When one thinks of the term “pub crawl” one might immediately picture the young 20 somethings banding together in a massive group, parading about town in a drunken determination to hit bar after bar, loud and obnoxious, and liable to get kicked out before nights end. Well, this is not always the case.
Martini Madness
Take, for instance, a beautiful Tuesday evening last month when my husband and I decided that we would have a little pub crawl of our own. We are all for getting into a little mischief, but really our main goal was to explore the downtown Westerly scene and come away with a better knowledge of what the area had to offer us mid to late 30-somethings. We were not disappointed.
For those looking for the company of a bit of a crowd to drink with and a higher probability of live music, I might suggest doing your “crawl” on a Friday or Saturday night, but a low key midweek evening suited us just fine. We began our adventuring at “Amigos”, officially named Amigos Taqueria Y Tequila.
I am a huge fan of Mexican food and drink, and declare to my husband every time that we have tacos (and I’m sure much to his repeated annoyance) that I could eat them every day. The ambiance was pure Mexican delight with colored flags hanging from the ceiling, touches of weathered wood along the walls and bar, and an impressive wall of tequila and other spirits.
Wanting to make sure we had a little base for the El Fuego( Tanteo Jalapeño Infused Tequila, Agave Nectar and Fresh Lime) and Smokey Bones (Monte Alban Mezcal, Cointreau, Lime and a Splash Sour) Margaritas that we ordered, we also requested the Handcrafted Guacamole and Chips. Delicious!
We decided our next stop would be The Brazen Hen next door. Having married a 2nd generation Scottish-American, full of pride in his heritage, this Celtic scene, and traditional pub fare was a win-win. We figured we’d better eat dinner before putting too many other bars under our belt and were delighted by the burger selection we found here.
After putting away some spicy buffalo wings (I mean who can say no to wings??!), I ordered the Sheehan Burger (topped with Irish Porter Cheddar, Ale Mustard, Bangers, Irish Back Bacon, and Fried Egg), and my husband got The “Hibernian” Burger (Irish Back Bacon, Guinness Fried Onions, Ballymaloe Relish, and Sweet and Spicy Mustard). Nothing, in my opinion, pairs better with burgers than beer, so we ordered up two pints of Blue Moon from the array of taps on display. A friend of mine tells me there is karaoke on Sat nights… I love to sing… in the words of the Terminator, “I’ll be back”.
Next, it was time to go get a little more twisted at The Twisted Vine across the street. Based on the name I always assumed this was just a wine bar, but I was pleased to learn that there were many other drinks to enjoy. In lieu of a traditional dessert, my husband and I often like to have after dinner Espresso Martinis, so we ordered up two and took them across the floor to the comfy couches in the lounge area. I have yet to eat at this upscale fine wine and dining restaurant, but it is definitely on my list!
What’s the saying? “One Martini, Two Martini, Three Martini, FLOOR”! Well, why not hop to the next martini at a place well known for their impressive list of just that kind of cocktail? Hippity hop (yes we were starting to feel it) back across the street to Perks and Corks.
Pretzels @ the Barley
I had been to this eclectic spot once before for a bridal shower and knew just what to order, a Strawberry Basil Martini, beautifully deep pink and garnished with a sprig of basil. A-Mazing, and did I mention the glasses they use are the size of your head…more bang for the buck (more hurt for the head)! I’ll admit I do not recall at this point in the evening what my husband ordered, but knowing he’s a gin man, let’s just say it was one of their gin martinis with giant olives!
Upon return here, I have discovered they have a delicious array of gourmet grilled cheeses on the menu, but this night, yes burger already in the belly, I decided it was time for a pretzel further down the row.
On to The Malted Barley! This place had long been a favorite of mine and well on my radar before moving here. It seemed the ideal (and necessary!) place to end our evening and our crawl as soon we really would be crawling… I love a good craft beer, and the ‘Barley has a whole wall of them. And what else goes with beer besides a good burger, a pretzel of course!
Was I hungry, no, but did my brain say I wanted, nay NEEDED a pretzel, yes! Not one of their pretzel sandwiches this visit, but one of their gourmet stuffed ones, jalapeño cheddar please, with a side of spicy brown mustard to dip in. Add in my pint of Allagash White (no clue what the hub ordered at this point), and I was a happy gal.
Five bars would probably just be the start for those 20 somethings I mentioned at the beginning of this tale, and believe me Westerly definitely has many more watering holes, but call it age, or call it wisdom, my husband and I headed home and dreamed happily of fun nights to come!
