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Bars where Pete has had a drink

Showing posts with label Food Recommendation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Recommendation. Show all posts

Sunday, February 05, 2023

#4678 - Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA - 7/13/2022

Black Bass Hotel Tavern
Lumberville, PA

After a gorgeous drive from the Continental Tavern in Yardley, it might have been disappointing if the Black Bass Hotel Tavern was fairly pedestrian in appearance. But not to worry, as the historical site is currently a stunning setting and at its peak in the late afternoon sun and shadows. The tavern is set in the tiny village of Lumberville, a village in Solebury Township first settled by Revolutionary War veteran Colonel George Wall, and hence first known as "Wall's Landing."

My plan is usually to sit at the bar, but the beauty of the hour and the setting on the Delaware River demanded a patio seat. There I enjoyed some fine small dishes, while the family across from me discoursed in French. It seemed appropriate in this setting, as the weather, the water, the view made me feel this must feel somewhat like sitting on the French Riviera.

Black Bass Hotel Tavern
Lumberville, PA


A snippet of the history from the tavern's own web site: “Built in the 1740s, the Black Bass Hotel served as a haven for travelers, traders, and sportsmen. The famous tavern had many names through the years including Wall’s Tavern, Lumberville Hotel, Temple Bar, The Rising Sun and finally The Black Bass Hotel. As one of the oldest inns in the country, we are proud to be included in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Bass seeps with a rich history. One of the most notable documents that while George Washington is known to have slept in several historic properties throughout the Delaware Valley, he notably did not stay at the Bass. As Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Washington was turned away by the innkeeper of the Bass who was a Tory and loyal to the British Crown. He made it clear that Washington was not welcome to stay. Shortly thereafter, just 14 miles south, George Washington organized the first move in a surprise attack against the Hessian forces. He and his troops crossed the Delaware River to Trenton, NJ on the morning of December 26, 1776. This proved a decisive victory in the American Revolutionary War that helped turn the tides in American’s favor."

A hotel is said to have first opened here in 1745, as a tavern under the name of the "Temple Bar."

More recently, the site notes:

"In 1833 a fire broke out in the Tavern resulting in extensive damage. Major Anthony Fry, the proprietor at the time, broke open the cellar doors and, at the risk of his own life, carried out a huge quantity of gunpowder that was being stored there. This stopped an inevitable explosion and saved the Bass from total destruction. We thought this feat worthy of naming one of our suites after him!


In the late nineteenth century, the Black Bass fell into decline and passed through several owners until it was purchased in 1949 by Herbert Ward. Herbie, as he was fondly known, rescued the Bass and ran it until just before his death 54 years later. He was passionate about history and was a devoted Anglophile. His expansive collection of British memorabilia, as well as hundreds of antiques and notable artwork, were lovingly restored under the guidance of the Thompson family. Herbie purchased the famed pewter bar in the Tavern at
auction which originally resided in Maxim's of Paris."


When exactly the tavern was first known as the "Black Bass" is not clear to me. In J.H. Battle's History of Bucks County, it is described by as such by the time that W. Horace Fell took ownership in in 1887. Bucks County Magazine cites a January 18, 1837 edition of the Bucks County Intelligencer that includes an advertisement for the Rising Sun Tavern operated by Anthony Ely in Lumberville, likely the same tavern in this tiny town. The same article also notes that it was long known as Lumberville Inn, and that an 1863 ad describes it as the estate of Jesse P. Forker.


In addition to the river view, the hotel includes some beautiful grounds, which make it an attractive selection for wedding ceremonies. And, of course, as with any building of such antiquity and history, it is widely believed to host a number of ghosts, including old Hans, one-time owner of the tavern, who was stabbed to death in the early 1800s.

While its Tory past may have precluded certain claims to history with General Washington and the founding fathers, today's Black Bass Hotel is probably the most pleasant dining and visiting experience of any of the historical taverns I have yet visited.

Old photo of the now Black Bass Hotel
(Photo from hotel's web site)

































Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA
(photo from hotel web site)






















Est. 1887 or earlier as "Black Bass Hotel," 1745 as a tavern (Temple Bar) - Building constructed: 1745
Previous bars in this location: Temple Bar, Wall’s Tavern, Lumberville Hotel, The Rising Sun
Web site: blackbasshotel.com 
Articles: onlyinyourstate - nepascene - hauntedhouses - happeningmag - visitbuckscounty - americanpublichousereview - nytimes - thereporteronline - travelmaven - tripadvisor - newyorkoptimist 

Sunday, June 21, 2020

#4005 - Pioneer Saloon, Paisley, OR - 6/17/2020

Pioneer Saloon, Paisley, OR
Update: For sale in 2023 - OregonLive

Paisley Oregon, proud home of annual Paisley Mosquito Festival, is in the southeast Oregon area some call the "Oregon Outback," and many refer to as the middle of nowhere. The city business section, such as it is, lies mostly on one bend in highway 31, south of the Chewaucan River and adjacent to the Paisley Caves, where archeologists found the oldest known evidence for humans in north America, dating back some 13 or 14 thousand years.

Settled by the 1870s and incorporated in 1911, Paisley has always been small (current population is less than 250 people), but it has virtually always attracted people from the area with saloons. And as it currently hosts the Pioneer Saloon, and old west style bar and restaurant that features an antique back bar and claims to have been established in 1883, this has been near the top of my to-do list for northwest bars to visit.

I wish I knew more about the history of the place -- how consistently it has hosted a bar, what names it may have operated under, and for what time(s) it has been known as the Pioneer Saloon. In the back room there is a large print of a pre-prohibition photo of several men on horseback in front of a "Pioneer Saloon," presumably in Paisley and perhaps in the same building (?). Most of what I have found is summarized in this paragraph from a local magazine:

"One of only two original structures still standing in Paisley, the Pioneer Saloon—previously named the  Cooley Saloon and Paisley Tavern—developed an early reputation as a rowdy watering hole. In April 1888, Civil War veteran Henri Brown shot and killed Pioneer bartender Harry Schick over a game of cards. (Brown always claimed the shooting was an accident and was eventually pardoned by Governor Chamberlain in 1903.) And in 1906, local resident Gib Gaylor was found dead in the saloon’s club room. With a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a bottle of medical liniments to rub on his various aches and pains in the other, Gaylor had accidentally drunk the wrong bottle. All told, the Pioneer Saloon has persevered through two hangings, a deadly shooting and stabbing, Prohibition, two World Wars, the rise and fall of the timber industry and, more recently, the annual flood of trustafarians making their way to Burning Man in nearby Nevada." -- (Beau Eastes, 1859 Oregon Magazine)

Pioneer Saloon, Paisley, OR
Of course I'm also interested in the back bar, said to be a Brunswick. While it is a model that I can't identify, a framed description is attached to the bar itself:

"This bar was built in Boston in 1905 and shipped around the horn to Portland. It was brought to Paisley from Arlington, Oregon in 1906 by a six horse freight wagon driving by Melvin Parker." I'm not aware of a Brunswick factory in Boston (?), but at this point I'll take the info as described.

Pioneer Saloon, Paisley, OR
Presently the Pioneer offers a range of pizzas, sandwiches and burgers, ribeye steak and tri-trip sandwich specialties, and a variety of rotating home cooked specials including prime rib, meatloaf, linguine, lasagne, smoked brisket, and fresh baked pies with other home baked goods. The bar offers a nice variety of Oregon craft beers and a surprising range of cocktails, all served by some really nice people.


327 Main St, Paisley, OR 97636 - (541) 943-3289                              















Est. 1883? - Building constructed: 1883?
Previous bars in this location: Cooley Saloon, Pioneer Tavern
Web site: facebook 
Articles ranked: 1859oregonmagazine - oregonlive.comonlyinyourstate - centraloregondaily (video) - lakecountyexaminer - yelp - tripadvisor - bendsource - roadtrippers  

Sunday, May 27, 2018

#2682 - Brick 29 Bistro, Nampa, ID - 12/30/2014

Brick29, Nampa, Idaho
The description of "comfort food elevated" and promise to satisfy foodies and less adventurous eaters was just the ticket for our extended family dinner, and Brick 29 delivered in spades. The upscale but affordable food from James Beard award winning chef Dustan Bristol was delicious and the cocktails did not disappoint. This was served in a pleasant old Masonic Hall, with early 20th century touches. (Since this visit they have moved to the upper floor of the building.)




320 11th Avenue South, Nampa, ID 83651 - (208) 468-0029
Est. 2007
Web site: brick29.com - facebook
Articles ranked: idahostatesmanidahopress - boiseweekly - yelp - tripadvisor 

Saturday, May 26, 2018

#2679 - Juniper, Boise, ID - 12/26/2014

Juniper on 8th, Boise, ID
This is just a swell place all around -- nice setting, great food, very good cocktails, and funny and efficient server Bri (and I am totally unbiased by the fact that she responded to my Krampus Christmas sweater with "I think you might be awesome").


211 North 8th Street, Boise, ID 83702 -  (208) 342-1142                              
Est. June 28, 2014
Web site: juniperon8th.com - facebook
Reviews: idahopreferred - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2675 - Mai Thai, Boise, ID - 12/24/2014

Mai Thai, Boise, ID
The Mai Thai is a slightly upscale downtown Boise restaurant featuring Northern Thai cuisine, along with sushi, Bento Boxes, various Asian fusion plates, some nice cocktails with an emphasis on fresh juices, and a wine program featuring Idaho wines and which gathered an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. Mai Thai has been voted best Thai food in Boise 12 years in a a row and features something that I wish more Seattle Thai restaurants had -- a lunch buffet.











750 W Idaho St, Boise, ID 83702 - (208) 344-8424                              
Est. 2003
Web site: maithaigroup.com - facebook
Articles ranked: boisefoodieguild - theeatguide - boisefork - culturetrip - idahostatesman - yelp - tripadvisor 

Saturday, April 21, 2018

#2665 #S1292 - Good Bar, Seattle - 12/1/2014

"Good Bar," in the historic Furuya Building, Seattle
You had me at Sloppy Joe. But in addition to their upgraded take on that school lunch favorite, some folks from Marination Mai Kai serve a very nice selection of craft cocktails from a historic building in Pioneer Square, remodeled in fine congress with that history. The stone building know as the Pacific Commerical Building or Furuya Building was constructed in 1899-1990 and first housed the Seattle substation of the Snoqualmie Falls Power Company. Soon after that it housed the main store of the M. Furuya Company, "the largest Japanese-owned commercial enterprise on the Pacific coast." It grew from two to five stories in 1905, and in 1907 hosted the Japanese Commercial Bank, later to evolve  into the Pacific Commercial Bank.

Furuyama's businesses collapses in the wake if the Great Depression, with the Pacific Commercial Bank folding in 1931. The retail business was susequently reorganized under the ownership of some employees, who moved it 1941 just before losing the business entirely a year later as they were forced into the infamous internment camps.

The top two floors, lost in the 1949 earthquake, were restored in 2013. The Good Bar owners have preserved the old vaults and much of the decor, adding a white marble bar and small kitchen that serves patrons on the ground floor and a surrounding balcony above. The have a television tucked away for some sort of special occasions, but I have never seen it on. Why they chose a name bound to confuse people is not clear to me, but my cocktails were first rate and the Sloppy Joe lived up to its reputation --  highly recommended if you go.


240 Second Avenue S., Seattle, WA - 206-624-2337
Est. Nov 22, 2014 - Building constructed: 1900
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: goodbarseattle.com - facebook
Articles ranked: eater - seattletimes - seattlemag - theinfatuation - eateryelp - tripadvisor - thrillist



Saturday, April 07, 2018

#2657 #S1288 - Jack's BBQ, Seattle - 11/19/2014

Texas Trinity Combo, Jack's BBQ, Seattle, WA
Jack Timmons, who came from Texas by way of Microsoft, claims that the BBQ in Seattle now is better than in Texas, which he attributes to "raising the beef in a more moderate climate. You don't have to cross-breed and harden your stock to survive a hotter summer or colder winter." (eater.com) I don't know if he's going to persuade anyone with that, but he serves up some pretty compelling arguments from two mammoth smokers burning hardwoods shipped from Texas. It is Central Texas style -- Timmons explains "Well, you know, I grew up in Dallas, and the barbecue there wasn't that great by today's standards. East Texas is really no different than Louisiana barbecue. Lots of sauce, use of pig, and fried stuff. In West Texas you cook over a coal fire. And in South Texas you bury stuff in the ground — it's called "Barbacoa. Now in Central Texas you cook in an offset smoker with a clean wood fire. A lot of flavor comes from that." (ibid) As per the web site, the food is "based on the BBQ style started in butcher shops in Central Texas in the late 1800’s. Beef and pork with a simple salt and pepper rub, smoked low and slow over hardwoods (post oak, mesquite, hickory, pecan), and served on butcher paper. Sauce is optional, along with pickles and white bread."

Timmons began hosting "Seattle Brisket Experience" events, and moved into this roadhouse like space in south Seattle after Bogart's closed. The events gave him a reputation as Seattle's "King of Brisket." As of 2018 he is serving it at Mariner games in Safeco Field and expanding to a second location in South Lake Union. And he is also serious about his liquor. They have an extensive, creative cocktail menu (carbonated margaritas on tap), some good local craft beers (along with Shiner Bock), a small, nice selection of wines, and an ongoing series of events in conjunction with local distilleries and brewers. Try the Smoked Old Fashioned.


3924 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 467-4038
Est. Sep 8, 2014 - Building constructed: 1950
Previous bars in this location: South End Tavern (30s and 40s), Goldie's (1997-2008), Bogart's (2011-2013)
Web site: jacksbbq.com - facebook 
Articles ranked: eater - eater - seattlemet - seattletimes - texasbbqtreasurehunt - texasmonthlyseattlemet (Daniel Vaughn) - hungrydogblog - houstonchronicleking5 (video) - sipnorthwest - seattlemaven - microsoftalumni - seattleweekly - heyprettythingsamanddavy425magazinethestranger - yelp - tripadvisor 

Sunday, December 24, 2017

#2592 #S1274 - Maple Bar, Seattle - 8/19/2014

The Maple Bar, Seattle, WA





Search online for "Maple Bar Seattle" and you will find stories about an infamous late night maple bar heist from Top Pot Doughnuts by a former Seahawks star. But "The Maple Bar" bar is a joint that opened up in the space of the much beloved Maple Leaf Grill, which spent the last 15 years of its 25 year run tucked into this north Seattle bungalow. The cozy neighborhood restaurant is now run by cousins Libby Cook and Heather Ramsay, who have also been running Daphne's up north in Bellingham. In addition to the intimate, friendly atmosphere they serve some nice takes on traditional diner dishes, along with some refreshing shrubs and other cocktails with an emphasis on fresh juices. (And yes, at least the last time I was there, you can get a maple bar at the Maple Bar.)


8929 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 - (206) 402-6135
Est. Aug 23, 2014 (soft open previous weekend) - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars in this location: Maple Leaf Grill (1999-2014)
Web site: maplebarcocktails.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - mapleleaflife - yelp - tripadvisor - thestranger 

Saturday, December 23, 2017

#2588 #S1270 - Monsoon, Seattle - 8/11/2014

Monsoon, Seattle, WA
Monsoon has been here since 1999 but they did not add the lounge until 2014, a few years after owners Eric and Sophie Bhan had begun expanding to new Monsoon and Ba Bar locations in the Seattle area featuring craft cocktail bars. This was the first restaurant from the Bahns, siblings who grew up in Saigon and fled with their parents to a Malaysian refugee camp, then Seattle by way of Alberta (seattleweekly). They currently run two Monsoon locations and three Ba Bars, all serving largely revolving menus of some of the better plates in the region, with a special focus on modernized versions of Vietnamese dishes using local northwest ingrediants. Some of the favorites people mention are the caramelized Idaho catfish claypot with fresh coconut juice,  and green onion, the oxtail pho, and the grilled Monterey squid stuffed with duck meat and La Lot beef. This location also includes a rooftop patio that I have yet to experience.

While the craft cocktails do not disappoint, this location in particular feels like much more of a dinner or lunch stop than a place where you would hang out at the bar. I may have to go a couple more times before I'm sure I'd put it among my top stops strictly as a bar, but if you're hungry I would not hesitate.


Monsoon, Seattle, WA
615 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 325-2111
Est. 2014 (bar), 1999 (restaurant)
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: monsoonrestaurants.com/seattle
Articles ranked: thestranger - seattlemag - winesandspirits - okgourmet - fearlesscritic - seattleweeklyseattlemet - richardsilverstein - edibleseattle - yelp - tripadvisor 

Saturday, October 01, 2016

#2464 - Three Muses, New Orleans - 3/19/2014

Three Muses opened in 2010 in an intimate space right on Frenchman Street in the Marigny, with live music, local beers, finespun cocktails, and a menu of elegant international small plates meant to be shared. The limited spaces are quickly filled in the evening but well worth seeking out.

Three Muses, Frenchmen Street, New Orleans

Three Muses, Frenchmen St, New Orleans
Three Muses, Frenchmen Street, New Orleans

536 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116 - (504) 252-4801
Est. 2010
Web site: 3musesnola.com - thethreemuse.com - facebook 
Reviews: neworleans.com - yelp - neworleansonline

Saturday, December 19, 2015

#2420 #S1223 - Flying Fish, Seattle - 2/25/2011

After 15 years in Belltown, James Beard award winning chef Christine Keff moved her highly regarded seafood and Asian themed restaurant to South Lake Union -- one of the early upscale restaurateurs to settle in the area as it was just starting to a massive makeover driven by Paul Allen and Amazon.com. In 2013 she sold the business to Xiao Ming Liu, who had moved to Seattle after running several high end restaurants in China.

300 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 728-8595
Est. 2010 (this location) - Building constructed: 2006
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: flyingfishseattle.comfacebook
Articles ranked: seattletimes - bizjournals - seattleweekly - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor - seattlemag - thrillist 

Saturday, December 05, 2015

#2411 #1217 - Tallulah's, Seattle - 2/1/2014

Tallulah's ("a neighborhood cafe") is one of my favorite new restaurants in the Seattle area. It is the first brand new space designed by Linda Derschang, who is better known around the neighborhood for transforming existing spaces with funky, hipster-friendly, rustic decor. This place is more sleek and elegant than most of her earlier places, and is said to be "inspired by a recent trip to Morocco and Spain, a love of mid-century design and the feeling of Big Sur in the 1970’s." (aneighborhoodcafe.com)

They describe the menu of chef Walter Edwards (Crush, Tilth, Golden Beetle) as "vegetable-driven without being vegetarian." I tried the grilled Halloumi cheese with roasted pears, which I thought was excellent, and a very nice lamb burger with zucchini, Harissa and fries. For cocktails I had a "Lost Acre" (rye, Dolin Blanc, Amaro Meletti, Peychauds), which I found excellent, and a "Benchmark" (rye, sweet vermouth, Campari, grapefruit) which was also quite good, and had pleasant conversation with various folks at the bar.


550 19th Ave E, Seattle, Washington 98112 - (206) 860-0077
Est. Dec 26, 2013 - Building constructed: 2014
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: aneighborhoodcafe.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - seattlemeteater - capitolhillseattle - seattlemag - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor