Rosie's Tavola, Mount Joy - Bar # 115

"Education is important but Beer is importanter"

Today we returned to Mount Joy, PA where the Retired Guys found the one year old Rosie's Tavola, a business dedicated to an Italian Dining experience. Well, as anyone who follows this blog regularly knows the Retired Guys are dedicated to the Beer tasting experience.  We were not disappointed and in fact were thrilled to have found a new eatery to return to at some near future date.  (As an aside, I'm beginning to think that Mount Joy has more bars per person than most areas in Lancaster County!  Consider this borough for your next bar crawl.)

When we entered Rosie's we were greeted happily by Shay, our bartender for the afternoon.  I think that inside Shay was a little nervous as she explained today was her first time having responsibility for the bar.  On the outside she showed no signs of nerves getting the upper hand and was remarkable with her attention to us while she also dealt with some serving responsibilities on the restaurant side.  "So what ?" you might say "how hard can it be to serve beer?"  Agreed, but she also made a couple of cocktails for the first time that garnered compliments from her customers.....Way to go Shay!

As I said earlier, this is primarily a restaurant so it had a small selection of draft beer (4) but all were of the craft variety and a very nice mix to easily satisfy most people seeking a good brew.  We also tried an appetizer highly recommended by Shay.  The Charcuterie Plate was excellent in flavor and the quantity served was more than enough to feed both Retired Guys and in the process obviated the need for dinner later.  We were advised that most of the food served here is prepared on site and is both fresh and tasty.  Dinner reservations are highly recommended.  Next time I get the urge for Italian food, this will be my first selection.  I'll go for the food and get to enjoy the beer!

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Brady's, New Holland - Bar # 114

There is an auto dealer ad that says it is worth the drive to New Holland.  Well, it is also worth the drive to New Holland for a beer and some pretty darn good food.  Brady's on Rt. 23 just west of New Holland is in a "strip mall", but when inside you forget what's outside.

Katie, our bartender, greeted us cheerfully and seemed to know a bit about beer and could hold a conversation about what is good, popular and the taste trends of the public.  There are only 4 beer taps and that is a little short compared to today's mammoth number of taps at some pubs, but with Troegs and New Belgium belonging to 2 of them we were happy drinkers.

Our appetizer of choice was the sampler and it was a dandy!  Wings, mozzarella sticks, potato skins and jalapeño poppers were all done very well and had Garry and me both commenting that dinner later was really not needed.  If you go I would recommend the wings be sriracha  and bourbon.  It was fantastic!   Thank you Katie for the heads up.

All in all another great day of enjoying beer with a friend and discovering another gem of a watering hole in Lancaster County.  The food and the pleasant staff combines to make Brady's a destination to put on anyone's list.

Until next time, CHEERS!

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Molly's Pub, Lancaster - Bar # 113

If ever a neighborhood bar rose from the ashes of bad ownership, management and publicity, Molly's Pub has certainly pulled it off.  Looking at the physical interior it is still the same place, but that is where the comparison should end.  Kyle, the bartender, has a welcoming and engaging personality that invites conversation and makes you feel like a regular patron.  Molly's is back and worth the support of the community.

With today's huge number of tap handles at most bars, Molly's 8 taps initially seems insufficient.  However, when you combine the range of beer styles available on tap with the large selection of bottled beer there is something for everyone.  The appetizer we selected was at the suggestion of Kyle and it was a perfect compliment to a glass of beer.  Bacon and cheddar boxty is potato pancakes with, you guessed it, bacon and cheddar cheese and a green onion dipping sauce.

While there we had the pleasure of meeting Phil, the owner/chef, who came out of the kitchen to introduce himself because he remembered seeing our news article in LNP.  Very nice man who genuinely wants to have not just a successful pub/restaurant, but also be a good neighbor and a positive addition to Lancaster's restaurant scene.  If anyone can bury the negative immediate past that was Molly's, Phil can do it!

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Catalina's On Orange, Lancaster - Bar # 112

“Beer is the liquid version of Photoshop” – source unknown

Today the Retired Guys ventured out to Catalina’s On Orange in downtown Lancaster for the second day of their Grand Opening event.  Catalina’s is occupying the space once filled by La Piazza restaurant.  (Note, the failed La Piazza in Lancaster is not the same as the successful La Piazza in Lititz and should not be confused with it).

The new owner of Catalina's, Louis, greeted us as we entered the establishment and thanked us for coming.  The current owners of this establishment did a great job of minimal renovating and wisely chose to keep the very decorative brick wall as a backdrop to the bar.  The bar is in the lounge section of the building and has a menu distinct from that found in the pizza shop up front.  There are 24 beers on tap of which 22 are of the most enjoyable “craft” variety ranging from Ales to IPA’s and the heartier stouts.  In the foreseeable future 4 more taps will be added to the bar.  

Our bartender for today was a young man named Ángel who didn't care how we pronounced his name, assuring us he has heard all versions.  We asked him how his mom called him and he said sometimes it isn't so angelic!  Anyway, Ángel took great care of us and freely offered us a sample of any of the draft beers we were curious about so we didn't have to commit to a full glass of something we would end up disliking.  He went on to explain that plans for the future include creating a rooftop lounge as well as an expanded lounge in the basement.

It should be noted that Louis is very knowledgeable of the beers he has on tap and recommended a couple of IPA's that neither Terry nor I had sampled before.  They were both very good but our favorite clearly was Rubber Soul .  If you're an IPA fan, definitely give that one a try! 

In keeping with our tradition of trying an appetizer, we chose the empanadas and were glad we did.  The selection came with two good sized empanadas, enough to satisfy each of our late afternoon cravings for something more than liquid destined for our belly!  Based on the flavorful appetizer, we both agreed we would gladly return to sample more of the food from their menu.

Catalina's is new and likely will experience some growing pains while they settle in. Be patient. We believe they will become a popular spot in Downtown Lancaster in the near future.

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Union Station Grill, Columbia - Bar # 111

The "Retired Guys Beer Afternoon" train rolled into station number 111; the Union Station Grill in Columbia to be exact.  The charm of a 117 year old building is hard to describe, but the history of the building surrounds and welcomes you.

The basic facts of the bar area are 10 beers on tap, two light beers, and 42 bottle varieties to choose from.  There is dining directly adjacent to the bar with two other dining rooms and an outside patio.  The patio is a newer addition and looks to be a great venue to enjoy an outdoor brew.

Our bartender was Britany who was very outgoing and eager to promote the many positives of the Union Station Grill.  She knew her products and offered samples when confused old guys couldn't make up their minds.  Britany has the perfect personality for her profession.

In keeping with our newest extension of afternoon beers, we tried an appetizer.  Crab dip with pita bread was the choice on the recommendation of Britany and it did not disappoint.  The Tuesday special is steak, shrimp and fries and is a popular choice of the locals.  This is definitely a venue worthy of a return visit.

Until next time, Cheers!



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Babbo's Italian Grill, Mount Joy - Bar # 110

                                                 

Starting with this blog post I have decided to begin with a quote that I will attribute to its, if not original, then claimed author.

• People who drink light 'beer' don't like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot. - Capital Brewery, Middleton, WI

Today was one of those fine San Diego like days that come in the springtime in south central PA and we took advantage of it by visiting Babbo's Italian Grill in Mount Joy.  This place is known for its Italian eats but also happens to have a decent selection of craft beers on tap with a very wide selection of "traditional" as well as craft beers in bottle form in the fridge just to the side of the bar.  There were eight beers on tap with only one being of the "light" variety.  The seven real beers would easily satisfy one's desire for an IPA, Stout, Lager, or other.

We met Niki, our bartender for the day who was quick to point out that she is also known as "The Amazing Niki".  While we did not delve into the reason for the nickname we could imagine that it has been used in part to describe the amount of work she performs while on her shift.  That young lady, when not serving customers, was always cleaning or rearranging something.

At Babbo's we continued our relatively new tradition of having an appetizer and chose the Fried Sampler.  Everything in the sampler was very tasty and there was enough for the two of us that I could not have dinner after arriving back home.  If you do choose the sampler and don't share it, be prepared to bring home most of your entree in a doggy bag!

Just before leaving, we asked "The Amazing Niki" what she would recommend if we came back for dinner.  Apparently the food is so good here that she could not recommend one single item.  Every time she suggested something, she said "but you should also try" and then rattled off another menu item.  They all sounded good enough to convince both of us to return!  Check out the menu yourself right here.

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Bert's Bottle Shop, Millersville - Bar # 109

If there is a bar that fits perfectly into the parameters of why we are trying to experience all of Lancaster County's bars, Bert's Bottle Shop in Millersville may be the one.  Before we even made it to the comfort of our bar stools we were greeted by Bert, the owner.  As the afternoon progressed, it became more evident why Bert started this endeavor and why he will be successful.

Bert's has 14 beers on tap and ALL are craft beers.  There was an aisle that made us feel as though we had followed the yellow brick road to Oz.  Every shelf and every cooler filled with hard to find, top shelf craft beer.  The menu is very limited, but who wants to waste time eating with this kind of beer selection?  The food did look delicious so we were moved to sample some seasoned pretzels.  They were excellent!

As if meeting Bert wasn't enough, we were privileged to also meet Bert's Mother, Gloria, and his sister, Rhonda.  Both very lovely ladies and it was wonderful to have a conversation with them.

Again, Bert's Bottle Shop is a great place to speak with other patrons about beer appreciation, enjoy good food and admire a local boy making good on his dream.

Until next time, cheers!

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