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Collins the
Category:
American Restaurants
735 8th Ave
New York, New York
(212) 541-4206
A nice hideaway in Times Square
A nice hideaway in Times Square
I don't get over to New York City all that often, and usually I am stuck at the Times Square Marriott for a trade show. So I'm extremely happy to have found a good bar within stumbling distance from...
I don't get over to New York City all that often, and usually I am stuck at the Times Square Marriott for a trade show. So I'm extremely happy to have found a good bar within stumbling distance from the elevators.
Focusing on pseudo-dive bar chic, the Collins is a great place. Over a number of alcohol induced hours, we drank happy hour beer, loaded the jukebox selections and played a number of games of darts.
For a Times Square bar, the beer selection was very well chosen and quite fairly priced. If you happen to be stuck in the neighborhood, I highly recommend stopping in for a pint.
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Good for a nosh...
As a transplanted East Coaster, I'm very particular about my bagels because, let's face it - most of the people west of Mamaroneck don't know how to make a decent one.
Case in point, the...
As a transplanted East Coaster, I'm very particular about my bagels because, let's face it - most of the people west of Mamaroneck don't know how to make a decent one.
Case in point, the donut-like sponges from Noah's Bagels, which locals praise for their texture and range of "schmears". A good bagel doesn't need strawberry pesto schmear. It needs cream cheese or chive cheese and possibly a slice or two of nova lox.
Katz Bagels is probably the closest thing to a good New York style bagel shop in the FiDi/SOMA area. They have the classics: egg, plain, onion, garlic, rye, poppy and sesame to name a few - and a couple of "berry" ones that have become popular recently. The bagles themselves are pretty darned good - a little bit of elasticity in the crust and a soft yet dense dough inside. For me, a garlic bagel with chive cheese, a slice of red onion and a slice of tomato with a little bit of lox on top is a perfect way to start the day.
Noah's? Feh. Try Katz!
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Another Night at the Bar...
Though my plan was to have a quick dinner at Zoya and a single drink at Absinthe before heading home, by the time I looked down at my watch, I realized it had been almost three hours and my one...
Though my plan was to have a quick dinner at Zoya and a single drink at Absinthe before heading home, by the time I looked down at my watch, I realized it had been almost three hours and my one cocktail had turned into five.
But it's OK... May 6 (today) is the 200th anniversary of the first published cocktail recipe, and Absinthe was celebrating the momentous occasion with four fantastic cocktails priced at $6 (Sazerac, Old Fashioned, Martini and a Brandy Crusta).
I started out with a Martinez, possibly the precursor of the Martini, this drink was based on Plymouth Gin, modified with orange bitters, an olive and vermouth. The staff mixed it perfectly, and it transported me back to the early 1930s to the heady days when men (and women) knew how to mix and drink a classic cocktail.
The Martinez was followed by an amazing Sazerac - though it was not as good as those from the actual Sazerac Bar in New Orleans, still it was a great cocktail, blending Rye Whiskey, Herbsaint (an Anisette), Peychaud Bitters, sugar and lemon. I like a little more Herbsaint in my Sazerac, but all in all, it was a fitting tribute to the great 200 year old cocktail from New Orleans.
Next was a classic martini - not a modern martini made with vodka and a whisper of vermouth, but instead a gutsy blend of Plymouth Gin and Noilly Prat white vermouth at a ratio of 3:1.
From there, I moved to a well made Plymouth Gin based Aviation (marischino liqueur and a lime twist) and an orangy Pegu Cocktail.
As classic cocktails go, the weekend team at Absinthe is hard to beat.
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A Calming Bar in Hayes Valley
(Bar review only)
So, here's a typical saturday for my wife and me. Head into Hayes Valley in the late afternoon to get a couple of Blue Bottle cappuccinos followed by a stop at Absinthe for a...
(Bar review only)
So, here's a typical saturday for my wife and me. Head into Hayes Valley in the late afternoon to get a couple of Blue Bottle cappuccinos followed by a stop at Absinthe for a couple of beers before heading home.
The bar at Absinthe is very well appointed, with a selection of whiskys (especially scotch) that is one of the best in the city - many extremely well priced. On our last visit, we found a 1979 Murray McDavid bottled Highland Park for only $12.50 a serving.
The bar only has four beers on tap: Murphy's Stout (my personal favorite Irish Stout), Trumer Pils (the best California pilsner), Chimay Tripel and a rotating tap that currently has Sierra Nevada Celebration. With these four taps, there is enough variation where most beer drinkers can find something they like.
On the cocktail front, the Sensation (gin based) and Ginger Rogers (ginger and vodka) are well prepared, though they could be a little stronger.
Great knowledgeable bartenders and fantastic whisky at a fair price. Highly recommended.
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Chicago's Finest
Local beer guru Ed B. brought our motley crew from San Francisco here one night after dinner and we pretty much closed the place down. A great selection of beer, all served at the appropriate...
Local beer guru Ed B. brought our motley crew from San Francisco here one night after dinner and we pretty much closed the place down. A great selection of beer, all served at the appropriate temperature with knowledgable and friendly bartenders willing to help guide you in the ways of these mystical mid-western beer.
Dark, lots of seating at the bar and a great jukebox too. What isn't to like?
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Jade Bar
Category:
Bars
650 Gough St
San Francisco, California
(415) 869-1900
Three Levels of Alcoholic Goodness
Three Levels of Alcoholic Goodness
Listen to James... he knows his stuff. Not only did he turn me on to the amazing cocktails at Sauce, but he pointed me in the direction of Jade for $2 beer and well drink happy hour that runs until...
Listen to James... he knows his stuff. Not only did he turn me on to the amazing cocktails at Sauce, but he pointed me in the direction of Jade for $2 beer and well drink happy hour that runs until 7:30 during the week and all night on Sunday.
And the beers - it's the first bar I have been to where every one is a winner in my book: Alaskan Amber, North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner, Deschutes Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Scwerk Hefeweisen and Bear Republic's amazing Racer 5.
It's big, yet small... Yes, it's three levels - but the upstairs loft and main floor with the bar are small and cozy (I didn't check out the basement).
Sure, around 7:30 on a Friday it started to get crowded, but as I sat back with a good book in my hand at one of the bar level tables, the people just turned into a quiet din. It's a great place if you want a balance of being in the midst of everything while simultaneously being a little detached.
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Harrys Bar
Category:
Bars
2020 Fillmore St
San Francisco, California
(415) 921-1000
Loud "Dudes" in Striped Shirts Abound!
Loud "Dudes" in Striped Shirts Abound!
Walking into Harry's Bar during the torrential rain this afternoon, I felt like I was walking into a frat-party, and that's not a good thing in my book.
Next to us was a group of men in their...
Walking into Harry's Bar during the torrential rain this afternoon, I felt like I was walking into a frat-party, and that's not a good thing in my book.
Next to us was a group of men in their late 20s acting like they were in their late teens - hitting each other in the arm, commenting about their sexual conquests and loudly proclaiming that "they are so drunk", followed by group hi-fiving. I know, it's that bad.
To top it off, the Mojito one friend had was sub par as was my irish coffee. For the prices they charge, I expected much better.
Needless to say, I won't be back.
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Dave
Category:
Bars
29 3rd St
San Francisco, California
(415) 495-6726
The Bar Without Pretense
The Bar Without Pretense
I hate reviewing Dave's, because within two hours of arriving, I've really fallen for the place and I don't want it to get more crowded. There's a dozen beers on tap ranging from $4 (Deschutes Mirror...
I hate reviewing Dave's, because within two hours of arriving, I've really fallen for the place and I don't want it to get more crowded. There's a dozen beers on tap ranging from $4 (Deschutes Mirror Pond, Boont Amber, Big Daddy) to $4.50 (Guinness, Murphy's, Trumer Pils) and the Fernet runs like water.
For a bar sitting smack between the Financial District and the Ballpark, there's absolutely no attitude. The barstaff was friendly, and even the two women hired by Jägermeister to entice people to drink that swill were pleasant and unobtrusive.
It's a bar for drinkers. If you're nearby and in the mood to get your drink on, it feels just like home.
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Zeitgeist
Category:
Bars
199 Valencia St
San Francisco, California
(415) 255-7505
The joys of beer in the sun...
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