Before my job at N.E.W. Results, an Internet services company in De Pere, I had not heard of River's Bend Steak and Seafood Restaurant on the shore of Duck Creek in Green Bay. I signed up for the VIP club on it's website and got a great deal for my birthday on surf and turf, which was really really good. I was at an event at River's Bend earlier last week and talked with Ben Erickson, the bar manager, and Connie Vanderlogt, banquet and tech person, if I could work as an employee for an hour or two and write a blog about it.

They agreed and set the work time for last Friday around noon. I arrived with my business partner, Jeff Blackman, who worked with Connie on e-mail marketing, which is a service we provide for River's Bend, and I worked with Ben behind the bar and answering the phone for Easter Sunday reservations.

Jess Senn, who owns River's Bend, was in charge of a highly efficient, fast moving, competent, productive staff of employees, who were multitasking and assisting each other with tasks like a well orchestrated concert in motion. This was a team with members who knew their job well and knew the other jobs well enough to cover for each other when it got busy and I was impressed. All of the patrons around the bar were getting outstanding service and they were smiling, talking, eating and playing games. The groups that came in were quickly being seated in the banquet hall or at a table in the section by the river with a great view. In fact, I was so involved and having fun with the staff that I lost track of time and my two hours of employee service were up.

Luckily, while I was there, I ordered two steak sandwitches, which were brought to the bar for Jeff and I to have for lunch. The steak sandwitch and fries were incredible. Their fires are crispy, not greasy, and taste great without ketchup or anything on them.

Sometimes I forget that there are great restaurants just northeast off of Hwy. 41 and the best one has to be River's Bend. In my opinion, you have to try it just once and you will be hooked for life.