almost an hour to serve my dinner after I placed my order.

But it was still one of the best dining experiences I’ve enjoyed recently.

Why is that, you wonder? Simple – they may have had a problem that caused the kitchen to back up tonight, but they never forgot their customers. Throughout the entire experience, my server (Sean) was both communicative and attentive, ensuring that I knew what was happening and asking if I needed anything else while I waited. He never let me feel as if I had simply been forgotten or worse, was unwelcome. The entire time, I felt as if my business were important to them.

And that goes quite a long way, as far as I am concerned.

At no time did I believe that they were not honestly trying to get my dinner to me. They were simply backed up. With an excellent view of the kitchen line, I could see that the manager was on top of the orders and that the kitchen was bustling just as hard as the wait staff was.

Did I mention that about the wait staff? Yeah, they were definitely bustling. Almost immediately after I was seated, a server arrived to take my beverage order, which she brought right away. A few minutes later, my server arrived. I had no idea that the first server was not for me. She simply saw a guest that needed a drink and she got it. There was no, ‘but that’s not my table’ attitude here. As I watched the staff, I saw they operated that way the entire time – as a team. They were all about doing whatever it takes to make the customer’s dinner a pleasant one.

So back to my problem. When my dinner finally arrived, it was right after Sean had stopped by to let me know it would be out in less than two minutes and that a manager was going to bring it personally. That manager, Jason, arrived almost on Sean’s heels, and was just as solicitous and apologetic as Sean was.

Did I mention that at no time did I actually get mad or express any frustration or upset? Nope, they were apologetic simply because THEY knew that they were late with my meal. To be perfectly frank, with the bread basket, the soda refills and a good book to read, I really didn’t begin to notice how long it was taking until Sean brought it to my attention first. If he hadn’t, I might have become a bit irate when I realized it on my own. Instead, he headed off the potential for my upset before it happened simply by telling me what was going on.

When Jason delivered my Blackened Chicken & Bleu Cheese Quesadillas, he insisted that they would be taking care of my meal this evening. I explained that wasn’t necessary as I understood things happen, and really appreciated the way they had handled the situation, especially commending Sean. Jason wouldn’t take no for an answer, though, and comped my meal anyway. He also explained that they had been short two cooks this evening, and just never could seem to catch up with the orders. I know that they gave it a good effort, because Jason rarely left the order wheel during my entire visit, directing the kitchen staff, calling for food runners as soon as an order was up, and assisting with preparing the orders with extras like dressing on the side, etc.

Sean stopped by soon after I began eating to see if everything was alright (the food was delicious), and mentioned that he would be packaging a box of their muffins for me to take home. He said they give all first-time customers a box of four muffins (Honey oat bran, buttermilk spice, carrot raisin nut, and low fat blueberry) to take with them, and he was going to include a fifth – their current seasonal specialty muffin in a lemon and cream cheese flavor.

As I said, my meal was delicious – from the bread basket to the quesadillas themselves. Sadly, I did not have room for the dessert I had my eye on, Mimi’s Bread Pudding, but I will most definitely be returning soon to try it!

When I was nearly finished with my meal, Tonda, who I believe was another manager, stopped by to deliver the promised muffins and another apology. She was just as warm and sincere as Jason and Sean had been, and again I was impressed by how important they seem to consider each and every one of their customers.

As I left the restaurant, even the hostess and other employees up front wished me a good evening and extended yet another apology for the long delay on my meal.

I truly felt welcome and my patronage valued. Mimi’s Café is a 30 minute drive from my home and workplace, but it will likely become a new regular spot for me. I cannot say enough good things about them.
How are the muffins, you ask? Well, I am still far too full from my dinner to try one tonight, but they look absolutely scrumptious, and I know just what I will be having for breakfast tomorrow!

Oh, and Sean? The dinner may have been comped, but he more than earned a gratuity. I tipped him $10, which was all the cash I had in my purse. I had planned to pay with debit card, but I don’t think they can run a debit card for just a tip… LOL I hope the tip showed Sean just how much I appreciated his hard work and consideration this evening.

Despite their problems tonight, I mean it when I say I had a very good dining experience. Mistakes happen to everyone, and I can most certainly understand the effect of a busy kitchen being down two workers during the dinner rush. Success in the service industry is not about never making a mistake – it is about how you handle those mistakes when they do happen. It is about treating your customers with respect and consideration. It is about working as a team to ensure that your customers receive value for their hard-earned dollars.

Café Mimi’s not only seems to understand all of this very well, they practice it. Bravo to Sean, Jason, Tonda and the rest of the staff at their location in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on displaying this mindset in everything they did tonight.

Jennifer A. Ray
www.jenaray.com
www.wildonbooks.com

Oh, I love that swirl...

Nope, I'm not talking about Jerry Seinfeld's signature move from his hit series! LOL

I went to Arby's today and got a Berry Delight Swirl Shake. I'm a sucker for anything fruity, so I couldn't resist when I read the description of this frozen treat.

From Arbys.com: "Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, oh my! This refreshing fruit shake is made with all those delightful flavors swirled together and chilled to perfection."

The flavor absolutely bursts with berry goodness, no joke... It was bright, refreshing, and tasty enough that I'll go back again just for that shake even though my Chicken Cordon Bleu was overly salty and my potato cakes were inedible. The Berry Delight Swirl Shake, however, is a keeper. Too bad it is only offered for a limited time.

Jennifer Ray
http://www.jenaray.com
http://www.wildonbooks.com

New reviews: Izze Sparkling Juice, Jackie Greene, & Bikini At Home Groomer

I've posted several new reviews for Amazon Vine! Last month, I found a great new musical artist to enjoy, was refreshed by a sparkling fruit juice, and tried my hand at cordless bikini grooming...

Izze Fortified All Natural Sparkling Juice, Clementine, 8.4-Ounce Cans (Pack of 24)

Giving Up the Ghost by Jackie Greene

Bliss-Philips Bikini Perfect Deluxe HP6378 Spa-At-Home Grooming System




My previous Vine reviews:

• Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1
• Tripping the Rift: The Movie
• P2 (Widescreen Edition)
• Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser, Pink
• Mockingbird by Allison Moorer
• Almay Smart Shade Blush, Pink 010, 0.5-Ounces (Pack of 2)
• Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote
• Revlon 3D Extreme Mascara
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Rejuvenator, The Anti Aging Power Treatment Kit
• Beauty Bureau Stick Scents Holiday 3 Pack Of Reed Diffusers, 1 Each Of 8-Ounce Holiday Spice, Winter Forest and Candy Cane
• Corel Painter Essentials 4
• Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat
• Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks
• Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse
• Philips Sonicare FlexCare Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush
  

Jennifer Ray
http://www.jenaray.com/
http://www.wildonbooks.com/

Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream

I only recently discovered the yumminess of mango, thanks to a couple of friends who served some fresh mango for dessert when I was visiting them a few months ago. I was quickly addicted, being a lover of fruit.



Then I discovered Mango Smoothies at Books-A-Million. Again, addictive.

To my eternal dismay, I am certain, I have now discovered that Haagen-Dazs makes a fantastic ice cream in a Mango flavor. Not only is the ice cream itself flavored with this tropical fruit, but there are whole chunks of mango in the ice cream. I have to say I am very glad that Haagen-Dazs only comes in pint sizes.

My only complaint is that some of the mango chunks are a bit large. I think it could be even better if the mango were more bite-size.
So, while looking at the Haagen-Dazs site after discovering the Mango Ice Cream at my local grocery store, I found something new on their site: Haagen-Dazs Reserve. But guess what? It is only available in certain areas, and Tennessee is not listed as one of those areas. Still, I will definitely be keeping an eye out for these flavors, as I am sure they are fantastic.



The Reserve line currently has six distinct flavors: Brazilian Acai Berry Sorbet, Amazon Valley Chocolate, Pomegranate Chip, Hawaiian Lehua Honey & Sweet Cream, Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle, and Pomegranate & Dark Chocolate Bar. The only flavor that doesn't appeal to me is the Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle, but only because I can't stand coconut. For those who enjoy it, this flavor sounds fantastic!


Even though it is not available in all states yet, Haagen-Dazs provides a link to an online store that will ship it, along with many other brands of ice cream. Of course, I'm not willing to pay $30 in shipping for a pint of ice cream, so that option is out for me.



The flavors I am most interested in are the Brazilian Acai Berry Sorbet, Pomegranate Chip, and Hawaiian Lehua Honey & Sweet Cream.



If any of you have tried any of the Haagen-Dazs Reserve line, I'd love to hear what you think of the flavors! Maybe I can live vicariously through those of you in states that sell it... LOL Oh, and if you do buy it, be sure to check out their website for the tasting notes - they include wine and cheese pairings! *grin*


Meanwhile, definitely try the Haagen-Dazs Mango Ice Cream, if you enjoy Mango. I'll definitely be buying that flavor again!

Jennifer Ray
http://www.jenaray.com/

Flank Steak with Provolone and Asparagus

Whole Foods has these flank steaks rolled pinwheel style with provolone and asparagus in them. Wild Oats used to have them too, but of course they've been bought by Whole Foods.

I've been curious about these flank steaks for a while, and finally bought one the other day. I wish I'd bought two. They are fabulous.

I seasoned it with a little garlic salt, salt and pepper and followed the directions of the meat counter employee who said to cook it in the oven for about 15 minutes, turning it once. I cooked it at 400 degrees for 8 minutes on the first side, then 7 minutes on the second side and found it to be a perfect medium rare, which is my preference. If you want it more well done, just add some minutes to the cooking time.

The asparagus, by the way, was a perfect crisp al dente style cooked this way for 15 minutes and the provolone cheese, while completely melted, flavored the steak perfectly.

If you've got a Whole Foods near you, give these a try. They seem expensive at first glance, but one pinwheel was about $5 and was a perfect meal for me with a side dish of whole kernel corn.
I'll be going back soon for more.

Jennifer Ray
http://www.jenaray.com/

Now I AM impressed!

A friend at work told me about Schwan's Chicken Tortilla Soup and I finally bought some. This stuff now has a permanent place in my freezer, I tell ya.

The Schwan's van comes to our office every payday. Convenient, or Diabolical? You can buy it online too...

http://www.schwans.com/product/productDetails.aspx?tb=2&c1=4775&c2=4784&c3=4785&prd=61326

Jennifer Ray
http://www.jenaray.com/

Wine on the River...

I just got home after a long but fun day... A friend and I went to Wine on the River again today and while it was not as good as in years past, it was still a lot of fun.

We were both a little disappointed with the selection of wines there this year. Past years have seen many more varied wines, and better vineyards. Which is interesting, since they raised the prices this year.

All in all, I had a fun afternoon with a good friend, but I daresay we could have had a more interesting wine tasting by going to Frugal MacDoogal's or some such and buying our own to taste at home...

I'll still consider going to Wine on the River (http://www.wineontheriver.com/) again next year, but it won't automatically be on my calendar as it has been in years past.

Now the Predators' wine tasting... That was fantastic this year! I am hoping they do it again in 2007...

Jennifer Ray
http://www.jenaray.com/