Beer Beer and Beer

Today I reveiw beers. A most enjoyable task.



Magic Hat Circus Boy



Now I have to admit I am a fan of Magic Hat. The Magic Hat Brewing Company is located in Burlington, Vermont and their #9 is a big favorite of mine. It has a bit of an apricot taste but not cloying or overly sweet. A nice beer for a summer day while sitting on your porch, if you have a porch. But this is about Circus Boy, something that I saw for the first time this morning when I went to get a cure for a session of vodka drinking last night (see my previous post).

Circus Boy (I don’t know where they get their names) is billed as a hefeweizen and is an unfiltered beer so it is a bit cloudy but there didn’t seem to be any discernable yeast deposit on the bottom of the bottle. It has kind of a perfume-like taste to it but doesn’t really have a perfumed nose. In fact it tastes a lot better than it smells, although it doesn’t smell really bad, by any means. On the other hand, it doesn’t smell really good either. It certainly doesn’t call out for a squirt of lemon juice like many more traditional hefeweizens do and you also wouldn’t want to put any raspberry syrup in it like they often do to hefeweizens in Berlin.

I guess if this was a wine you might call it amusing and unpretentious. I think it would be a good beer to bust out along with the #9 at a barbecue just for something different. In fact, might sound a bit sexist here, a lot of women might like it as an alternative to wine coolers. Now don’t get me wrong, I will drink a wine cooler on occasion and Mike’s Hard Lemonade really hits the spot at times.

If you want to visit an interesting, although somewhat confusing website, check out Magic Hat’s. Whoever designed it must have been a Monty Python fan.

Victory Hop Wallop Ale



Well, a wallop it does pack, a hefty 8.5% wallop. Sneaky too, you don’t really notice how strong it is because it is really, really hoppy. When you first pour it a nice head rises up that, as the bubbles burst, releases an almost fresh hops-like aroma. Sadly, the head dissipates quite rapidly and then the beer takes on an almost funky odor. However, the beer doesn’t taste funky at all. If you let it set in the glass a bit the funky smell goes away and you get the hops back again. Either that or the guy next to me farted just as the head went away. It is really quite good with a strong flavor of hops, quite dry, but not, somehow, overpowering. I quite enjoyed it, but then I like strong flavors and am partial to IPAs. This makes your typical IPA look a bit pale in comparison though.

This beer is brewed by the Victory Brewing Company and is located in Downington, Pennsylvania. Victory is another brewery that makes a whole bevy of good beers. I am, as you probably know, a big fan of micro-breweries and even the larger ones that produce a product with some real taste like Samuel Adams (note, I am not a big fan of Anheuser Busch and their ilk).

I certainly would recommend this if you like hops. If you don’t, run away.

Bigfoot Ale



Well, if I thought the Victory Hop Wallop Ale was strong, this one is a real kick in the head, a whopping 9.6% alcohol. Despite a real heavy malty flavor the alcohol does come through, but not in an entirely unpleasant way. It is one of the few brews that I have ever had that actually warms the tummy on the way down. This also, to me at least, would be the perfect beer to end up a session with the boys and girls. I don’t think it would be wise to start out the evening with it though. Everything else would pale in comparison and you would be hard pressed to spend the night drinking these. I suspect it would be a rather short night if you tried.

Bigfoot is made by Sierra Nevada, another reliable brewery that puts out consistently good beers. Despite its name it is actually located in Chico, California.


If you like my reviews of beers let me know and I will continue to do them more frequently. I am certainly not going to do another 1000 bars but will, of course, continue to post on any new ones that I go to or any interesting experiences that I have in ones that I have visited before. I am not retiring, just slowing down. I might also do write-ups on interesting or classic and well-made cocktails that I either make myself or order in a bar.

Your comments and emails are always welcome and let me know what you think about what I am doing and help me figure out what to do next. However, if I get a bunch that say they would like me to review ballet, it ain’t gonna happen.

Salutations to Salute

Salute In Rego Park, Queens



Salute doesn't have a bar, but that doesn't mean you can't do a bit of serious drinking. It was a bit of a trek for me to get out here to 108th in Rego Park. I took the G line to where it ended in Long Island City and then switched to the V line and took it to Rego Park. Then, instead of the two blocks that my friend Felix said I had to walk it was twelve blocks from the subway stop. Added to that was the one block back from 98th to 97th to ask for directions and then back to 108th and it was a nice long hike. Of course I got there before anyone else and had worked up a powerful thirst. I wasn't about to break into the iced bottle of vodka I brought with me so I ordered a beer instead. Instead I had a Baltika Extra 9 Lager, a nice Russian beer that packed a bit of a bunch, 8% alcohol, and came in a big, if somewhat unusual sized, bottle, 1 Pint, .9 Ounces. Must be a metric thing.

A Nice Pour Of Baltika 9 Lager



The beer had a very nice flavor that hits you with an initial bitter taste that melts into a sweet, malty finish. It has a nice golden color with almost no head. It is brewed by Pivzavod Baltika / Baltic Beverages Holding in the Russian Federation. Now this is a bit confusing because Doyna LTD is also involved as a company that was established in 1997 to develop and market high quality imported European beer brand in the United States. I think they are just the importer though. Baltika has a wide range of beers, many of them with numbers. Perhaps I shall have the chance to try them all. According to Doyna's website, Baltika is the second larges selling beer in Europe, Heineken being number one.

Two of my friends that I was dining with are Russian and when I asked what I should bring to drink it was fairly unanimous, vodka. I picked up one that is made in Texas on the recommendation of my friend at the local liquor store. I told him I would get all kinds of static for bringing a Texas vodka and I was right. However, after the first toast everyone agreed that it was quite good.

Felix Showcasing Tito's



Tito's In Its More Usual Position



At the risk of making Salute even more popular that it already is, I have to say that the food was delicious. Traditional Russian fare from the salads through the fantastic lamb soup and the delicious shish kabobs. I usually stay away from these unless I make them myself because typically they are over-done and tasteless. These were absolutely delicious.

The Gang; Bar Man, Ronnie, Al, and Felix



Our Waitress and Photographer



Needless to say a single bottle of vodka wasn't going to do it for this crowd so Al went out and got another.

Al And The Olifant



Luckily there was a care service available to get me back home for a mere $35 plus a generous tip.

The New Guy

As some of you may know, there is someone trying to go to 1000 bars this year. I am a bit flattered because he has cited me as his inspiration. His name is Matt and we hooked up this evening to hoist a few together. We hit a couple of places that were duplicates for him, meeting at Pete's Waterfront which he had previoiusly visited and finished up at Keefe's, where he had also been. I think I have this right, I wasn't taking notes and was a bit tipsy at the end.

In between we hit:

Long Island Restaurant And Bar


Montero


Magnetic Field


Floyd's


I have already visited all of these places, of course, but it was fun to visit them again with someone trying to replicate my feat. He is on pace, although a bit behind where I was at the same point in the year. I certainly wish him the best and you can follow his exploits at his blog:

Matt's 1000 Bar Blog

Belated and Bugged

Well, this is a bit belated, to say the least. I went to these places the last week I was in Mexico, March 22nd to be precise, and then didn’t get around to writing about them until now. Took me awhile to dig everything out from my suitcase and get the pictures uploaded. I finally found a charger for my camera at a new Radio Shack that must have just opened this year.

Wednesday is art walk day in Puerto Vallarta so you get to stop into a number of art galleries and get a free glass of wine or a cocktail (if you are lucky). The Mysterious Chinese Woman also had her eye on a restaurant that was supposed to serve the most authentic Mexican food in Puerto Vallarta so we decided to combine the two, go on the art walk and then have dinner. Well, it kind of worked.

Flea Market Bar



We walked across the bridge that takes you from the south side of town where we stay to the north side of town where the galleries and the restaurant are located. Right across the bridge is a flea market little bar inside of it that has decent drinks at a low price. I just couldn’t pass it by so we stopped in while I slacked my thirst a bit.

It was getting a bit late by the time I finished up so we only had time to hit one gallery before heading to the restaurant.

El Arrayan



This is a very pleasant restaurant with an authentic Mexican décor and a little bar off to the side. The hi-lite of the meal had to be the appetizer, roasted grasshoppers.



Now before you gag let me tell you that they really were quite tasty, kind of crunchy with a bit of a smoky nut-like flavor.



You really should try them if you get a chance, and this would be a good place to do it. They let me cut back the normal portion of three tacos to just one so I didn’t actually have to make a meal of them As you can imagine, the Mysterious Chinese Woman wasn’t about to help me out with this.

After dinner I had a quick drink at the bar before moving on out.



Piano Bar



There was a pretty good singing guitar player in here but aside from us and a female admirer the place was totally empty. I hope it was because it was so early because it seemed like a very nice place and the bartender was friendly enough. It must be pretty frustrating to have to play and sing your heart out to an empty place. We did put a nice tip in his jar to help keep his spirits up.

I had a shot of tequila, Herradura reposada, my new favorite, with a Pacifico chaser at the bar.



I have been practicing pronouncing Herradura so I only get a puzzled look about half the time when I order it. It takes awhile to figure out how to roll your “R”s.

Roxy



Well it took me long enough to get back here this year. You may remember that this was the last bar that I hit on my twelve bar march last year. The sign has changed but not much else. Still a great late nice place to pop into for a few drinks and to listen to some decent music. You can dance your heart out too.

We just had a couple of beers (and another Herrandura for me then headed on home after a nice night on the town.



They had a new line of tee-shirts so I felt compelled to add to my collection.



Maybe next year we will get to a few more art galleries.

A Little Heinie

I thought today I would write about a beer instead of a bar. I was contacted by a representative of Hass MS&L, a public relations firm that has Heineken as one of their clients. They asked me if I would do a post on my blog for a new beer if they sent me a sample. Well, those of you who have been following this blog know that I couldn’t turn down a deal like that. I mean after all, free beer that arrives in the mail. What could be better.

As it turned out the new beer is Heineken Premium Light, a “new imported light beer, brewed specifically with light beer drinkers in mind…” They say it “offers an extraordinary smooth and light taste experience with all the premium cachet of a Heineken.”

Now, I must admit that I am not really a fan of light beers and seldom drink even the run-of-the-mill domestic lagers due to their lack of any real taste. Perhaps because I have just returned from Mexico where I pretty much drank nothing but Corona and Pacifico, which are also fairly light beers, the Heineken Premium Light didn’t taste too bad. It does have a bit of the Heineken flavor to it but, like all light beers, has a bit of a water back-taste as well. Still, if one is bound and determined to have a light beer, this one is as good as any and better than most. I guess a lot of people do like light beer because it currently accounts for almost 50% of the total volume sold within the United States beer market. I guess that accounts for why Heineken is jumping into it.

Be sure you notice the new slimmer and taller bottle with the vertical logo on the label, makes you feel a bit thinner just looking at it. The packages have silver as the dominant color to suggest both premium and light. Clever, aren’t they.

I won’t be making Heineken Premium Light my beer of choice, but that is because my personal taste runs to the heavier, more robust flavored lagers and ales and on into the porters and stouts. Still, if I was participating in one of those strenuous athletic events such as softball, golf, fishing, or bowling where you are expected to dump down a six-pack or two, this might make a decent brew to quaff.

A Few Favorites

I decided to revisit a couple of my favorite bars today in the area close to where I live. The first one is a small place with now name out front. As you may recall, last year I found out that the name of this place is La Gloria de Infierno or The Glory of Hell.

La Gloria de Infierno


It sounds much worse than it is. It is actually just a small place with a couple of tables and a cement bar in the back. You don’t see many tourists in here, in fact I have never seen any except me and whoever I come in with.

Gringos Having A Few Belts and Beers


Last year the crowd was a bit surly, but this year they seemed friendly enough. The bartender is always friendly, but I suspect that is because we actually pay for our drinks and leave tips as well. He honored our presence with a bowl of free peanuts.

They had really neat shot glasses in here although shot glasses might be a misnomer; they hold much more than a shot. Big and heavy and the bartender poured with a heavy hand. My friend Sandy asked if we could buy a couple and the bartender sold us three of them for 20 pesos each.

We had a couple of beers and a couple of “shots” of tequila in here and then headed to another favorite of mine a couple of blocks away.

Currently Rojan


This one is now Rojan, but it has had a number of different names over the years. The first time I came here it was the Corner Bar. It was the first bar that I visited, many years ago, on the south side of Rio Cuale where I now reside while I am here. At that time there was almost nothing over here in terms of places for tourists, it really was out of the way. Now it is jumping although still not as built up as the other side of the river.

One night, before I moved into this area, a couple of buddies and I hit this bar late at night at found out that it had become a gay bar for Mexicans, and a bit of a rough one at that, think cowboys in leather. And this was way before Brokeback Mountain, which is actually about gay shepherds, not cowboys. It seems like every year the name of the place changes and there is a shift in the clientele. It isn’t exactly a touristy place, but it really isn’t a place for locals either. Kind of dead during the day but it livens up at night when they sometimes have live music.

The décor of the bar hasn’t changed much over the years except there is no longer a woman who makes tacos. They have added a pool table and you can shoot for free, at least during the day. When we stopped in there in mid-afternoon there was only one other customer, a local. The bartender was really friendly though and we ingested a few more tequilas than were probably good for us, but what else is new.

Bar Man And The Gang Overindulging


The bartender actually gave us a shot glass for some reason. They get them for free from the liquor distributors anyway and I am sure plenty of them get stolen. I doubt if anyone would try to steal one from La Gloria de Infierno though, I know I wouldn’t try.

We hit a few more places during the day including a pool hall where we had a couple of beers, but these were my favorites and I thought I would share them with you. I forgot the recharger for my new camera, a Kodak V550, and it doesn't take regular batteries so unless I find a place that sells the battery it takes or find someone with the same camera and a recharging cable I am done taking pictures this year. Of course I also left my old camera at home so I don't even have a backup. Now you know why I don't do this as a profession.

Bruce's Hairy Ass

No, no, not really. It is really Bucerias. I went out there last year, you may recall and the trip was pretty much the same except the local bus that takes you to where you get the bus to the town has raised the fare to 4.5 pesos, or about forty cents. Then about another 95 cents to get you to Bucerias. Well worth the money for a bit of an adventure.

There are a lot of little stalls with vendors selling just about the same stuff you can get in Puerto Vallarta, some of it cheaper, some of it not as cheap. A lot depends upon how much time you are willing to spend bargaining with them. For example, a friend of ours who just came back from China bought some bracelets while she was there for ninety cents. The offering price from a vendor who had the exact same bracelets was 200 pesos or about 18 dollars. Spend enough time and you might get the price down to 20 pesos.

Well, after a long bus ride my buddy Rico and I were a bit thirsty so we decided to head to a bar on the beach for a few beers while the women did some shopping. The first bar we came to was Andriano's, and it suited us just fine.

Andriano's




After a bit they joined us so we all sat and enjoyed the sun, the surf, and the suds.

The Crew Enjoying Our Surf, Sun, and Suds


The bartender was from Canada and just came down to Mexico in the winter. I would stop in at the bars and if a bartender didn’t show up for work, not an uncommon occurrence I gather, he would fill in for him. Not a bad deal, it paid for his beers he said.

After we finished our beers we headed to my favorite restaurant in Bucerias, Dongarel Plays. I think that is phonetic for “Doagarel Place.” I usually just call this the slanty place because as you look at it from the sidewalk it appears that the deck is, indeed, slanty.

The Slanty Place


We were going to meet some friends of ours, Steve and Allison, for lunch but they couldn’t make it because Allison had to pick her sister up from the airport. It didn’t affect our appetites at all and we all tucked into our meals and had a great time.



There was a stiff wind blowing which was nice because the one drawback of this place is that sometimes a lot of flies like to join you for lunch. There were none this year.

After our meal we headed back into town. The bus back goes in further than where you pick up the one coming out so we rode it to the end where it pulls into the bus depot. It was still a bit of a hike back to our place but we decided we could use the exercise. Of course we couldn’t make it all the way back without at least one stop. We passed by New Dollar Bills and it was open. In years past I have never seen this place open for business, either because it opens late or because it was just closed for some reason. I guess the fact that it is now “New” Dollar Bills means that it has new management and actually is open for business during the day. It was even open in the morning when we were heading out.

New Dollar's Bar


It is just your typical small Mexican bar that is kind of dark and a good place for a beer, which is what Rico and I decided to have, with Elvis looking on.



A fun day and we got back in time for sunset drinks out by the pool at our Playa del Sol where I have my place. It overlooks Playa Los Muertos or, in English, either Beach of The Dead or Dead Man’s Beach, depending upon who you ask.

Bruce's Back Alley Bistro

Bruce's Back Alley Bistro


Given that I was with my friend, Bruce, it was a no-brainer to stop in here. And they had a real bar where I had a real drink, a Bar Man's drink, a Perfect Manhattan, straight up. Now you don't know how hard those are to get here in Mexico, especially one that is made well, and these were. Just the concept of getting anything straight up is hard to get across. If you tell most bartenders here that you don't want your drink over ice-cubes, just shaken with ice you either get it completely warm, no ice at all, or barely shaken, which is just as bad if not worse. Well these were done just the way they are supposed to be. And when I said I wanted a Perfect Martini I didn't have to explain how to make it either. Now I will have to admit, they had no bitters, but I wasn't about to complain.

Bar Man and Bruce Enjoying Our Manhattans


Despite the use of the term "Back Alley" in their name, there is nothing back alley about this place. It is quite nicely decorated and their menu is really good if you like steaks and chops. Now it is not an inexpensive restaurant, not by any stretch of the imagination. The 10 ounce rib eye was 280 pesos which is pretty close to $28 USD. But it was worth it. Perfectly done the way I like it, medium rare, and a very generous 10 ounces. The owner, Bruce, said they age their meat on the premises. They had an excellent selection of wines to accompany the meal and we accepted the waiter/bartender's recommendation of a lush red to go with our steaks. I wish I had thought to write down the name. If I go back I will make a point of getting it.

Bruce, MCW and Donna Looking Happy With Bruce's


Bruce, as it turned out, had been adopted by Chinese parents and spent his youth in Hong Kong although he is Canadian. I would have liked to chat with him more about his life but, as you can imagine, being the owner, chef, and host, he was a bit busy. He and the Mysterious Chinese Woman tried to talk a bit but they spoke different dialects so they really couldn't understand each other all that well. And that was in English (just kidding).

They offer a sampler plate here but it is quite expensive, about $45 USD and everyone at the table has to order it. He said that was mostly due to the lamb that they import from New Zealand and it is quite expensive to get it here in Mexico. I guess that is why you seldom see it on a menu. To Bruce's credit, he didn't encourage us to order the sampler plate. He said the first time you visit you should just order off the menu to make sure you like the food enough to spring for the "big one." Well, I liked the food enough to do so and if I visit again may very well do so.

Bruce's Alley has only been open a few weeks and it is a bit different for Puerto Vallarta. More expensive than most restaurants and more upscale food, reminiscent of a New York steakhouse. I hope it does well for no other reason than they serve a damn fine drink at their bar.

After dinner we toddled back to our place and my friend Bruce and I repaired to our balcony to enjoy an after dinner cigars and a sherry that I bought in Spain and brought down just for occasions like this.

Bruce And Bar Man Enjoying Our Cigars And Sherry


Tonight was Bruce and Donna's last night in Puerto Vallarta, at least for this year, but I think we made it a good one.

Encante en Rio

Encante


Well, Encante is not actually on the river, but it is across the street from the Rio Cuale that runs through the center of Puerto Vallarta. The restuarant is a bit off the beaten path and is in a largely residential neighborhood on the south side of the river. The houses that line the river have a dirt road on one side and chickens and dogs run around freely. The little kids are a bit more closely supervised, but they run around quite a bit too. You don't have to roam too far from the center of town and the hotels and restaurants that line the bay and the mountains above to find remnants of the old Mexico. I find that comforting because that means places like the Blue Whale will continue to flourish.

There wasn't a bar in here, but then I am no longer on my quest so I can kick back a bit and just enjoy a dinner with friends on occasion. And it was a very good dinner indeed. Both my friend Donna and the Mysterious Chinese Woman had shrimp and they were very happy with their choices.

My Friend Donna Anticipating Her Meal


The coconut shrimp came piled high on skewers stuck into a thick slice of baked pineaple.

Coconut Shrimp Piled High


The Mysterious Chinese Woman seemed more interested in her drink than her meal. But then I think her drink was bigger than her meal.

Mysterious Chinese Woman and her Big Drink


I had a delicious cut of pork with an orange glaze on a bed of, in my opinion, slightly over-cooked vegetables. But the pork was so good there really was no reason to complain.

Nobody complained about their meal and we all agreed we would return again, although probably not until next year because everyone but me and the Mysterious Chinese Woman are leaving soon. I may return, however, and bring along friends who will be joining us in a week or so. The place was nice and cool and painted in shades of mint green. Nice lamps, mirrors, and a kind of garden scene against the back wall made this small place a refreshing stop.

The Whole Gang, Donna, Bar Man, MCW, Chris and Bruce


The owner of the restaurant was very pleasant and chatted with us a bit. She pointed out a very small, looks like it is in someone's living room, restaurant across the street where she said she sometimes eats. If that wouldn't be authentic Mexican food there is no such thing. Looks like it would be a small step up from the taco stands on the street that I like so much. And boy, are those stands busy at night. We passed a whole block of them all full of Mexican families having dinner out. If I hadn't already eaten I would have happily joined them.

Off To Mexico

Yesterday the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I headed off to Mexico. Took a cab out to JFK, thank goodness the snow had melted, and after checking in headed to a nice, and relatively new bar at what looks to be a new terminal.

The Greenwich Village Bistro


A nice cheery place with drinks that weren't over the top in price. I had a draft Sam Adams in their super-sized 22 ounce glass.



Perhaps a bit of a brighter place than I would have preferred, but quite cheery. It is in a food court setting so you feel a bit like you are drinking in a shopping mall.

We caught our plane and got to Mexico City with no problem but then we ran into a bit of a snag. They changed the procedures this year so that now you cleared customs and immigration after you got to Puerto Vallarta. In the past you had to retrieve your bags in Mexico City, clear customs and immigration, then recheck you bags before boarding your connecting flight. Well this would have been great, if they had told you about the change in advance.

We got off the plane in Mexico City and, as usual, there was nobody around to actually give you any instructions. We did as we normally did, followed the crowd and went down to immigration and customs. By the time we cleared that we had missed our connecting flight so we had to spend the night in Mexico City. This might have been fun except that it was after midnight before we got everything straightened out and got rebooked for the next day. About all we did was hit the airport hotel, quite a nice but also expensive place, and crash.

Of course when we were getting our tickets sorted out we were told that they couldn't understand how we missed our connection because nobody else had missed it. Then next day though we did run into other people who had missed the connection for the very same reason, nobody had told them about the change in procedures.

Everything is well that ends well, I guess. Aside from absorbing the cost of the hotel room and not getting into Puerto Vallarta until about 3:00 P.M. on today instead of late last night all was well. Our bags were waiting for us at the Puerto Vallarta airport so we just picked them up and jumped into a cab.

I will be posting occasionally from Puerto Vallarta so stay tuned if you are so inclined. The weather here is great and there are, as many of you know, plenty of bars and restaurants.

Bad Valentine

Not My Idea Of A Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner


I wasn't going to post a new blog until I got to Mexico but I had such a bad experience at dinner, a dinner that I had looked forward to, that I feel compelled to write about it.

As you may recall, before I went to Marty Markowitz's inauguration I stopped into Thomas Biesel for a beer. I really liked the looks of the place, old world charm and all that, so I made reservations to have my Valentine's Day dinner there. I hate to say it but I have never been so disappointed in a dining experience in my life.

For starters, when I made my reservation I specifically asked if, in addition to any specials they might offer, they would still have their regular menu available. I was told that the specials would be in addition to the menu, not a replacement. I even asked, specifically, if the pig cheeks would be available and I, again, was told "Yes, of course," because it was one of their specialties.

Okay, so we get there a bit before 8:00 P.M., the time we had reserved. We found that they had, shall I say, an uninspired prix fixe menu and then I was told that their normal menu was not available. Now when I say uninspired I mean uninspired. I ordered the steak tartar for an appetizer and it was terrible. The flavor was okay but if you throw enough salt, pepper, and garlic into anything you can make it taste okay. But the meat was ground, it was mushy, it was disgusting. This is not a difficult dish to make but they totally botched it. On top of that it took a long time to get it. Now the Mysterious Chinese Woman ordered a salad and my dish doesn't require cooking and the place was pretty empty. Why the hold-up, I do not know.

The main course took even longer to arrive and it was as bad if not worse. I opted for the meatloaf and if they actually cooked it in their own kitchen the cook should be shot. I would bet my bottom dollar they had it delivered. Again, the meat was mush and it was less flavorful than the steak tartar. The Mysterious Chinese Woman ordered a pork chop and I was suspicious right away when they didn't even ask her how she wanted it prepared. It came out grossly overdone and had almost no flavor. The vegetables that accompanied our meals consisted of some limp greens and mashed potatoes that I am sure came out of an envelope.

To make matters worse, a table of people who came in about an hour after us did get to order off the menu. When I asked the waiter about this he said that they had to "move" the specials before the kitchen could prepare the regular meals. What a way to treat a customer.

The only bright spots were the staff and drinks. The waiter almost seemed embarrassed by what was going on and kept coming by to see if everything was "alright." Of course it wasn't but there wasn't a thing he could do about it. The drinks, Bombay martinis for me, were fine though but the complimentary glasses of "champagne" you got were sweet, warm, and the champagne probably went for about $5 a bottle. I did get a complimentary martini and glass of port with an espresso which would have been appreciated it it didn't appear to just be a way to compensate for the rest of the meal. I really do feel badly for the staff because this fiasco must have been a "management" decision.

All and all it was a memorable night but for all the wrong reasons. The cask conditioned ale I had at Brazen Head on the way to the restaurant was, by far, the best part of the evening. And the cheese plate the Mysterious Chinese Woman prepared for lunch (she went to a local cheese shop and had them put together a selection of "stinky" cheeses for me) and bottle of Cava, Sumarroca, was inspirational.

Even though I really wanted to try the pig cheeks at this place, I simply do not think I can bring myself to return here. You would have thought a Viennese restaurant would have gone out of their way to make Valentine's Day a romantic adventure.