3/25/2016 Update: Favorite Drinks

Soi 2 Thai Street Food in the Rock Island District used to be what I think was called East Town Chinese Restaurant, but when I worked down there, it was always referred to as Frank’s.  It’s been a couple of different things since Frank’s closed (including a Cambodian restaurant), but I hadn’t been back until I was given the heads-up that the remodel included a bar (thanks, Rob).  As an added benefit, the food is very good, including the crispy fried pig intestines.

No surprise, the RiverBottom ChopHouse in Port Byron became Harrington’s, and is now the closest thing to a true Irish pub in the Quad Cities (I blogged about what I consider to be the qualifications in my post from 5/23/2013).  The food has gone over real well, and the menu includes Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers and Mash, and Corned Beef Nachos, though I’ve been lobbying to get them to add the full Irish breakfast to their menu – I was told to “Keep wishing”.  The only real change so far in the interior was going from no TV’s to more than the other three Port Byron bars combined.

Endless Brews in downtown Davenport (just north of Me & Billy on Main St.) is a retail craft beer outlet with a nice wooden bar in the front.  Good selection of beers, and they hang a special tag on the taps to highlight the Iowa brews.  The retail display tables that take up the back half of the store, however, kind of give you the feeling you’re drinking in a Payless Shoe store.

Service Station Bar & Grill, right next door to the Village Pub in Milan, is visually the most interesting of the bars for this post.  They stayed with the theme as much as possible, with a stainless steel bar and tables, corrugated metal on the walls, and cool upside down buckets for lights.  They also have the etched mirrors and light pillars from the Bon Air, bringing a little more nostalgia.  I can’t comment on the food because the kitchen wasn’t yet open when I visited.

New total:  584.

In other bar news:

This is sort of old news that I failed to report on, but the Rustic Grille in Eldridge has become Lynn’s BBQ and Saloon.

Besides the new one built on River Drive in Moline and the one converted in the old Hat in Davenport, apparently there is a third Happy Joe’s PizzaGrille in Milan.  I assume this means it has a bar, so along with Lynn’s, it goes on my What’s Left list, now at 11. 

Work at the Office (or Office 2, as I heard it may be called) in Moline seems to be moving glacially, as there has been brown paper up in the windows for what seems like more than 6 months.

Construction is happening upstairs at the building on Federal, just off of River Drive in Davenport, which I’m led to believe will be a brew pub of some sort (Thanks, Dan).

It was a short run for Dooley’s in Eldridge, as I’m told it’s now closed.

Sounds like Fargo will be closing soon as well, as the rumor has it that Hy-Vee has purchased Highland Park Bowl and will be bulldozing it to put in a strip mall.

FAVORITE DRINKS

Over the last few years, my tastes in adult beverages has widened:  I now drink Miller Lite 80% of the time, down from 99.5% back 5 years ago when I started writing this blog.  If I’m at Rick and Kathy’s, Harley’s, or Fargo, I’m still sticking with the Lite, but in many bars I now have ‘go to’ drinks that are only available there, and I’ve listed my favorites alphabetically by bar:

129:  Oatmeal Cookie Martini

Taste like it sounds, but a little Hot Damn gives it a little kick.

Bent River Brewery:  Jalapeno Ale

They've toned this down a little from when I first had it, when it was almost too spicy to drink.

Front Street Tap Room:  Cherry Ale / Vanilla Porter

I'd have never thought of this combo; it was suggested on their website.

Go Fish:  Mississippi Tornado

Like a Hurricane Slurpee.  I even have them in the winter.

Green Tree Brewery:  Mango IPA

I tried to keep my list to drinks that are exclusive to the bar, but Green Tree's products are showing up now all over Iowa and Illinois.  I’ve also had this had Harrington’s and Barrel House.

Harrington's Pub Port Byron:  G String

Coffee with Bailey's and Grand Marnier.  Top it with Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, for a G String with a stank.  I told the ladies at 129 about it, and now they make a great one too.

Icon's:  Salted Nut Roll Martini

This is the messiest drink on the list, with a marshmallow crème rimmed glass.  A guilty pleasure.

Phoenix:  Sweet Heat

Blueberry and Jalapeno Martini, that I first had at the Martini Shake-off

Rudy's Cantina:  Mexican Suicide

Their Margarita (outstanding on it's own), mixed with Bent River's Jalapeno Ale.

Ubriaco's Trattoria:  Blood Orange Prosecco Cocktail

It's what the astronauts would drink if they didn't have to pilot the shuttle.

Adios until next time, when I’ll bring you tavern tales from St Louis, Las Vegas, the Gulf Coast, and the Big Apple!

Bars since the Feb 21 post ( * - first time):

Parkside Grill Moe's Burgers & Brews Pub 1848 * Harrington's - PB R Bar Fargo * Service Station Sports Fans The Phoenix Red Ginger 129 Public House Van's Pizza Riley's Roadhouse Jimmie Lee's GiLanella's Headquarters Steel Head Tavern Rudy's Cantina Cabana's Front Street Tap Room * Endless Brews Go Fish Green Tree Brewery Central Standard Applebee's (Elmore) Governor's * Soi 2 Thai Barrel House - Davenport