When you find something you’re good at, you just keep doing it. It’s a philosophy that seems to have worked out for Ryan Wilbanks of Morton’s Steakhouse. “I was a waiter who weaseled his way into bartending while in college,” says the Odessa-born barman. “Meanwhile, I was going through majors like they were clothes. I found Morton’s. Eleven years later, I’d say it’s safe to call the place home.” Last year, Morton’s Steakhouse finally moved their base of operations from a longtime location in the West End to a glitzier spot in Dallas’ Uptown district, but Ryan and company have settled in. “The biggest compliment you can receive is that people come back because of you.” From the looks of it, Morton’s is now busier than ever, so we’re betting that compliment gets paid to Ryan Wilbanks quite a lot.
What has bartending taught you about dealing with people?
You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. A lot of times when someone is upset, it’s mostly that they just want to be heard. Once they know that you care about what’s happening with them, it’s easier to fix or handle any situation.
What would you tell a beginning bartender?
Ten percent of what we do is making drinks; ninety percent is taking care of people and maintaining your cool in busy situations. I can teach anybody to mix a Jack and Coke; I can’t teach them to take a breath when they’re slammed and ten tickets are in the window.
What’s the biggest misconception about bartenders?
That we know all the cool places in town. They think all we do is hangout with other bartenders. In reality we’re behind the bar all night when everybody else is hanging out. Also, people don’t understand all the work that is involved. There’s inventory to do, P&L to manage, and all these hours we put in before and after our shift. It’s a fun job but it’s not an easy job.
What’s your hangover cure?
Beef Ramen, Gatorade, or just pick up what you were drinking the night before. I also have a special cocktail I make for hangovers called the Dirty Spicy Bloody. It’s a double-shot vodka martini made with bloody Mary mix and served up in a chilled glass with a salted rim. I tend to make it for vacationers a lot, for some reason.
Got any cool nicknames?
Cito. (Pronounced SEE-toh). Some of the kitchen guys like to add the suffix -cito to the end of everything. They started calling me “Ryancito,” then somehow it got shortened. The name stuck. [In Spanish, -cito is a diminutive suffix. The translation for “Ryancito” would be “little Ryan” although it is used here to indicate affection rather than as an indicator of size --editor]
What’s your worst bartending habit?
Flipping the bar tool. I can’t stop doing it. I do it so much I have calluses around my fingers. Sometimes I‘ll even accidentally clang it into the counter or bottles. I’ve found that when I’m behind the bar and not holding the bar tool, I’ll flip my keys.
For more info: Morton’s Steakhouse is located at 2222 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75201; 214-741-2277.
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