It started as a quiet, mid-afternoon respite with a good friend...we met at Pour House in Sacramento, California...a bar and restaurant where classic cocktails are the specialty...where the decor is right out of the speakeasy era...where they have 150+ makes of whiskey and 100 different beers...just the kind of place my friend has longed to own...
The drinks were on me...and since we had a great bartender...his name was Tim...we sampled quite a few...Tim impressed us with his detailed knowledge of whiskies...and no matter what he poured, he did it deftly...from a Sazerac to a Manhattan to a Gentleman's Buck to a Whiskey Fig...each drink made with care that was reflected in the final results...perfectly balanced flavors...simply and beautifully garnished with fresh-cut citrus peels...presented at the correct temperature and in the right glass...details I have come to appreciate when someone says to expect something "artisan"...
What I didn't expect...because I had not read about it ahead of time...was the great food...prepared by Coast to Coast Sandwiches, the folks who run the Pour House kitchen...it was a happy surprise when the chicken sandwich was delivered right off the grill on a toasty bun with just the right amounts of avocado and bacon to give it extra zing...and the fries?...some of the best I have ever eaten...crispy on the outside, well-seasoned and not a sign of grease anywhere...
There are many reasons to go to the Pour House...they pickle their own vegetables for drinks...they offer $2 shots of Jack whenever a train goes by...they serve brunch that includes bottomless mimosas...according to Absolut, they make the #2 Bloody Mary in the nation (#1 in California)...and, last but not least, a visit there won't put you in the poorhouse...
