Did you ever notice how predictable some things in life can be? Like those little twisty things that the drycleaner uses to tie all your hangers together. No matter which way you twist it to get it loose, the cleaner’s elves have twisted it the other way. It’s pretty much a sure bet. Then there’s that electric plug with one prong larger than the other.
The law of probability says you should have at least a 50/50 chance of getting it right sometimes, wouldn’t it? Nope. 99.9% of the time it takes the second try. Count on it. Something else that’s fairly predictable, something you might not have thought a lot about before, is the disparate tastes of every country club’s dining patrons. Not the predicting what members want part but understanding the disparate part. It’s why the good folks over in Blue Bell make chocolate and vanilla ice cream (and lots of flavors in between), because everybody likes something different. Now, the challenge for the Bentwater kitchen is that they’re charged with creating menu choices aimed at satisfying each and every one of us on each and every visit. Tough job, and a much different job than most other places serving vittles. In the food business, success requires specialization. The surest path to mediocrity is trying to be all things to all people.
You want breakfast? Probably shouldn’t go to the steakhouse. Savoring steak? You might not find it at the seafood chalet. Craving seafood? Then forget about the pasta emporium. Needing your pasta fix? The Tex/Mex diner likely won’t work. You get the picture and, of course, you already know all this. Yet, being all things to all people (all its members) is often what’s expected of Bentwater. We’d all like our specific tastes to be satisfied all the time, every time. Tough to do when one person’s favorite meal is predicably someone else’s least favorite meal. So, if you’ll consider your dining experiences at your Country Club in that context, perhaps you might agree that the degree to which the staff meet our collective and individual expectations is quite exceptional. Perfect? Not always.
But, with few exceptions (my bride’s being one of them, of course) neither are our own kitchens. And one more thing that’s predictable is the monthly Mix ‘n Mingle at the country club. It happens the third Tuesday of every month, roughly 4 to 7, in the Crescent Grill, and that means it’s happening in a couple of days. Even if you can’t stay afterward to exercise your taste buds, you’ll encounter some disparate personalities. And, as someone once said, “variety is the spice of life.” Hope to see you there.
Send Bentwater news and fun tidbits to Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com
