Dust Buster At McSorley's

Oh no, a bit of history has bit the dust.  Who would have ever thunk it?

McSorley's - The Oldest Pub In New York


That was an old photo from July of 2009 when my friends Bernie and Bob and I hit a few bars one day.

Way back when I was just a little Bar Boy I had read about McSorley's and the dust festooned turkey wishbones that hung above the bar. There is a story behind them, of course, but each wishbone represents someone from the neighborhood who did not make it back from World War I, or The Great War, as it was known then. Before going of to war the soldiers would get a free turkey dinner at McSorley's. The wishbones were hung above the bar and saved to be reclaimed when the soldiers returned. The unclaimed ones remained.

Kind Of A Poignant Reminder Of Lives Lost


It was rumored that hair-spray was used to keep the dust in place and to satisfy the health inspectors. But, in an era when you have to wear gloves to make a pizza (unless you are in the new Papa John's Pizza commercial), can't serve fresh mozzarella or make your own dried sausage or do a million other things that have been done for generations with no harmful effects, the dust, of course, had to go.

It Just Ain't The Same


On Sunday morning, Matthew Maher, the propriertor, carefully took down the wishbones and removed the dust and then replaced the ones that did not crumble. He then put the dust in a jar and took it home with him.

Oh yes, the Health Department made him get rid of Minnie the cat as well. No cats allowed, no matter how big the mouse problem becomes without one. I am sure hundreds of lives are saved every year by not allowing bars to have a cat.

Capucine's, An Old Favorite

Surely anyone who has followed my blogs for any length of time realizes that Capucine's in Manhattan, near to where I once lived, is one of my favorite restaurants in all of New York City.  As much, if not more, for the friendly staff as for the good Italian family-cooking style food..  I don't get there as often as I used to, back when I went at least once a week and often times more than that.  And even less now that two friends of mine who made up a regular group that ate their a couple of times a year have passed away.  Times do have a way of changing.

But, sometimes when I head to Manhattan on other business I do like to visit again.  And I had to head into Manhattan last Saturday to pick up a gift for my niece Susie who is turning 10 on Sunday.  She likes fishing so I decided to buy her a starter-kit rod and reel as a gift.  And Capitol Fishing Tackle Co. in Manhattan is a good place to shop.

Ugly Is Like Ugly Does


I kind of told the clerk what I was looking for and he pointed me to kind of a nifty package with a Shakespeare Ugly Stick and an enclosed reel that should be hard to tangle up.  Plus an assortment of largely useless but brightly colored jigs and stuff.  She did end up liking it, and we even went to a river where she spent about an hour futilely casting.

We (the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I, not me and my niece) decided to walk to Capucine's, but about the time I got to the Empire State Building, which houses a Heartland Brewery on the first floor, I had somehow worked up a thirst.  So I decided to stop in for a brew.

Hard To Just Pass On By


I may have been the first customer to ever have had a beer in a Heartland Brewery.  When they opened their first location in Union Square I was waiting outside early (I worked right across the park from where the were) and the manager saw me and let me in before they actually opened and let me buy a beer.  Or maybe he bought me one, I really don't remember.  That was back when they made their beer on the premises, making it a real brewpub.  They haven't done that for a long time, ever since they opened up their third location.  Now they have seven locations.  The beer is still quite good though, at least for the most part.

I started out with an Indiana Pale Ale which was a lot hoppier than I remember it.  I suspect they have gone with the trend of most makers of IPAs or IPA style beers and jacked up the hops.  A bit too bitter, in my opinion.

A Decent, But Bitter Indiana Pale Ale


I ordered the Cornhusker Lager for the Mysterious Chinese Woman and it was every bit as good as I remembered it.  Maybe even better.  Or maybe just in contrast to the Indiana Pale Ale.  It tasted really smooth and a pleasant hint of malt.  Really a good beer.

The Winner With Her Cornhusker Lager


They had a seasonal that sounded interesting, Orange Thyme Ale.  The tasting notes said:

Made with fresh thyme and a unique, "orangey" hop, this ale has a soft malt and citrus background, with a big floral, spicy nose and mellow finish.


Sadly, it didn't really live up to my expectations.  In fact I found it to be quite flavorless.  Certainly not any hint, either taste or smell, of thyme and nothing at all crisp and "orangey."  But, again, maybe the Indiana Pale Ale fried my palate.


After downing a couple of beers we decided to just cab it to Capucine's where we could settle in for a nice cocktail and an early dinner.  I was going to have just white wine but as soon as I stepped into the place they wanted to know if it was Martini time.  And Bar Man is weak so of course I said "Of course!"

Me And My Martini

I did order a bottle of wine as well, and the Mysterious Chinese Woman set to work on that.

Well, Someone Has To Drink It

To be fair, I drank my share of it as well.  But I did only have one Martini (Sapphire, up, with a lemon twist).  Probably more damage was done after dinner.  We both ordered fish in a lemon/butter sauce.  The snapper for the Mysterious Chinese Woman and sole for me.  Both excellent.

I decided to have a double espresso with Strega for my "desert."  The Mysterious Chinese Woman got talked into having a tiramisu, and it was served to her in style.

Personalized Service, With A Smile

And the Mysterious Chinese Woman did love her desert.

You Could Feed A Small Family

Of course while she was enjoying her desert I had a second double espresso and another Strega.  And, for some reason, I thought adding Sambuca to my espressos would be a good idea.  At any rate, we ended up cabbing home from Capucine's, for obvious reasons.

All in all, that was one expensive birthday present I ended up buying.

Back Home Again

Oh, I know, I have been back in Brooklyn for almost a week now, but I don't really consider myself to be back home until I have popped into Waterfront Ale House.  I could have gone earlier in the week, but I like to wait until Gaid, the world's friendliest bartender, is on duty.  I hear that Waterfront Ale House actually considered changing their "Happy Hour" sign to "Angry Hour" when he is on duty.  I guess that wouldn't be inappropriate for a bar that boasts of warm beer, lousy food and an ugly owner.

World's Friendliest Bartender (archived)


First thing I had to do was peruse the day's offerings.

Plenty To Chose From



I chose the Bluepoint Hoptical Illusion but then spotted the Brooklyn Main Engine so I thought I would try that and give the Hoptical Illusion to the Mysterious Chinese Woman. But Gaid couldn't find the Main Engine and said they didn't have it. So I switched to the Kulmbacher Eissbock, a dark and hearty beer, not for the faint of heart.

A Chewy Beer


The Mysterious Chinese Woman enjoyed her Hoptical Illusion. I was afraid it would be too hoppy for her, but I think it was a welcome change from drinking nothing but Corona, Pacifico and Tecate for four weeks. My most flavorful beer was a Dos Equis, and most bars don't seem to carry it.  Not that I don't like Mexican beers, because I do.  But I also like variety in my beers, and that isn't something you find too much of.  I will make and exception for Minerva, a Mexican micro brewery that puts out a line of craft-beers which are almost impossible to find in bars and restaurants.  There is a beer store near where I stay in Puerto Vallarta, and they stock it.  It is a bit pricey and the alcohol content tends to be higher as well.  But I digress.

Quite Delish, Said The Dish


Gaid was a bit harried because there was a table of non-regulars who were ordering all kinds of bizarre drinks. Some of them with Ginger Beer and one that nobody seemed to know how to make so it became a two-man collaboration. When Gaid finally finished making it and, believe me, it wasn't easy to watch, I said that it looked so good I wanted one too. You can imagine Gaid's response. Suffice it to say that I didn't get one (whatever it was).

With my help Gaid managed to find the spigot for the Main Engine so I ordered one of those.  The handle looked like a train engine, so it was kind of hard to spot.  Brooklyn Brewery should put out Caboose, that way the handle would be red and much easier to find.

Me And My Main Engine


The Main Engine was, in my opinion, just so-so.  And it tasted a bit watery, but that might because it was chasing my chewy beer.

Now Jim, the cook, also aware of Gaid's command of cocktails, suggested that I order a double Negroni. But that would have been easy. And Gaid does have a good command of standard cocktails, just not ones that involve a great deal of muddling and ginger beer.

Anyway, the Mysterious Chinese Woman said something to about a Negroni sounding good. Then we reminisced about a time when I ended up getting everyone at a Greenwich Village bar drinking a Negroni. Now that was a fun afternoon.

But the Mysterious Chinese Woman said she couldn't drink a Negroni on an empty stomach. So she ordered a bowl of French Onion Soup. And the soup here is delicious.

Tastes As Good As It Looks


Then, when she was finished eating, she said she didn't want a Negroni because she would be too drunk to walk home. The Mysterious Chinese Woman isn't much of a drinker. Somehow I decided we would have a Negroni after we got home. So I made us up a batch.

A Classic Cocktail In A Classic Shaker


Just one-third gin (I used Blue Saphire) one-third Campari and one-third sweet Vermouth (I used Noilly Pratt). Then you just shake vigorously with a lot of ice and strain into the appropriate glasses.

Came Out Perfectly




Mario Batali once said that the Negroni was the best cocktail in the world. That got me to thinking, if I could only drink one type of cocktal for the rest of my life (God forbid) which one would it be. Certainly a Negroni would be up there. I don't drink them very often but always wonder why because I do like them. But a really well made Margarita would probably be my cocktail of choice. I wonder if Gaid could make me one.

I try to explain to my friends in Puerto Vallarta how, in some ways, where I live in Brooklyn is very similar. Of course Downtown Brooklyn doesn't have the beaches (got to take a subway and go to Coney Island for that) or, for now at least, the warm weather and sunshine. But according to Conde Nast we are one of the top fifteen places in the world to visit. And the article urged travelers to check out the trendy bars, restaurants, galleries and shops. I would also strongly recommend that they check out some of the non-trendy bars as well. OH NO, maybe Waterfront Ale House is now trendy? That would help explain the rash of requests for strange cocktails, some of which I had never heard of. The only thing that I can think to make with Ginger Beer is a Dark and Stormy, which is just Ginger Beer and Rum. Montero's Bar & Grill certainly isn't trendy.

No Accounting For It

Ah, what a change.  From bright and colorful Puerto Vallarta to dull and gray Brooklyn.  I did manage to find a little bit of color as I headed to the subway for my annual visit to my accountant.

One Bright Spot


My visits to the accountant are pretty painless.  I just bring him my folder of tax-related documents and then go home and wait for my completed taxes to be messengered to me.  Of course the real pain occurs a few weeks later when I get the bill for these wonderful services.  One of my foolish pleasures, though, having someone else take care of my taxes for me.  I think of it as a mini-vacation, and it costs just about as much.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I decided to stop into the Oyster Bar Restaurant in Grand Central on our way home.  I hadn't eaten there in ages, and it is a real New York classic.

The Oyster Bar Restaurant


We got there a bit before its 5:00 PM opening so we popped into the adjacent Saloon for a before dinner beer. I had an excellent draft Chimay and the Mysterious Chinese Woman had a Brooklyn Brewery Lager.  I noticed a couple of guys sitting next to me at the bar eating oysters and drinking Martinis.  One was wearing a Yankees cap so I asked them if they were at the game.  Well, obviously, they weren't at the game, they were sitting next to me at the bar.  But they had been at the game.  I liked the looks of their Martinis, just the right size, not the overly large ones you usually get, with a bit extra in a glass on the side.  This comes into play later.

Okay, not much later.  After finishing up our beers and waiting for the Mysterious Chinese Woman to stop belching (she said I made her drink too fast) we headed into the dining room.  Now, she wasn't really belching, I just put that in for comic effect.  She complains when I make up stories about her, like her hollering BINGO when she didn't have a card.  I tried to tell her that the Mysterious Chinese Woman in my blog isn't really her, just a character loosely based upon her.  That got me nowhere.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman, What A Character


With thoughts of Martinis running through my brain I realized that I hadn't had a Gibson in ages.  I figured if anyplace could make them the Oyster Bar Restaurant would be the place.  And I was right.

Not A Martini, But A Gibson


It must be hard for most bars to keep those little onions in stock.  Probably not much call for them.  Kind of reminds me of buying hazelnuts for a bar so they could put them into my Rusty Nails.  That didn't work out very well, but that is another story.  And probably one you have already heard.

Now if you are at the Oyster Bar Restaurant you would really be remiss if you didn't order oysters.  They have several different kinds and they are, like the fish they serve, absolutely fresh.  And delicious.  I ordered half a dozen raw oysters, two each of three different kinds, and wolfed them down before I even took a picture.

Just The Empty Shells


They serve them with a couple of house sauces, but I prefer mine with just horseradish and a dash of Tabasco sauce or, better yet, a dash or two of Cholula Hot Sauce.  And they provided both.  The Mystereious Chinese Woman had fried oysters for her appetizer and there weren't even any shells.

For dinner I had the pan-fried lemon sole.

A Simple Preparation


They adhere to the less-is-more style of cooking here.  Nothing at all fancy and no added flavors.  The fish is the dish, lightly browned and served with lightly roasted vegetables.  Quite delicious.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman ordered shad that came with its own roe.  We had gone to a shad festival one time but never actually ate any so she wanted to try it.  I was surprised by how dark the meat was.  For some reason it was served with bacon.  My mother used to cook liver with bacon, the theory being that the smell of the bacon disguised the smell of the liver.  I hope that wasn't the thinking here.

Bacon And Shad, Goes Together Like...?


Actually, she said it was very good.  I never did taste it though, but why would she lie to me.

If you ever are in Manhattan you really should visit Grand Central.  It is especially nice now that it has been all fixed up, and there are a number of good drinking spots in there.  A couple of them on the balconies at either end of the main hall.  There is a Michael Jordan's Steak House there too and it is quite good.  And by all means check out the Oyster Bar Restaurant.  It is very classy and like stepping back in time.  Well, except for the prices.

We caught the subway home and I still had a hankering for another old-style cocktail.  I had just gotten an email from Esquire with a few classic recipes.  One was for a Manhattan that they claimed was close to the original, half Rye whiskey and half sweet vermouth with no cherry.  I think they may have gotten the Rye part wrong because they suggested something like a Wild Turkey Rye whiskey.  The original Manhattans were made with Canadian whiskey that they call rye.  Oh well, I went the non-traditional route and used my go-to Bourbon, Maker's Mark and mixed it half and half with Vya sweet vermouth.  Well shaken and served straight up it was a perfect nightcap.  So perfect that I had three.  But they were small.