High Cost Archives - Whiskey-Dreams.com

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

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

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!

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!

Whiskey Places – Carrol’s Creek Cafe

October 2, 2022October 2, 2022 TJ Provost

We spent a few nights in Annapolis Maryland to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary this past week. Parking is nearly impossible, so make sure your hotel/inn has parking or a valet service. Trust me that trying to find parking is a huge pain in the butt and not what you want to do be doing when you should be relaxing with a drink in your hand.

We asked a few locals where to go eat, and Carrol’s Creek Cafe was mentioned several times, so off to dinner we went.

The first thing you are going to notice when looking through the menu is that there is a beer menu and a wine menu, but no Whiskey menu. The nerve.

For dinner my wife chose the Sautéed Chicken Breast and couldn’t eat it. The first bite was fat and gristle and she spit it out. She said the chicken was rubbery and had an odd texture. The mushroom sauce she loved, and ended up using bread the sop that up. The chicken she couldn’t eat. No, we did not send it back or ask for it to be taken off the bill.

My dinner on the other hand was amazing. I had a shrimp cocktail for starters and it was nicely seasoned with old bay. For my main course I had the Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp and pasta. The shrimp and pasta and lemon basil cream sauce was just heaven.

The main issue is that while my wife loves the beach, she can’t eat seafood. Absolutely hates it. So she got chicken at a seafood restaurant and it was not edible. I on the other hand had shrimp and shrimp (yes I was craving shrimp) and it was to die for. Remember that if you are heading there for dinner with non seafood eaters.

When it came time to order my drink, I asked if they had Blanton’s and the server wasn’t sure. After confirming they didn’t have it, I asked about Basil Hayden’s, and while he didn’t think they had it, after going to the bar, I got lucky with my second choice.

So I went with my old standby the Basil Hayden’s Manhattan.

Carrol’s Creek Cafe Basil Hayden’s Manhattan

While my shrimp and pasta was amazing, my Basil Hayden’s Manhattan was just bad. I ordered a second to see if maybe the first was just a bad pour but the second was just as bad. Whatever vermouth they were using was super acidic and didn’t have any sweetness – which I did clarify on the second order to make sure the bartender knew I wanted it sweet, not dry. What came out was the exact same thing as the first.

While I’d go back to Carrol’s Creek Cafe for seafood, it’s not a stop I’ll make with my wife as their non seafood options weren’t great. It is also not a restaurant I’ll be heading to when I want my Whiskey Fix. As a Whiskey Place, Carrol’s Creek Cafe earned itself a 21/100.

My dinner was great, and our server was juggling a very busy seating section while making it look easy as he made sure everyone had what they wanted. My rating is driven by their lack of a Whiskey Menu and the horrible Manhattan, and when it comes to Whiskey, its a “Will Never Go Back” score.

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

Whiskey Places – roanoke

August 10, 2022August 10, 2022 TJ Provost

A coworker and myself were super excited to hit roanoke after a long day of travelling to get to Chi town and headed over after checking into our hotels.

We started with the cheese plate and then I had the Steak Frites and my coworker had the Sea Bass. She really liked the Sea Bass but my Steak Frites was way overpriced for the quality and size of the cut.

Of course I had a Manhattan, or in this case a Black Manhattan with my meal:

I’m honestly not a huge fan of Woodford Reserve, and that preference shines through when I give roanoke a 55/100 as an overall score. The primary drivers for that score are poor choice of Whiskey’s overall, and an average at best Black Manhattan combined with expensive food that didn’t really warrant the price. For two people the meal came out to $200 bucks, and that is just not in sync with the quality and value we received.

I’d only go back to roanake If I Had Limited Choices or if someone else were paying.

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

Whiskey Places – Big Fish Grill

July 24, 2022July 24, 2022 TJ Provost

I few weeks ago we went to Big Fish Grill for lunch with my sons and their girlfriends. The seafood is always good, but it does get pricey.

For my drink I ordered a Manhattan and didn’t specify the Bourbon, so I ended up getting Jim Beam as their default whiskey – or at least on the day I was there.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2021_A_BigFishGrill_WhiskeyMenu.jpg — Big Fish Grill Spirits Menu

How was it?

Honestly it was fairly tasteless and not that good, and when you are paying a premium for the meal, that kind of sucks. Still, the seafood is always good, I would just skip the pasta seafood dishes, your paying a lot for a dollar of pasta and a handful of seafood in the sauce.

The Jim Beam Manhattan at Big Fish Grill is getting a 10/100, making it Just Bad. I will make sure I order the Bulliet or Makers next time. My advice is to go for the food but not if you are looking Whiskey Dreams.

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

Whiskey Places – Da Andrea

July 17, 2022July 17, 2022 TJ Provost

Da Andrea is located at 35 west 13th Street in Manhattan. They special in Italian Food and based on what one of my friends told me, the wine list is decent, but not huge. I’m not a wine drinker, so I’m trusting their opinion that the wine list was well constructed to match the price point of the food. The Whiskey Menu however, is not very big at all.

I had the Pappardelle (Pappardelle, sweet sausage ragout, truffle oil) and paired that with their Manhattan. The food was good, and for Manhattan I guess it was priced reasonably. What does that mean? For me a $26 dollar bowl of pasta better be amazing. It was good, but I think we were really paying for the fact that its a comfortable sit down restaurant in Manhattan.

How was the Manhattan?

The Cinzano 1757 is the star of this Manhattan. It takes the Bulleit Rye and just adds so much depth and a wonderful finish to each sip. When it comes to ingredients, Cinzano 1757 is at the top of my list of bottles I need to add to my shelf. Is this Manhattan worth $20 bucks? Only if you are drinking it with friends in Manhattan.

Next I moved on to the Negroni. Since there only two whiskey drinks on the menu, I had to try both right?

I’m not in love with the Negroni (as a drink) like I am with a Manhattan. I enjoy them now and then, but I am one those people people that find Campari to taste a little medicinal. It was good, but I went back to the Manhattan after the Negroni. Yes, I had a headache when I woke up the next morning.

Da Andrea is scoring a 50/100. Putting it dead center in the “If I had Limited Choices” category. I enjoyed the food and Manhattan was good, but Da Andrea has a very limited Whiskey Menu.

If you are in New York and are after a larger Whiskey Menu, try The Dead Rabbit instead.

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