AAR Must Drink
There are refreshments out there that can make your travels richer and more fun:
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Bars
A loyal Subscriber mentioned to me that she had spent time in Chicago but never had a chance to visit. So I visited it in her stead (another benefit of subscribing to AfterActionReport.info).
Quite simply the best maintained dive bar I have ever had the pleasure of drinking in and an AAR Must Drink. Most dive bars have a fair amount of seed and are in need of some repair, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not this place, as the spotless tile floor was completely intact, all the swivel barstools (each branded "Richard's Bar" across the back) still swiveled, and the tin ceiling stunning. It's coming up on a hundred years, but the entire joint has been as lovingly cared for as it is cleaned daily.
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The place has a slight smell of cigarettes. When I mentioned to Joe the bartender, that "I didn't think you could still legally smoke in a bar in this country." He replied "You can't, but people do," as he placed an ashtray next to my beer.
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All that, and Norm Wendt's brother-in-law bought me a bottle of Old Style because it was his birthday, which was drunk while listening to Steve Lawrence on the jukebox. Norm Wendt's sister then recommended a place for fondue so . . .
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Located in Old Town, Geja's Cafe is a very romantic warren of a restaurant that offers the best fondue in Chicago. A father/son team ("the Marios") served me the International (tenderloin, shrimp, chicken), a solid Flackhattan and some live flamenco guitar.
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A local recommended this place, which a he described as "a place for drinking men." When I heard that Tony Bourdain had previously visited and it was the Boss' favorite Dublin boozer, I knew I had to visit. It didn’t hurt that Ireland's first rockstar filmed a music video at the place. It made me realize that the Irish do bars right: A very clubby Victorian atmosphere, tin ceilings, crown molding and plenty of wainscoting, with the walls painted a shade of maroon that says "you are either drinking in a first class establishment . . . or a bordello." Oh yeah, all that and blessedly no TVs.
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The entire experience from the unmarked entrance (keeps out the riff-raff), the intimate well-appointed bar, the excellent live jazz (on Thursday), the knowledgeable bartender and the delicious nosh (deep fried chickpeas with curry and salt) makes this one of the best speakeasy bars I've ever visited (a $10 Old Fashioned didn't hurt either). If you are going to hit only one cocktail bar in Ann Arbor, then this is the place. Please trust me on this as a good cocktail is a subject that's not exactly unknown to me.
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Wine
• Cocobon is a red blend, comprised of Merlot, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah grapes. This well-balanced wine has enticing aromas, fantastic structure and a rich, silky finish. Available at Trader Joe ($5.99 + tax)
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• The Douro Valley in Portugal is famous for Port, but it also produces red wine which while not quite as famous as Port, may be even better. If you come across a reasonably priced red wine from the Douro Valley, buy it (and drink it), as I've yet to drink a clinker.
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• Pick it up at any Aldi for $4.99. I've been told (by Aldi) that it has "Aromas of cherry and sweet fruit flavors with a smooth and light finish. Pairs well with spicy food or hearty beef dishes".
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Beer
• Quite frankly this is the best Pilser I have ever drunk and at $6.49/6-pk, it's a bargain. From what I can tell, in the U.S. it is only available at Aldi. Only comes in a bottle, which classes it up a little. Prost!
- You may want to combine this exquisite and economical Pilser with Aldi Restaurant Tortilla Chips ($0.89) and Aldi Little Salad Bar Guacamole ($2.99).
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Liquor
• It is quite easy to pay a significant amount of money for an exquisite bourbon, but the trick is to pay only a modest amount. And the answer to this particular trick is Buffalo Trace Bourbon.
- When buying "good" bourbon, always buy > 80 proof.
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Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
• Sometimes you want to go easy (real easy) on the budget and when you do . . .
- This is 80 proof and I hear what your sayin', "you just told me to drink stuff > 80 proof!" Even so this can be quite drinkable, depending on the price (unfortunately this stuff has become quite trendy, and therefore a little more expensive than it used to be).
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Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey - Bottled in Bond
• Sometimes you want to go easy on the budget when you drink, but want to drink rye with a little more oomph and when you do . . .
- This is 100 proof stuff, which for the price point is pretty good stuff.
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