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Cadillac Ranch

March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 TJ Provost

Our first stop of our trip was the Cadillac Ranch. We were walking along Fleet Street and decided their menu looked the best. The Public House and the Brass Tap menu’s looked too bar food heavy for us.

We had a full meal, and multiple drinks at Cadillac Ranch. Our favorite item was on the appetizer list as they had some amazing taco choices. We also had fried pickles and the tater tots with everything.

We originally thought we’d just get some appetizers and then order some entrees. Once the apps got there we realized there was more than enough food for all four of us.

As we ate and caught up, we tried a bunch of different drinks.

My first drink at Cadillac Ranch was the Blue Suede Shoes. It is a mixture made with Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon and black cherry purée:

I took a sip through the straw and my blood sugar spiked. It was almost too sweet. I could barely take another sip. My son (he’s an adult) sipped from the edge of the glass and said it wasn’t too sweet. At first I thought it was just his sugared up generation. Then I realized the drink wasn’t mixed yet. It was still sweet, but after I stirred it I was able to drink it. Just remember that I don’t really like Old Fashioned for the same reason. They are just too sweet and I can’t appreciate the whiskey when there is too much sugar.

My second drink was a Blood Orange Bourbon Sour made with Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon. If you want to make your own you will need this Blood Orange Sour mix. It was very sweet, and moderately sour. Yes, I drank it, but I wouldn’t order it again.

My son’s girlfriend (all adults) got a Black Cherry Rye Cola. She didn’t like it. The rest of us finished it off for her. For me, it was very much lick a Jack and Coke, and I honestly wouldn’t waste good whiskey in Pepsi.

I tried to order the Sazerac Soda with Redemption Rye Whiskey, but they were out of Absinthe. I choose the classic Craig Small Batch Bourbon Manhattan for my final drink of the night instead:

This Craig Small Batch Bourbon Manhattan was the perfect way to end the night. It is a classic bourbon in a drink that lets the bourbon really shine.

Overall we had a lot of fun at Cadillac Ranch. The staff were friendly, incredibly attentive even though it was crazy busy, and the food was really tasty.

Cadillac Ranch Scoring

Cadillac Ranch is coming in the Moderate Cost Per Person range. Its the National Harbor and everything is pretty expensive though, so keep that in mind. I’m giving them an overall 70/00, mostly driven by the fact that most of the bourbon drinks I tried were just a bit too sweet for me.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023 TJ Provost

I’ve eaten in McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks in Philadelphia (PA), Atlanta(GA), and now in National Harbor(MD). I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad meal or drink at a McCormick & Schmick’s. Of course, you do pay for it.

On this occasion I stuck with a tried and true Basil Hayden’s Manhattan.

When it comes to something that pairs with everything from tuna steak to filet mignon, you can’t go wrong with a Basil Hayden’s Manhattan. It is a well rounded bourbon to begin with. When made into a Manhattan, it is just smooth and mellow. Which is one of the reasons it goes so well with food. It isn’t an in your face, take over your palate kind of bourbon. It is just smooth and an easy sipper.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks Scoring

Overall I’m giving McCormick & Schmick’s a 80/100. It is a good restaurant with a good selection of bourbon, beer and wine, but it can be a bit overpriced compared to there options.

As a Manhattan, I’m giving the Basil Hayden’s Manhattan a 88/100.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See how all Whiskey Places Rank!

The Irish Whisper

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 TJ Provost

The first night we were in National Harbor, MD we stopped by the front of The Irish Whisper and decided it looked a little dark inside and continued down the street. It was a huge mistake. We ended up in The Irish Whisper on our last night, and it was such a gem. It was dim inside, but each table had a light and the music was both good, and at a volume that was perfect to either chill out and listen to it, or have a normal conversation without having to scream at each other.

They had a massive menu of both Irish Whiskey and Scotch and the staff were amazing. It was really busy, and our server basically had the whole place except the actual bar, and she was always there when we wanted something.

I sampled the Irish Whiskey and enjoyed my first sip of Midleton, so now I have to buy a bottle!

My son (adult) likes Scotch, so he tried a flight that included Dalmore 15, Highland Park 12 and Oban 14. He also had a dram of Glenfiddich 12, which he really enjoyed. He just graduated with a 4.0 for his second Bachelor’s, so I got him a bottle of that after as a gift.

The Irish Whisper Scoring

Overall The Irish Whisper was a pure joy to sit and enjoy my family as well as good whiskey of every sort, earning it a 90/100. For me, this was a High Cost outing, but if your tastes (or self control) are better than mine, you can enjoy The Irish Whisper at any price point.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

Saltgrass Steakhouse

March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 TJ Provost

While in Florida we hit up Saltgrass Steakhouse because it reminded us of the Longhorn franchises we have back home. I would rank the food as being about the same, which is decent food at a reasonable price. Nothing amazing, but it is a good meal for a good price. At least that was the way I was thinking until they brought me out their Barrel-Aged Manhattan:

This is a very well made Manhattan. It has just enough sweetness from the Vermouth and the Benedictine D.O.M. to make it sing. Those flavors pair so well with the oak from the Balcones Post Still Bourbon.

Saltgrass Steakhouse Scoring

It is well rounded, delicious, and I am now on a quest to find the required bottles so I can try and reproduce this masterpiece of a Manhattan. I’m giving Saltgrass Steakhouse a 91/100. The Manhattan was top notch, but I took some points away because its basically a chain restaurant that hit it out of the park with its Manhattan.

Sadly, unless I can find a Saltgrass outside of the state of Florida, I won’t be back anytime soon. I’m boycotting the state as long as DeSantis is allowed to support policies that promote hate and result in the suffering in the LGBTQ community.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

Tortoise Supper Club

March 5, 2023March 5, 2023 TJ Provost

I was lucky enough to be invited to a dinner at the Tortoise Supper Club to celebrate the holidays. On the food side I ordered the Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes and it was absolutely the best meatloaf I’ve ever had. It was freezing cold this week in Chicago, and it was the perfect comfort food to warm me up, and to pair with a a drink.

They have a decent menu of bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey, so deciding on what I actually wanted to drink was not easy. One of bosses ordered a Manhattan, and that sealed the deal for me.

With my decision made, I ordered a Manhattan, which has become my go to when dining out.

Tortoise Supper Club Scoring

My Manhattan was made with Bulleit Rye and a decent shake of bitters. It was wonderfully dry, woody, and the swallow ended with a nice dry bitter finish. There was sweet vermouth in it, but it was very mellow and really let the Bulleit Rye shine through. I’m not a huge fan of Rye, and this still scored an 85/100, so if you are a Rye lover, this will likely score even higher for you. If your in Chicago, and have deep pockets, I highly recommend the Tortoise Supper Club. It is all dark wood, class, and live music, at least while I was there. They had two lovely young woman walking around and singing Christmas carols and it was wonderful.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

Ted’s Montana Grill

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 TJ Provost

My wife and I had lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill. She had the Snowcrest Sandwhich and I had a burger with fries and onion rings. My wife had a beer and I had two of the “Newly Fashioned” cocktails.

The nose on the Newly Fashioned is all sweet and orange with just a hint of bourbon underneath it. Even my wife, who does not like whiskey found the nose to be quite enjoyable.

The sip is all sweet and citrus and really hides the alcohol. My wife did take a sip, but she said the bourbon was stiller there for her, or at least the alcohol. For me this was a bit too sweet and that sweetness overpowered the bourbon. If you are just getting into bourbon, or like sweet drinks you are going to love this Newly Fashioned.

Ted’s Montana Grill scored a 66/100, making it a restaurant I would go back to If I had Limited Choices. Two things cost Ted’s some points. The first is the cocktail menu and available bourbons is a pretty short list. The second is that it was fairly pricey, with a price tag of $90 for a lunch for two people. The food was good, but not $90 for two people lunch good. Yes, I had two drinks, and my wife had a beer, but between two sandwiches and an appetizer we both walked away saying it was a bit too expensive for what we got.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Iron Hill Brewery

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 TJ Provost

We hit up the Iron Hill Brewery for lunch before seeing the new Batman movie yesterday. We were seated in one of the long wooden booths as we were a party of five, and the only reason I comment on it is that the table and seats were so tight as to be just barely comfortable. My son and his girlfriend are each like 100lbs, and they sat on on side while the bigger adults sat on the other. Even with the table against their chests, the adults just barely squeezed it. So if you are a bigger person, don’t get a booth.

I had the Baja Fish Tacos, which are my favorite.

The fix is light and the coating nice and crispy, while the slaw and other toppings just blend so well together.

For my libation I selected the Kentucky Connection.

It is made from Maker’s Mark, Amaretto, and expressed orange peel. Is it technically a Manhattan? I’m not sure, but I’m going to consider it a Manhattan for the purposes of this review.

The Kentucky Connection itself doesn’t look like much. It is ice, the drink, and two mixing straws. It doesn’t even have the orange peel as a garnish, so not overly visually appealing.

On the flip side the drink is tasty. I normally consider Maker’s Mark to be an easy to get, but moderate quality bourbon, so I was skeptical about how this Kentucky Connection would fare and I was pleasantly surprised. It is a tad sweet, but it sips very smoothly and ends with a nice orange finish.

I might just have to get get me a bottle of Maker’s Mark and some Amaretto to see if I can reproduce this.

Iron Hill Brewery Scoring

This Kentucky Connection scores an 71/100, making it very Sip Worthy. What cost Iron Hill some points?

Overall there is not a huge selection of bourbons at Iron Hill Brewery, which kind of makes sense as they focus on beer.
It can get pricey very quickly.
Some of the booths are oddly tight. Like my son and his girlfriend are under a hundred pounds each, and they could barely squeeze into the one edge of the booth. (Maybe it was just that booth?)
The roofing on the first floor is metal and it gets so loud you can’t have a conversation if you are inside.

Overall, the Kentucky Connection is worth the trip, and I absolutely love their Baja Fish Tacos!

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

Harry’s Savoy Grill

January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 TJ Provost

Harry’s Savoy Grill is one of our favorite restaurants for special occasions. The prime rib is my usual, and I’ve never had a bad meal there. It is expensive, but sometimes you actually do get what you pay for.

The food is always was amazing, and is clearly the primary reason to go to Harry’s. The prime rib and the short rib are my personal favorites.

On the Whiskey front, they have a standard bar with standard quality. I usually start with a Harry’s Manhattan. You can see here that a year can change how a Manhattan is made. The example from a year ago (left side )was a bit watered down. A year later (right side) and the Manhattan actually tasted like bourbon, which is a good them. While it is an improvement over the last time we were there, there was still nothing special about it. It was good, it just didn’t have any pizazz.

Next I tried the Boulevardier.

I enjoyed the Boulevardier cocktail a lot. It has a little more sweetness than the Manhattan but not so much it hides the bourbon. The finish is smooth with a nice citrus zing. I’ll start with the Boulevardier next time.

Harry’s Savoy Grill Scoring

If you are looking for good food and have deep pockets, you can’t beat Harry’s. If you are looking for a Whiskey Bar with lots of choices, there are better options. Harry’s is earning itself a 67/100. The atmosphere is great, and the service is amazing. There are just limited whiskey options.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Creekside Inn

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023 TJ Provost

The Creekside Inn is a restaurant and bar just off the golf course in Woodstown New Jersey.

The inn is a great place to grab a bite to eat and have a drink while sitting outside overlooking the gold course. They also host events with catering. My brother in law had his 50th birthday party there and everyone had a good time.

We had dinner there Friday night, and I went with my standard Basil Hayden’s Manhattan. It was served in a nice Martini Glass and presented as a little bit light in color.

Creekside Inn Basil Hayden's Manhattan — Creekside Inn Basil Hayden’s Manhattan.

The Manhattan was good, but I think they shook it too long and let it get just a tad watered down. My cousin had a Maker’s Mark on the rocks, and he said his was exactly what you’d expect.

I would describe this as a nice family restaurant. The servers are nice and the atmosphere is slightly upscale when compared to chain restaurants. If you are in the area and are looking for something that didn’t come out of an industrial chain kitchen, it is definitely worth a visit.

Creekside Inn Scoring

Overall, I’m giving the Creekside Inn a 60/100 and putting it in the Moderate Cost Price Scale. If you skipped the drinks it’s Low Cost, so you can get by with spending less.

The food is good and drinks aren’t bad, so why the 65/100? For me its the limited Whiskey and Bourbon selection, which is why I went with my standby, Basil Hayden’s. If your looking for a larger selection of Whiskey, your going to have to drive a bit further.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Whiskey Places – Alewife

January 11, 2023January 20, 2023 TJ Provost

While in Richmond Virginia for business I was lucky enough to get a reservation ate Alewife. It is a small corner restaurant with a unique menu that can also adjust to make various vegetarian dishes. The staff were both knowledgeable and nice. I’m not a wine drinker, but others in my party were asking questions and our server was able to list off the tasting notes with ease to help them make a selection.

For starters we had Virginia Oysters as well as a potato dish. The oysters were amazing and had just the right touch of hot sauce to give them a kick.

For dinner I selected the Duck Breast. The duck was amazing. I have no idea what it was on, it looked like a sea based plant. I tried eating that but it was just a bit tough so I left it alone after devouring the Duck Breast. My only criticism of the food was the portion size. I’m a big guy and after going to dinner I don’t really like having to go get a snack. That could be a “me” problem, but even one of my fellow diners who is petite commented on the portion size.

You will note that the drink menu is relatively small:

I selected the Linecaster as it was described as a type of Manhattan by the Alewife team.

The Alewife Linecaster was a definite highlight of the meal. I don’t like sweet drinks, and while the Linecaster has a touch of sweetness on the finish, it has wonderful notes of citrus that blend with the bourbon in delightful way.

Scoring

If you are in the Richmond area I would hit Alewife for appetizers and a few drinks. The duck was great, but needed to be paired with a better, more filling side. As a restaurant Alewife scores high marks, as a Whiskey Place it scores a 63/100 because of its minimal whiskey options.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!