2/13/2015 Update: Bar Food

Since last post, I traveled to Orion to visit the Sidetracked Saloon, which had been Stooges until recently.  I’m not sure if the flat screens in the corner are new, but if they are, it’s the only change I noticed.  I’m sure it’s a fine bar, but, with the tall ceilings and rectangular layout, the only impression I came away with was of being in an appliance box when I was a kid.

In mid-December, The Quarry in west Davenport re-opened as Thirsty’s On Third, and they are doing some remodeling work.  The owners seemed real nice, and I wish them luck.  It’s a nice little dive enclave they have down at Pine and Third, with Thirsty’s, The New Opendore, Scott’s Shovelhead Shed, and the New Wooden Nickel.

Another nice group of bars, a little more upscale, is in the College Hill area of Rock Island.  Within the last three years or so, Legend’s Corner, The Grotto (in the Black Ram restaurant), Cool Beanz, and Against the Grain have joined Kavanaugh’s Hilltop along 38^th St. near Augustana.  Against the Grain recently changed their name to Radicle Effect Brewerks, to solve a dispute with an establishment in Louisville.  The nanobrewery changed nothing else, but the name change was enough to allow me to stop in again and tack it on my list, currently standing at 545.

Other Bar News:

·         The Rusty Nail in Davenport has reopened.  The only reason I had heard put forward for closing in the first place was tax issues.  Whatever it was is hopefully behind them now.  Also reopening is Purgatory’s Pub in Bettendorf after a remodel (one unconfirmed rumor was they had to close for thirty days anyhow due to an age violation at another bar they owned, so they made good use of the time).

·         On The Rock in Rock Island closed Dec. 31.  On Facebook they posted that the expected cost of necessary renovations and repairs was the reason.  Some speculate they lost their liquor license, but they may just have not renewed it in anticipation of closing.

·         Also closing:  Sideways and QC Downs in East Moline, and VIP Bar & Grill in Rock Island.  I’m not too broken up over any of these, except it widens the gap between the number of active bars in Illinois vs. Iowa.  I never made it to the VIP (previously the Last Chance Lounge), as I never knew when it was open.  I will miss the occasional Derby Day at the Downs.  Sideways?  Whatever.

I was recently made aware that Donahue has a couple of bars (thanks, Skip!); Don’s Pub and The Depot.   Donahue fits my definition of the Quad Cities area in that it’s within 20 mile of the center of I-74 bridge, so they’ll be added to my What’s Left list, and I’ll have something for my next post.  I’m not so sure what to do on The Enchanted Inn in Davenport.  They go by Dee’s Catfish Cove now, which is normally enough to allow me to add it when I visit, but they still have the Enchanted Inn sign out front.  For now, I’m not putting it on my What’s Left list, which stands at 11 (VIP, Radicle Effect, and Sidetracked Saloon removed, the two from Donahue added on).

Finally, I have two additions to my Favorite Bartenders list:  Monica at Governor’s and Dereck at R Bar, both of whom make their bars a destination rather than a stop. 

TOP TEN BAR FOOD – UPDATE 

 

In September 2012 I wrote a list of my favorite bar food, and after over two years of bar closings, ownership changes, and menu changes, I figured it was time to do some updating.

The range of what I call bar food is a little broader than potato skin /mozz stick / spin dip appetizers, but it still has to be food you can sit at the bar and consume without feeling awkward.  That means no meals that include soup or salad, no pasta dishes, steaks… pretty much appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and pizza.  Food that doesn’t require much in the way of utensils. 

Gone is the Escargot at the Bierstube (both Moline and LeClaire, but LeClaire never actually had it on the menu).  Gone is the Angry Russian from It’s On The River (Pastrami, Swiss, Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing).  Gone is the cheeseburger from Duey’s – I’m told the new owners are still doing a great cheeseburger, but the two times I’ve had it - admittedly, the first month under new management - it was bland at best.  Gone is the Buffalo Burger at Sneaky Pete’s (it may still be good, but because of how the bar smells these days, I can’t sit in there long enough to consume one).   And gone is the Corned Beef and Swiss from the Meat Market in Davenport, as, contrary to what their sign still states, they are no longer a deli.  

Among those on my original list that still remain are my two favorite pizzas in the QCA – the Three Cheese with pepperoni, mushroom, and onion at Poor Boy’s in Rock Island, and the pepperoni, mushroom, and onion at Bad Boy’z in Moline (don’t know why, but I think it’s appreciably better in Moline than Davenport), as well as the cheese curds at Crust in Bettendorf with Raspberry Jalapeno sauce, the gigantic shrimp (both size and price) cocktail at Duck City Bistro in Davenport, and the Boozie’s Burger, despite a recent unhappy incident on a Friday afternoon, where I sat at the bar watching my burger sitting at the pickup window cooling for just shy of 10 minutes. 

New to the list:  Buffalo Wings - hot, haven’t tried Daytona - from the Parkside Grill in Moline:   sauce is perfect heat, and they’re huge (oddly, the Riverside Grill’s are puny in comparison, even though it’s the same ownership);  the Bud Man at the Paddlewheel in Bettendorf:  grilled tenderloin folded over cheese and bacon, topped with barbeque sauce;  Tuna Tartar at Red Ginger in Bettendorf (you have to ask for the Sriracha sauce, even though at the Osaka restaurants it comes on it);  French Fries at the Blu Shamrock in Cordova I think are the best in the QCA, and Bacon at the RiverBottom ChopHouse in Port Byron.  Bacon?  Yeah.  It’s smoked pork belly atop a risotto cake, accompanied by port dates, cipollini jam, and blackberry compote.  The list:

Poor Boys, Rock Island	Three Cheese, Pepperoni, Onion Pizza
Duck City Bistro, Davenport	Shrimp Cocktail
Parkside, Moline	Buffalo Wings
Bad Boy'z, Moline	Pepperoni, Onion, Mushroom Pizza
Red Ginger, Bettendorf	Tuna Tartar w/ Sriracha
RiverBottom ChopHouse	Bacon
Crust, Bettendorf	Cheese Curds
Boozie's, Davenport	Boozie's Burger
Paddlewheel, Bettendorf	Bud Man
Blu Shamrock , Cordova	French Fries
Honorable Mention:
Blue Cat, Rock Island	Scotch Eggs
Buffalo Wild Wings, Davenport	Jerk Boneless Wings
Governor's, Bettendorf	Cheese Fries

We were able to visit some unique places on a recent trip to San Francisco, and posting picture is so much easier that coming up with new ideas to write about.

TRAVELOGUE - San Francisco

Old Ship Saloon – Originally a ship named the Arkansas that was damaged off Alcatraz Island in 1851 and towed to what was the Yerba Buena cove, but after filling part of the bay, is now the corner of Pacific and Battery streets.  The term ‘shanghaied’ – where bars would drug patron’s drinks, who would then find themselves working on a ship the next day – was coined at this bar.

Old Ship Saloon

Old Ship Saloon

Smuggler’s Cove – Listed at Number 16 on the list of top 50 bars on Earth, according to CNN, this is a great tiki bar that features over 200 rums, and a catalog of tropical drinks.  We settled on the Dead Reckoning, mixing Flor De Cana 12 year old rum, vanilla liqueur, maple syrup, tawny port, lemon juice, pineapple juice, club soda, and a dash of bitters.

Smuggler's Cove

Smuggler's Cove

Smuggler's Cove lower level

Black Horse London – The smallest bar in San Francisco.  Fire code says capacity is 22, but you wouldn’t be able to turn around with that many.  A Yelp review said “my favorite bar because you have no choice except to meet the people around you”, and it was spot on.  We knew everyone in there within ten minutes. 

Black Horse London

Black Horse London interior

Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar – located in the Fairmont Hotel and built around their original in pool, this tiki bar has indoor thundershowers every half hour, with rain, thunder, and lightning.

Hurricane Bar

Tonga Room

Tonga Room

The Irish Bank and The Irish Times – Naturally, we had to stop at a couple Irish bars.  The Irish Bank is the 5th best Irish bar in the USA, according to Fox News.

The Irish Bank

The Irish Bank interior

The Irish Times

The Irish Times interior

Top Of The Mark – Tiny $14 martinis, but a great view of sunset from 19 stories above Nob Hill. 

View form the Top Of The Mark

Bars since the Jan 4 post ( * - new to my list):

Rudy's Cantina

Bierstube LeClaire

* Radicle Effect Brewerks

RiverBottom ChopHouse

Red Ginger

Bierstube Moline

Broken Saddle Saloon

TGI Friday's Moline

Sneaky Pete's

129

Bass Street Chop Bar

Governor's (Bettendorf)

Yankee Doodle

VFW Bettendorf

* Thirsty's On Third

Boozie's

Harley's

Fargo

R Bar

Ubriaco's Trattoria

Gravy's

* Buerna Vista Café (SFO)

* Zeitgeist (San Francisco)

* Smuggler's Cove (San Francisco)

* Black Horse London (San Francisco)

Jack's Cannery Bar (San Francisco)

* Irish Times (San Francisco)

* Bar 333 (San Francisco)

* Old Ship Saloon (San Francisco)

* The Irish Bank (San Francisco)

Tonga Room (San Francisco)

* Top Of The Mark (San Francisco)

Sam's Take Time

Snowstar Lodge Pub

Front Street Tap Room

Steel Head Tavern

River House

Brix

* Sidetracked Saloon

Barrel House

The Doc's Inn