The Long Goodbye

Garrison Keillor jokes about how long Minnesotans take to say "goodbye." A good goodbye can be drawn out to remarkable lengths. It starts when you're putting on your coat. Continues as you're walking down the sidewalk, getting in your car, backing out of the driveway and even as you're inching down the road waving from your open window.

That's how I feel about saying goodbye to Morton's The Steakhouse. After an 18 year run -- four of which as my client -- the restaurant on the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis closed its doors on July 3rd. The reason for the closing is, of course, economics. (We fine folks of the long-goodbye also know how to tighten our belts, it seems.)

I can't say goodbye to this great client without acknowledging some of the great experiences I had there. From the annual Minnesota Twins Celebrity Waiter Event to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities (which I will continue working on as it moves to its new venue, Restaurant Max, on August 30th) to the Spirit of Achievement Award that recognized outstanding leaders in the Twin Cities area. The launch party of the Travel Channel's "Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern" -- where we served a Mangrove Worm Cosmo -- was also particularly memorable.

I've enjoyed every food drop -- especially bringing Molten Hot Chocolate Cake to area media on National Chocolate Day and wheeling around a 28-liter autographed bottle of 2003 Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon (strapped to a dolly) at the Minnesota State Fair.

As much as we Minneapolis Morton's loyalists will miss the amazing food and drink, we're going to miss the people most of all. The restaurant, which was once a "bastion of red meat, brown liquor and pinstriped suits" was led primarily by women. The women and men, alike, have encyclopedic restaurant minds, the sharpest wits and the warmest hearts. They were simply the creme de la creme brulee.

A huge hole has been left in the Minneapolis restaurant landscape. But I believe it's only temporary. They will be back, and I hope it's soon.

Until then, I plan to continue my long, heartfelt goodbye.