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Thursday, July 26, 2007

"...the loudest group of obnoxious crumbs I have ever encountered..."

Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell just sent me a clipping from the July 19 Chestnut Hill Local, Len Lear's "Table Hopping," in which the inimitable Len reviews Triumph's Center City brewpub. Alas, his evening was spoiled! Here's why:
"The night we were there, several area press people were invited to sample the beer and food. One table full of beer writers had to be the loudest group of obnoxious crumbs I have ever encountered in a restaurant. Their non-stop racket could probably have been heard in New Jersey. Obviously a restaurant is in a tough spot when faced with such a rude, rowdy gang, especially when they are invited guests -- in fact, I'm sure some people would even say you should expect such behavior in a place that makes beer by the tank -- but it can still spoil an otherwise pleasant evening.

Ah, notoriety. Yes, folks, it must be told that I am an obnoxious crumb, and Philly's best-known beer writers are a rude rowdy gang. Man, I just hate it when people have a good time at a brewpub. They make beer by the tank there, you know (as opposed to making it by the...what, barrel? Vat? Bottle?).

If you take a look, I admitted that things got loud that night: "...a tasting session with Jay Misson (which got rapidly raucous; the working press ain't used to gunning down five quick beers)..." Oh, wait a minute... I noted that it was the non-beer press that got loud. Must have been a case of mistaken identity. Never mind. Although it's nice to note that Len and I had the same opinion of the Mint Julep Gelato. (Thanks, Don! That was a hoot!)

7 comments:

Steven said...

in fact, I'm sure some people would even say you should expect such behavior in a place that makes beer by the tank.

Dammit man! Stop having a good time!!

It's a shame wine writers are so perfect, must be hard to enjoy wine when you can't crack a smile.

Sheesh.

Lew Bryson said...

Now, Steve: love the writer, hate the wine. Or something like that. Besides, Len's mostly in it for the food.

Stonch said...

I remember once, a mate was having a birthday pub crawl down in Chiswich and Hammersmith. While visiting one of the pubs by the Fullers brewery, we were asked by a couple in the corner to keep the noise down.

It was Saturday night. In a pub. The people were French. I guess they didn't understand. So we explained it to them.

Pubs are not meant to be quiet places.

Steven said...

So, you're saying that he's blaming the beer for the rowdiness -- I'm saying that I've seen as many people "happy" on wine as I've seen with beer. But if Len's only in it for the food, maybe he just hasn't had the pleasure of the "experience!" ;-)


Okay, yeah, this really is all satire on my part, but c'mon - we can't let him perpetuate a low-rent perception of beer!

Anonymous said...

...just back from New Orleans...cocktail conference...y'know, civilized drinks like mint juleps and Ramos gin fizzes and sazeracs and martinis...and in the most sedate of cities, too...poor Len, he never would have survived!

Jeff Bearer said...

a restaurant is in a tough spot when faced with such a rude, rowdy gang, especially when they are invited guests

Jeez Lew, how much property did you destroy that the pub wanted to kick you out but they couldn't because you were invited guests? It must have been a horrible scene, bar stools through windows and everything.

Lew Bryson said...

Jeff,

There was no destruction of furniture, no tossing of tableware (or guests), and no "cursing like a sailor," as one person claimed in an offensive comment I declined to post. It was, as I said to Uncle Jack in an e-mail (Uncle Jack was not present, BTW, and has taken virtuous glee in pointing this out), about as "rowdy" as an Olive Garden commercial. I honestly don't see what the fuss was about. We were hardly Jake and Elwood at Chez Paul.