AAR Must Drink
There are refreshments out there that can make your travels richer and more fun:
​
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.
​​​
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.
​​​
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 . . .
​​​
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.
​​​
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.
​​
Generally regarded as the best dive bar in LA. A fellow frolicker, Antoine mentioned that he used to be stationed in Fort Leavenworth, which made me a little wary, until he clarified that he was not a guest but an employee (an Army MP). He was also briefly stationed at Guantánamo Bay back in the oughts. He couldn't tell me much about his work there as it was classified.
​​
We both agreed about the importance of keeping classified information secure, otherwise, the nation's security could be put at risk, well that and if you were not a former or current president of the United States, you might get oneself in real trouble.
​​
You know you're in Hollywood when you're in a dive bar that plays TCM on the TV.
​​
The place also figured in numerous key scenes in the second greatest TV police procedural.
​​
Antoine and the guy sitting next to him who looked like Chumley from Pawn Stars, agreed that the second coolest bar in Hollywood was . . .
​​​​
Had a Yuengling draft at you guessed it . . . Gooski's, I was so close, I couldn't help myself. How divey is this place? Cash only, smoking encouraged, and you can buy a six-pack of PBR for $8. Two Yinzers at the bar welcomed me to Pittsburgh with some conversation and great ideas of what to do during my stay written on a napkin.​​
​​​
After visiting three chili parlors in the Queen City, I finally realized what was missing from my Cincinnati chili 3 to 5-way. So when I heard that this place was the only chili parlor with an attached bar, I was in. It's a nice set-up with the original 1962 chili parlor on one side and the bar in an adjacent room. We settled in at the aptly named Golden Fleece bar and ordered a "4 Way" with onions ($6.89) and two (well, in the end, four) Coors drafts ($2.50 each). Our bartender Stephanie (a former Skyline employee btw) obliged us with two shots of straight Cincinnati chili (gratis), so we could perform a scientific tasting and the chili was quite good: spicy, a little oily (a good thing), and thick with a slightly thinner shred of cheese. It came with large oyster crackers and lethal hot sauce. Chili: A, Ambiance: A (the bar put them over the top).
- Steve, the owner was holding forth at the bar with a bunch of regulars and was nice enough to stop by and chat about how the secret recipe was almost lost a few years back and how most chili parlors serve Pepsi (due to a better service contract than Coke). The Missus mentioned that he should pair a shot of chili with a shot of something. He wasn't that enthusiastic at first until in a moment of Hellenic inspiration said: "a shot of Uzo" (a "Greek on Greek"?). So we tested it out, . . . not bad at all (perhaps a better name would be a "Flackopoulus?").
​​
It’s a dive bar, so I think the name is a play on words. Besides the endorsement, we received from the client at the Bar Bar, I was drawn to this place by its Yelp reviews "Great stiff drinks and free entertainment. If you like to people watch, this is the place to be!", "My kind of dive. Heavy pours, pleasant crowd" and "They serve cheap drinks that are strong". These reviews reminded me of Nick, the bartender from the movie It's A Wonderful Life who said (with a heavy Brooklyn accent): "Hey look, mister - we serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast, and we don't need any characters around to give the joint atmosphere. Is that clear, or do I have to slip you my left for a convincer?" We arrived slightly after twelve noon, so we decided to stick with beer (Coors Light draft @ $3.50).
​
I put "The Boys Are back in Town" on the Jukebox and engaged Bart the "BARTender" in conversation. Bart is not only a Bartender, but a guardian angel, as he helped a patron with his phone, arranged a cab for a tipsy client, chased tokers away from the rear entrance, and since it was the Missus' birthday (only the best for her), served us a Scooby Snack on the house (thankfully sans whipped cream). Bart mentioned that another great dive bar was the Lion's Lair, so . . .
​​​​​​
Made an al fresco exception to drink at the most famous bar in Savannah. The Original Pinkie Masters was opened in 1953 and the inside appears to be unchanged except for a plaque built in the bar top where President Jimmy Carter stood to eulogize the eponymous owner on March 17, 1978. Hungry? Then get a Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich (with a side of Brussels sprouts²) next door at The Diplomat Luncheonette, eat it at the bar, and wash it down with $2 Miller Pony, $3 domestic, or $6 shot. Bring cash for the jukebox and for your very modest tab.
- With its landmark PBR sign out front, it can't be missed.
​
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.
​​​
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)
​
• 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.
​
• 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".
​
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).
​
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.
​
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).
​
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.
​​
​​
​​
​