My Own True Love

They say that when it comes to love, there's that special one out there for each of us. I'm sure I've been in love before, but this time is so very special. First, just so my wife doesn't get too upset, I want to make sure you know that I'm talking about restaurants here.
They say that when it comes to restaurants, we're only meant to have one true love in our life. I'm not so sure I believe that. I've probably been in love with a restaurant before, but, who know, for whatever reason, after a while we tend to go our separate ways. Maybe my tastes change. Maybe it stops doing those special little things I loved about it when we first met.
I am a fickle sort of guy, so I don't know what the future holds, but, for now anyway, I have found a restaurant I love. It's Jacqueomo's in Shockoe Bottom. I'm not going to try and convince you that Jacquemos is the very best restaurant in the world. I think "best" is very subjective. And, even when we have a restaurant love, we tend to see others from time to time, when we're in that sort of mood.
But, there are so many things I love about Jacqueomo's. For starters, the people are great...from the owner, Jimmy News to the outstanding chef, Adam Ginsburg, to the bartender, Steve. Everyone really. The waitresses are friendly. The service is great. The food is fantastic. In fact, everything I've eaten there has been excellent.
Jimmy has been in the restaurant business around town for so long, that, rumor has it, his first establishment was destroyed when Grant took Richmond. He's a great guy, and Jacqueomo's is a great restaurant.
But, it dawned on me last night as I was sitting there having dinner, just what I like the most about the place. It's the fact that when I go in, they know my name.
I hope that doesn't sound egotistical. I don't want people to know me for anything I've done. I just want them to remember me because they like me. Because, truth be told, I am quite likeable.
At Jacqueomo's, whenever I walk in, Steve the bartender, says "Hey, Steve." Unless he's talking to himself, I think that's cool. He doesn't even call me Scott, which is what just about everybody who thinks they remember me, calls me.
Last night, I was eating dinner at the bar. I always eat at the bar to try and mask the fact that I'm eating alone. The bar was crowded. I think there was a party of female World War II veterans or something. Anyway, despite the crowd, Steve took time to chat. And, I guess my restaurant-love mushiness must have come through, because I told him how much I appreciated him remembering my name.
Steve says to me, "Well, you're our Norm." I think he was capilizing the "norm" in reference to the Cheers TV show. Now, I'm not as regular a patron as Norm was on Cheers, but I've always said I'd love to find a place where everybody knows my name. Anyway, Steve and I chat for a few minutes, along with a couple of waitresses standing there. One of the young women said if I mentioned her in this blog, to call her "Marilyn." I don't know if she's hiding from the law, or doesn't want her parents to know she's talked to me or what, but anyway Marilyn was there along with Bridgett. Bridgett isn't the other girl's real name either, but she felt that since Marilyn could be Marilyn, she could be Bridgett. One of the two waitresses, and I can't remember which one, in response to my saying how nice it is to be remembered, asked me, "Weren't you wearing a bright green shirt the last time you came in?" She didn't say "ugly, bright green," but I could tell she was thinking it.
And, now that I'm thinking about it, I was wearing a bright green shirt. So even if people don't remember me, it's nice to know they remember my clothes. I guess that's nice, anyway.
Continuing with the conversation (and I know it sounds as if I spent hours talking about myself), I said to Steve, the bartender, "I guess it's easy for you to remember my name, seeing as it's your name."
In response to that, Bridgett says, "Huh? I thought your name was Norm." I never said Bridgett was the brightest waitress, just that she's friendly. And, a great waitress too.
Well, when one is in love, he or she can blather on for hours. I won't keep you with any more sentimental talk about "my restaurant." But, let me assure you, I'm not the jealous type. I won't mind if you fall in love with Jacqueomo's, too.
(This is not a shameless plug, but just as a public service, Jacqueomo's is located at 101 North 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom. Their phone number is 804 344-5181. And, if you go in, tell 'em Steve sent you, but make sure they know you're not talking about the bartender. And, if they say "Steve who?" please let me know.)