let’s get to the brasstackshere. the first thing i spied when walking in was a predator. a baby one. like in the movie, only wrought from metal, sitting on an end table by the door. the second thing that caught my eye was the shuffleboard table. i felt so much at home that i was trying to figure out where to put my bed. and i hadn’t even made it to a table or looked at the menu yet.
the massive bar full of bottles further enhanced my feelings of wanting to move in.
by the time the menu arrived, i was fully settled in. it is short, twenty or so items, yet diverse. that’s great for me; my brain can only handle seven or so choices before deploying mechanisms.
the tables are nice; they were made from material salvaged from the site during restaurant construction. i was halfway trying to figure out how to make them for myself at home when i remembered that i was moving in here and continued looking around for a place to put my bed.
i got an excellent venison sausage with sauerkraut. the latter was bavarian influenced, not the northern style we are accustomed to in the stores. they complemented each other nicely, yet i would happily eat either on their own.
we also got a charcuterie platter with two meats, one lean, the other richer and spicier. again, nice complementary flavors. two cheeses; one blue, the other rich and mellower were also on the platter along with contrasting pickles; carrots, cucumber and a white vegetable. a deep dark rich apple butter and a generous portion of bread rounded out the platter.
my second visit was for breakfast. coffee was good, fresh, not overly roasted. i opted for the bacon version of the bloody mary, which arrived with bacon salt around the rim and a piece of bacon added to the garnish. with or without the bacon, the bloody mary is a sound investment.
i was thinking, “if my bed were just over there, i would have breakfast in bed right about...now.
the chicken and waffles arrived, along with the poutine. i got two legs and a thigh. happily, not a breast.
chicken two legs and a thigh. thankfully not a breast. it came across like an unbattered buttermilk brined southern style. the waffle was somewhat bready and moist, perfect for wrapping around the chicken. if the waffle is the foil for the syrup, it was marvelous because the bourbon infused syrup
waffle could have been better – crispier, less bready would halve been better. if the waffle is the foil for the syrup, the bready is marvelous because the bourbon infused syrup was flipping delicious. it is complex, maple and bourbon on par with each other.
finest aspect of that dish is the finishing salt; large flakes that are light bright briny and clean. my favorite bite includes waffle, chicken, and syrup. a nearly perfect flavor and texture combo.
the fries in the poutine are great; russets, plenty of gravy, plenty of cheese. it is a faithful rendition of this dish that is on par with anything quebec could throw at you. and yes, that can be delivered straight to my bed, too.
chicken, waffles, and poutine. in one dish. now you’re talking.
the background music is at a comfortable level; you can hear conversations at your table without overhearing conversations at other tables.
unisex bathrooms are always a plus in my book. now, if only they had a shower.