Last Night's Gig at Bone Fish

Last night we were privileged to perform our second consecutive Monday night at the Bone Fish Bar and Grill in Mishawaka, IN. The Bone Fish represents real class and exists for people with discriminatingly good taste in both food and atmosphere. The sophisticated ambiance of the Bone Fish isn't the result of merely paint and wallpaper, either. I was immediately impressed by the caliber of the Bone Fish staff. They consistently demonstrate their commitment to excellence and refinement in all they do. From a musician's standpoint, I've found that they can't do enough for us. If you happen to be a musician yourself, you probably understand why such treatment comes as a pleasant shock to us in the band!

The moment I walked through the front door with musical gear in hand, Andy greets me warmly with a big smile and shakes my hand. He's the perfect maitre de--so charming and professional. He makes me WANT to be there and thankful I came! Not only that, I needed a screwdriver (not the drink) to replace a battery in a foot pedal I had just purchased. I asked Andy if the restaurant had one. He checked the office toolbox for me and discovered they did not. Instead of simply shrugging his shoulders and returning to his post (and leaving me in a major lurch) , he walked across the parking lot to retrieve a couple of screwdrivers from his car! How sweet is THAT? But it's not only Andy who's such a high-quality person. I could tell similar stories about Chris the night manager, Samantha the bartender and Walker (evidently a member of the management staff). Each one is genuinely warm, professional and deeply accommodating. In short, they are wonderful team who, by their demeanor, reinforce Bone Fish's upscale standards. As great as the food is (and it is). As stylish and exclusive as the environment is (and it is), I really believe people love coming to the Bone Fish because of the great staff who makes every visit the most wonderful experience they possibly can.

You cannot, however, develop a great staff without a great leader. I would be remiss if I fail to mention Tim, the restaurant owner/manager. He wins awards every year at the annual BoneFfish Restaurant convention. Why? Because he's a consummate professional who knows people and how to run his business. What I love about Tim is his enthusiasm for bringing live music to his establishment. And not just any live music, but he knows great jazz when he hears it - like ours! (Hmmm..can I say that? Well, I'm going to anyway...it's MY blog!) He also knows intuitively what his clientele enjoys musically and feels he's hit the bulls eye with our band, something about which I am deeply grateful. As a result, we'll be performing shows at the Bone Fish every Monday evening starting at 8pm. Tim's hope is to expand the performance schedule soon to include Thursdays as well - can't wait for that day!

So, check your Monday night schedule. It's usually a quiet night for most, so why not make it special and come out to the Bone Fish Bar and Grill. Meet this great staff, enjoy their excellent entrees and come hear some of the finest jazz in all of north central Indiana (ooops....I did it again).

Tom Hilliker