The Plus – A Note from Mike
My wife Pat and I took a U-Haul truck of “stuff” to our daughter Tina’s place in NYC earlier in the month. Not exactly the way I prefer to see China, but it needed to be done. After hauling all her stuff up two flights of narrow stairs in the heat, we were all in need of some good food.
We went for lunch at Joseph Leonard, a cozy seven-table bistro and bar, located
at the heart of West Village, and I must tell you it was great. The atmosphere was relaxed, the food was excellent, and the service was beyond par. It is what we, at China Instrument Parts, call
THE PLUS.
The brainchild behind Joseph Leonard is Gabriel Stulman, a fellow
UW – Madison grad, who runs a hell of a restaurant. There were plenty of Wisconsin themes in the restaurant and all the staff clearly understood customer service: Michael and Logan, and Grand Rapids’ “Big Guy” in the kitchen, made it a memorable experience.
Gabriel Stulman, who named the restaurant after both his grandfathers, got his inspiration from Madison’s Café Montmartre, a bistro where he tended bar while in school. “Here I am,” he said, “a guy from Wisconsin who wanted to work with a bunch of his friends from Wisconsin.” He’s kept his promise, as most of his staff comes from the Upper Midwest.
I drew some parallels between what they are doing and what we are doing here at China Instrument Parts We also strive to always deliver THE PLUS to our customers: Quality products at a reasonable price, experienced design engineers and caring customer service reps. I strongly believe THE PLUS is what keeps satisfied customers coming back. And as we continue to expand by adding space and equipment, we know that THE PLUS we deliver must remain intact.
In the two or so years since Gabriel Stulman first opened Joseph Leonard, he has opened three more restaurants in West Village under the “Little Wisco” umbrella: Jeffrey’s Grocery, Fedora (a former speakeasy), and Perla. These are all unpretentious neighborhood joints that, according to some, “exude Wisconsin friendliness” and consistently deliver THE PLUS.
By the way, a Bloody with the beer chaser had me hooked from the beginning. We’ll be back for more.
