A Meandering Post

Last Wednesday the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I headed out to Coney Island to attend a reception at the Aquarium to celebrate the opening of a new exhibit. Man, talk about a dreary day to visit.

Still Not Summer


Several establishments, including Cha Cha's and Ruby's have been given another year to live, but I guess they are only open on the weekends until later in the year.

Closed For Business





I think Coney Island, or at least the Cyclone roller-coaster is supposed to open today, but the place still looks pretty run-down and seedy.

Not Ready For Prime Time


Before the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I went to the reception we popped into Footprints Cafe for a bite to eat. We would have settled for a hot dog at Ruby's if it had been open. Instead we had the Calypso Shrimp and Goat Curry. Both very good. Footprints Cafe is still one of my favorite Caribbean restaurants in the city.

The other day I took a stroll down to the new Brooklyn Bridge Park that is supposed to extend all the way from the Brooklyn Bridge to Atlantic Avenue. You may remember that part of the park near Atlantic Avenue opened last summer. It doesn't look like much progress has been made since then.

What A Waste Of Prime Real Estate




Of course part of the delay has to do with the portion of the park that will be supported by private enterprises located within the park. Now I am all for this. In fact I think that New York City could make a fortune by allowing a private golf course and housing in Central Park.

I had to laugh about the latest screw-up. This was released with great fanfare not too long ago:

Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) today released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a food concessionaire on Pier 6 to lease, fit out, operate and maintain a high quality full-service restaurant. The restaurant concession includes a 2,000 sq. ft. indoor restaurant, an adjacent outdoor terrace and a rooftop seating area.

Now the restaurant was actually supposed to open this fall.  Of course they only got one response so they canned that idea and are, instead, going to have a hot dog stand and a couple of other small vendors selling soft drinks and ice cream.  Food carts, in other words.  Not quite the same as a "high quality full-service restaurant" with "an adjacent outdoor terrace and a rooftop seating area."  But then that seems to be the way this whole park development thing is going.  Lot's of big ideas and grandiose plans, and then nothing actually happens.  I still don't think they have any public restrooms in the portion of the park by Atlantic Avenue that is open.

As I walked along Atlantic Avenue I also spotted a few new bars that have opened up recently, none of which I have been to yet.

Roebling Inn


I am just going to assume that you all know that John A. Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge but, unfortunately, died before it was completed.

Colonie




Soyta (I Think)


I like to pop into The Atlantic Chip Shop for a British beverage once in awhile, and to watch the occasional football (soccer to us) game.

The Atlantic Chip Shop


It looks like they are going to be televising the upcoming Royal Wedding, but I probably won't be dropping in to watch that.

No Thanks


Spent part of this morning watching Ribs Paradise on the Travel Channel so the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I got our drool going and are planning on heading to Waterfront Ale House this afternoon to get a rack of their award winning ribs to split. And, maybe, have a beer or two as well.

Back To My Local Watering Hole

I haven't really gotten out and about all that much since my return form Mexico.  Been a bit on the lazy side.  But on Friday I did return to the Waterfront Ale House.  For some reason I had a hankering for one of their hamburgers.

But, First Things First


I started out with a Southampton Bier de Mars.  This is a local beer brewed on Long Island by Southampton Publick (not sure why they need that "k" on the end) House.  It was quite good, with just a touch of sourness.  Kind of a hard apple cider finish to it, but not a sweet cider.  It doesn't have much of a head and is kind of a pale orange in color.  I believe this style of beer uses an ale, or top-fermenting, yeast but then is lagered (aged in cool conditions).  Very tasty, although I don't think I would quaff them all day.  It is a respectable 6.5% ABV, although I have seen reviews saying it is as low as 6.2% ABV and as high as 7% ABV.  A bit unusual to find such a spread.

Bar Man Is From Bier de Mars


I ordered an old standby, a Yuengling Lager, for the Mysterious Chinese Woman.  I have been trying to get her to remember what she likes and order for herself, but she prefers to rely on my judgement.  Sometimes that works, sometimes not so well.

But Yuengling Is Just Fine


Gaid agreed to pose for an updated photo so I don't have to keep digging into the archives.

Some Things, And Some People, Just Never Change


There was a table with a some kids sitting up front by the window and it was obviously one of the kids birthday.  I suggested to Gaid that he bring over a cupcake and sing Happy Birthday.  Bet you can imagine how that suggestion was received.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I decided to have a bit of a nosh in addition to the free popcorn so we ordered a hamburger and an order of Jamaican chicken wings to split.  I had a 21st Amendment American Bitter to go with it.  I guess they sell this beer primarily in cans because even the draft handle had an empty can on it.  In fact it looked like it was just a can stuck on an old draft handle.  Somehow Sam must have gotten a keg of the stuff.  It wasn't bad, kind of like a beefed up Budweiser.  And with an ABV of only 4.4% it is definitely a beer you could drink all day long.  Especially on a hot summer day.  In fact a case of cans in a cooler of ice sounds pretty darn refreshing.

Our Hamburger


The Mysterious Chinese Woman With Her Half


The hamburgers were, as always, quite delicious.  Sometimes I will go for the bacon/cheeseburger or even the hamburger with just blue cheese, but the plain ones have to be good or nothing put on top will fix it.  They also come with a large serving of very good fries.

And, We Also Had The Jamaican Chicken Wings


These too were very good.  A nice, slow building heat and very flavorful.  The heat was so slow building that after your first bite you think "This isn't very hot at all."  A couple minutes later and you are thankful that you have a beer handy.

I was going to call it a day but then I saw that their Bar Special, only $4.50 if you drink it at the bar, was Magic Hat Howl.  I am a big fan of Magic Hat and their #9 is one of my go-to favorites.  I had never had the Howl before so wasn't sure what I would get.  I thought maybe something yellow, like the moon, or something.  I didn't expect a dark stout.

What The Howl Is This?


Actually, it wasn't a bad beer with which to end the day.  And Magic Hat claims it is a black lager, not a stout.  Not sure exactly where one draws that line.  This beer has a nice coffee and cream colored head with a decidedly blacker, dark coffee colored rest of it.  And the taste has a bitter coffee flavor as well, with maybe a hint of chocolate lurking in the background.  Not a bad beer at all and with a relatively benign 4.6% ABV you can down of few of these.  Maybe half a case of the American Bitter and half a case of Howl in a cooler of ice would be a good idea.

Ah, I was in a mellow mood and could have gazed all night at one of my favorite sights.

So Beautiful


But toddle off we did.  Me to take a nap and the Mysterious Chinese Woman to watch some sad love-story about two Chinese peasants on the eve of the communist revolution.  She woke me when it was over so I could catch the Knicks/Nets game.  Knicks just killed them.  Next season the Nets are moving here to Brooklyn, not far from where I live.  I will probably go to a game or two and they will be the first games I have gone to since giving up my Knicks season tickets during the Thomas/Starbury era.

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.

Really Our Last Dinner

Okay, this really was our last dinner in Puerto Vallarta.

BUT..., before I get to that, I have to share what I now consider to be the most scurrilous ripoff I have ever heard of, charging extra for ice in your drink.  Yep, you heard it right.  The Darby in, where else, Manhattan charges you an extra two dollars if you order your drink on-the-rocks.  So that means your $13 Grey Goose Vodka will cost you $15 if you want it with ice.  When asked about this the bartender hemmed and hawed a bit and then said it was because you got a bigger pour when you ordered your drinks on-the-rocks.  Excuse me, since when, exactly, did that start to happen.  Rest assured that you will not be seeing Bar Man in The Darby anytime soon.  Although I do have an urge to go in and order a Grey Goose straight up then add ice that I have brought with me.

Okay, on to more pleasant thoughts, although adding my own ice was kind of a pleasant thought.  Our last dinner in Puerto Vallarta and we went to No Way Jose! with Bill and Marcie.  You may recall that the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I were there once for cocktails when we were barred from the Mexican Bingo game going on downstairs.  I think our reputation as being Mexican Bingo sharps had preceded us.  That and the Mysterious Chinese Woman jumping up and shouting "BINGO" when she didn't even have a card.  We also had our Valentine's Day dinner here, but that wasn't nearly as eventful.

No Way Jose!
 

Now the Mysterious Chinese Woman is always accusing me of taking pictures that make her drink look much bigger than it really does.  But really, she is the one who orders them so big you need two hands to hold it.

Does This Picture Make My Drink Look Big?


Now Bar Man knows how to order more photogenic drinks.

Smaller, But More Potent


And our friends Bill and Marcie just stuck with wine.

So Sophisticated


We got the upstairs seating area which, on as lovely a night as it was, was where you wanted to be.  Of course we had to stare at this sign all night.

The View From Our Table


Now this wouldn't have been so bad when everyone assumed it was a pepper.  When I suggested it looked like an erect penis wearing a very small reservoir-tipped condom the view suddenly got much worse.  But funnier.

I started out with a wild mushroom appetizer.  What the hell, you only live once so you might as well go while writhing around on the floor in agony.  No! No!  I knew they would be perfectly fine.  All of the produce and stuff in Mexico is so flavorful and good.  I have already mentioned the eggs many times and the same is true for chicken, beef and especially fish.  A gourmet's paradise.

A Delicious Wild Mushroom Appetizer


For the main course I ordered ribs in pineapple sauce, a big mistake.

Bar Man Drops The Ball


Now I don't want to suggest that my meal was bad, it wasn't.  What it was was out of context.  I can't remember exactly how the menu described this dish, but I thought it would be more, well, more Mexican.  Instead this tasted like something I would expect to get in a Chinese restaurant or, perhaps, in a Tiki Lounge. Probably not at Frank's Tiki Lounge in Las Vegas, though.  So it was good, not great, but good, but just not what I really expected or wanted.  More my fault than anything.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman got the Chicken in a Mole Sauce and it was delicious.  It was what I should have gotten.

The Real Deal


Those colorful sprinkly thinks you see all over the food are roasted sesame seeds.  They mush have gotten a good deal on them or they are somehow trying to make them their signature, somehow.  It was just funny that they seemed to be on everything.  But so what, I like toasted sesame seeds.  I even like those middle-eastern crunchy sesame seed candy bars they have.  But I digress.

The chicken was done to just the right amount of tenderness and the mole sauce was one of the best I have ever had.  As good as what I had at the Botanical Gardens, but different.  This one was much spicier, and by that I mean more picante, I guess mole sauces are like hot sauces.  I may have several favorites but they are different enough so they don't really compete.  Did that make sense?

Okay, so what.  On to the next dish, and I am not really sure what it was.

The Magical Mystical Meal


I think Bill and Marcie split this and, I think, it was some kind of chicken in some kind of a grey looking sauce  that nobody could really identify, shrimp and vegetables.  Needless to say, Bill was not overly impressed by the sauce, but he said the chicken and the shrimp were good.  I may even have seen him eat a vegetable, but that would be improbable.  Marcie seemed to enjoy even the brown sauce.  Well, at least she tried it.

It was another great dinner and, if it is still around next year, I will go back and get one of their mole dishes.  I hope it will be back, but that location seems to be bad luck.  Several restaurants located there have gone belly-up.  But No Way Jose! always seems to have a good crowd and two new condos just opened up a few block away so that may give them a bigger customer base.

We passed on the deserts but some of us couldn't pass up an ice-cream cone on the way home.

My Last Desert In Puerto Vallarta, This Year


And that was my last night in Puerto Vallarta.

Hey, do you think you could make money selling ice-cubes in The Darby for, oh, say a buck a glassful?