Hayden Block Smoke & Whiskey – Live Music

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Jacuzzi is in town! As he arrived in Calgary late at night, I suggested we check out Hayden Block Smoke & Whiskey for their late-night menu. For this post, let’s listen to “Nashville Skyline Rag” by Bob Dylan.

When I checked in, I learned we landed a table on the second floor, where live music plays from 8:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. The venue itself is charming. The cozy vibe is similar to Nashville’s bars but cleaner and more contemporary. The room is fresh and modern, with white panel walls. The stage is lit up with neon lights and a bright background screen. Under the ceilings, strands of tea lights twinkle.

L ordered a Pilsner ($9), and I picked the South Block Tree Shaker Peach Bourbon Ale ($9) for myself and the non-alcoholic Village Blonde beer ($8) for Jacuzzi. I took a sip and could tell it lacked the bite of booze.

For food, I selected a pound of brisket (HH $17) and Pulled Pork (HH $16), Smoked Wings ($17), and Bacon Mac n Cheese ($16). All our food came out at optimal temperature. The wings were meaty, so blisteringly hot my fingers tingled from the heat. The chicken skin had an extra crunch from the layer of salt and spices. Jacuzzi and L raved about the wings and mentioned the seasoning reminded him of his all-time favourite place for wings, Hooters. I asked him when he was last at a Hooters. He recollected it was 15 years ago when he lived in Toronto. Wow, that must have been some memorable wings.

The beef brisket was so tender that the meat fell apart when I forked a piece. L and Jacuzzi raved about the soft texture and the smoky flavour. I appreciated the contrast between the fattier sections and the more rigid surface of the bark. The pulled pork was juicy and paired well with the tangy house BBQ sauce. Of the two types of meat, the clear winner was the brisket.

The macaroni and cheese were a hit. The cheesy sauce was velvety and sticky, similar in texture to the molten orange nacho cheese 7/11 uses for their nachos. I appreciated the spicy heat in the sauce. The mac and cheese tasted even better with bits and pieces from the pulled pork, as the sweetness of the meat cut through the heaviness of the sauce.

Hayden Block is a hidden gem. I would return in a heartbeat to enjoy the music and steaming platters of smoked meats. Hitting the Sauce gives Hayden Block’s second floor two phat thumbs up, and it makes it on my list for best BBQ and live music.

Happy Hour · Patio · Restaurants · Wings

Bottlescrew Bill’s – Bingo

November 26, 2021November 28, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Wednesday, I met up with some people for half-price wings and bingo at Bottlescrew Bill’s. Whoever created the playlist that night has excellent taste – I enjoyed listening to the nostalgic tunes. So for this post, let’s listen to “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC.

I started with a pint of Banded Peak Mount Crushmore Pilsner ($7.62). A, B, and C ordered the daily special – Boiling Oar Kolsh ($5). D is really into her beers, so she took longer than everyone else to select a beverage. Finally, she settled on Strawberry Ice Cream Pale Ale from Spectrum Beer Company. She left me some in the can to try. I thought it was yummy, the fun flavour reminded me of the beer at Fuggles and Warlock.

D was hemming and hawing over whether to order wings. At first, I thought she was a vegetarian, so I told her Bottlescrew Bill’s makes Cauliflower Wings ($8.47) too. However, it turns out she’s just ethical. C encouraged her to ask the server her pressing question. Are the wings free-range? It was her lucky night! Indeed, not only were the wings free-range, but it was also half price!

I’m trying to eat healthier, but I indulged in Salt and Pepper Wings ($8.47) when I heard the chickens grew up well-loved. The crunchy coating on the wings reminded me of Shake and Bake. The meat was plump, white and unbruised. I told D I’d eaten a lot of unethical wings in my day, and I could taste the happy lives these chickens lived.

I tried one of D’s hot wings. I loved the tangy smell of the vinegar. The spice level was mild and not too hot. I preferred the flavour of the hot sauce over the salt and pepper seasoning.

The hostess has excellent hearing and would mock the audience for being a poor sport. B and D are competitive, so they took on three cards each play. I went with one card and neglected the game halfway through to enjoy my wings.

I would come again – bingo, half-price free-range wings, cheap beer and Thunderstruck – could the night be any more perfect? Based on the group’s feedback, I’m going to propose our next event be held at Ducky’s, Rodney’s Oyster House, or the Tea House Comedy.

Beer · Pubs · Wings

Inner City – Oyster Night

August 7, 2021September 16, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I met up with my peeps at Inner City Brewing. The three of us are all in the same boat at our workplace, so we wanted to get together to share our optimism on the changing environment. For this post, let’s listen to “E.I.” by Nelly.

All the servers were new and eager to help us navigate through the beer menu to find something that would complement the oysters. I picked the Hub and Spoke – a Vienna Lager ($7.50), Pedals ordered a Brick work English Dark Mild Ale ($7.50), and Lethbridge ordered a Sassy Kate ($11). Library is the healthiest one of us and he stuck to water.

Pedals loves oysters even more than I do, so he was excited to try the Two Buck a Shuck Thursday special. Inner City gets Malpeque oysters harvested the day before from PEI. The oysters were delicious – bright and briny. I could taste the freshness of the oysters. We were all impressed with all three mignonettes – a classic shallot, an Asian soy and shallot and a creamy horseradish.

Years ago, Library won a hot wing eating contest at Hudson’s Pub, claiming the ultimate prize of free wings for a year. So of course, he wanted to order the wings ($14.25) at Inner City. I was pleasantly surprised. Lately, my wing experience at other pubs have been subpar. Inner City does a great batch – the wings arrived sizzling hot and nicely crisp. There was at least three plump mouthfuls of meat on each drumstick. The flavour was on point too. The ginger beef was saucy with a nice spice to it. The salt and pepper was my favourite. I love that combination of salty, hot crackling skin and cold ranch dip. I would order this again.

For dessert, we shared an order of churros. The warm chocolate dipping sauce was a nice touch. The churros were hot and a little chewy in the middle.

I would happily come back for more beers, oysters and especially those wings. If you visit on Wednesday, a pound will set you back six bucks if you also purchase a 16 oz beer. Appetizers, including the wings, are half off between Monday and Friday from 2-5:00 p.m.

We enjoyed our camaraderie so much; we already planned our next event. I’m hosting a dinner at my house. Lethbridge and Library love Chinese food. I plan to order from Emerald Garden. I was told by a friend that there is a new chef at Emerald Garden who previously worked at Signature Palace and Silver City. Some of the dishes that were recommended for me are the greens with duck and black egg, shrimp paste stuffed treasures (green pepper, eggplant, tofu), bitter melon fried egg (similar to fried oysters), beef brisket and tendon casserole, shredded cold chicken with jellyfish, fresh grouper, and dried scallop and egg white fried rice. To accommodate L, Library and especially Lethbridge, I’ll add some ginger beef to the mix. To be continued.

Bars/Lounges · Beer · Burgers · Cheap Eats · Comfort food · Fusion · Happy Hour · Pubs · Restaurants · Wings

Eat Crow Snack Bar – COVID-19 dine-in edition

June 28, 2020September 16, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Monday evening, L and I checked out Eat Crow Snack Bar, a new restaurant that took over Brassiere Kensington. For this post, I’m going to play a piece by conductor Liang Zhang from the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. I know nothing about conductors, but according to my father, Zhang is the bee’s knees.

I ordered a Texas Paloma ($13) and L ordered a Lone Star beer (HH $5, regular $7.50). The dried grapefruit garnish was a pretty, decorative touch. The combination of Texan Paloma, Epsilon Reposado, Ketel One Grapefruit, Rose Vodka and grapefruit was surprisingly balanced and subtle. I was expecting a cocktail that was heavy on the tequila. L took a sip and mentioned that in our next visit, he would partake in a cocktail instead of his usual beer.

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The Spicy Chicken Wings ($8.50 w/ ranch dip) is a winner. If you are a wing connoisseur, you need to try these wings. The seasoning is mildly spicy and dry. The batter is thin and crisp, and so light the skin melted on my tongue. The chicken is good quality – plump with unblemished, silky white meat.

Each order comes with three pieces of chicken, and each wing is equivalent to three or four pub wings. I estimated I got about nine regular size wings worth of meat and skin. I would come back to Eat Crow just for the wings because it was that good.

Another must order dish is the Crow Burger ($6). The patty is thick and tender and explodes with juicy flavour. Though small in size, this burger is packed with so much meat, cheese and pickles, it was satiating. The Crow Burger rivals all the heavyweights in Calgary – Charbar, Clive Burger, and Burger 320.

The Magic Fries ($6) is also worth ordering again. Golden brown and perfectly munchy, these fries are delightfully addicting. I love the soft, mealy texture inside the crispy shell. Extra bonus – the portion is large enough to share.

I ordered my second and last cocktail of the night – the Humble Pie (HH $8.50). Made with Highroad Alberta vodka, sparkling wine, raspberry and lemon, this drink reminds me of the Framboise fortified wine from Elephant Island Orchard Wines. Not too sour or sweet, this cocktail is too easy to drink. I couldn’t taste the three ounces of booze, but I could sure feel it.

The Humble Pie cocktail came with a baby lemon tart. The custard is creamy and bright with a citrusy zing. The crust is brittle and buttery. The fresh mint and dehydrated strawberry garnish wasn’t just decorative but added to the flavour profile. I would order this cocktail again just for the lemon tart.

L and I shared the Crow Joe ($6). This is an incredibly messy slider. With every bite, an equivalent amount of the filling would drip down onto the plate. The sauce reminded me a little of Heinz beans.

The Handmade Pirogies ($10, $2 bacon) arrived supersized and fluffy. L enjoyed the sweet caramelized onions and smoky bits of bacon. I’m curious to know what my friend Sirosky would think, as his family makes their own pirogies

Eat Crow charges prices similar to El Furniture Warehouse, a restaurant that sells all dishes for $5.99 (plus extra for upgrades like bacon, cheese, and sauces). However, the food quality at Eat Crow is significantly higher and vastly tastier than El Furniture Warehouse. I’m keen to return to try some of the vegetarian dishes, as well as those delightful wings and the Crow burger.

Bars/Lounges · Beer · Pizza · Pubs · Restaurants · Wings

Merchants

April 7, 2019September 16, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

L’s colleague Enlightened and his partner The Good Wife met us for drinks in Marda Loop. L and I tried to get into Marda Loop Brewery, but we couldn’t get a table. We had a beer instead at Mad Rose Pub. However, the hockey game was on and it was killing my buzz, so we left for Merchants.

Just as we were leaving, Enlightened saw a customer wearing a kippah. Enlightened walked over to say hi and to give his card. He said that whenever he sees someone in Calgary wearing a kippah, he introduces himself because that’s what people in his culture do.

The music at Merchants always reminds me of an updated version of early 90’s club music. For this post, let’s listen to Robin S – Show me Love.

Enlightened suggested I do the ordering but specified he was very hungry and wanted to eat. Enlightened is forthright. You always know where you stand with him. If he’s wondering how much money you make, he’ll ask you. If you answer in a generality, he will ask why you aren’t being specific. When you try to establish personal boundaries, he seeks to enlighten you on your error.

Whenever I eat at Merchants, I always order the Truffle Mushroom Pizza ($22). I like the combination of pesto, prosciutto, mushrooms, arugula and truffle oil. I personally would have liked a bit more mozzarella because I found proportionally, there was too much crust. Enlightened noticed the bottom of the crust was burnt but he still ate it. I didn’t notice the crust was burnt.

Enlightened liked the Merchant Wings ($15) but said for the price, he would have liked a few more. The wings reminded me of Newcastle Pub’s version which are only 35 cents on Wednesdays.

Enlightened thought the Calamari ($15) was the best dish of the night. I didn’t like how the squid itself was wet and slippery underneath the batter. I prefer the calamari at Opa and Newcastle Pub.

Our server recommended the Black Truffle Fries ($10). I had already eaten dinner so nibbling on fries with truffle mayonnaise was the perfect treat for me.

I like Merchants. The service is always good and I like the energy. The Good Wife wants to meet up again, next time at Original Joe’s. I already looked up the menu and saw a wine I can drink, so I’m game.

Beer · Happy Hour · Pubs · Restaurants · Wings

Leopold’s Tavern – Wing Wednesday

October 5, 2018September 16, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I picked Leopold’s Tavern for our work ‘West Wing’ event. Horatio is a vegetarian and he voiced his displeasure about the lack of vegetarian options at my last work gathering. He pointed out that Leopold’s Tavern has cauliflower wings. I promised him that the next West Wing event would take place at a vegan friendly wing joint. For this post, let’s listen to “My Best Friend’s Girl” by The Cars.

Aycaramba, Lethbridge and I arrived at 3:00 p.m. to secure a big enough table. Leopold’s is a small pub and is busy on Taco Tuesday and Wings Wednesday. The server was accomodating about us taking over a section of the restaurant and saving seats. The Caesar I ordered was smoky, strong and so spicy it stung the back of my throat.

What’s the wing dealio here? You can get 1 lb of wings for only $3 between 3-4 p.m., $4 between 4-5 p.m., $5 between 5-6 p.m., and $5.99 between 6 p.m to close. You must purchase a drink for every order of wings/deep-fried cauliflower.

For my second drink, I ordered Tokyo Drift ($7). Sour Cherry from Banded Peak is also offered on tap. I liked that Leopold’s serves up craft beers from Calgary.

darcy

I ordered Yolo Nachos (small $17 + $4 guacamole). The tortilla chips came flaming hot, covered in a soft cheesy blanket of mixed peppers, pico de gallo, fresh jalapenos & kalamata olives with sides of salsa and sour cream. The guacamole was the real stuff, with big chunks of avocado. I don’t like getting liquefied guacamole, as I can’t tell if it’s fresh or from a powdered mix.

I tried Aycarumba sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo ($11). The exterior was crunchy while the interior was sweet and silky smooth. This is one of the better yam fries in the city.

Horatio ordered his precious Buffalo Cauliflower Wings ($12). The vegetarian wings were better than I thought it would be. The batter was crunchy and the sauce was tangy and a little sweet. If you’re a vegan, this is going to be as good as it gets for you.

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I was mesmerized by the way Lethbridge’s boyfriend Library eat his wings. I noticed that he eats two at a time. Wings all-star pro.

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Lethbridge ordered two plates of wings. I asked her why she wasted so much meat. She said it was because she was full after the first plate and didn’t like eating the cartilage. Lethbridge moaned about how stuffed she was but went back and re-ate her food because I shamed her. The chipotle lime seasoning has a good zing to it.

I ordered L a Classic Cheeseburger with fries ($16) as he was picking me up. Forty minutes later, the burger was still juicy. The patty was oversized and you could taste the flavour of beef. L liked his fries too, thin cut and with the skin on. Our server gave me ketchup without asking, which was much appreciated. We ran out of ketchup at home and L would have been out of luck.

How do these wings compare to other Wing Wednesday specials? The wings came out fresh out of fryer and there was suffice meat on dem bones. Some pubs give you the scrawny wings and serve them semi-warm. Service was friendly and efficient despite how busy the pub became.

If you haven’t been to Leopold’s Tavern yet, give them a go. Service was great and the pub has good energy. I plan to go back and try the mushroom burger, poutine and macaroni and cheese, all of which I hear is tasty pub grub.

Happy Hour · Restaurants · Vietnamese · Wings

Pure Contemporary Vietnamese – All-you-can-eat wings

July 12, 2018October 21, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

In my office, I’m usually the one who organizes after work get-togethers. This time around, I picked Pure Contemporary Vietnamese for Wing Wednesday. Horatio made a joke that we should call our party “West Wings”. I’m not political. Left wing, right wing, I just like to wing it. For this post, let’s listen to The West Wing theme song.

Here’s the lowdown. Everyone at the table must order a drink from Pure’s speciality menu and choose one of two options: pay a) 35 cents per wing or b) $10 for all-you-can-eat wings. If you have leftovers at the end of the meal, you’ll be charged $1 per wing. You are also limited to two hours from time of order.

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There’s something for everyone here: cocktails, draft beer, bottled beer, wines and non-alcoholic drinks. I tried a glass of the 50th Parallel Gewurztraminer ($9.50), which was a bit too sweet for my taste. I preferred the Casa Petrone Pinot Grigio ($8.50). Disco Mary liked her Kimmy Caesar and Carol enjoyed her mojito. Zeplin was impressed with his showy, mint green milkshake topped with whipped cream. Everyone else at our table ordered draft beer.

table

There are 15 different flavours to choose from. The most popular wings are: chili lime, nuoc cham, garlic butter, gochujiang, truffle parmesan, and chili tamarind. For the traditionalists, there’s Franks Hot, honey hot, teriyaki, honey garlic and salt and pepper.

salt and pepper

Pure’s version of salt and pepper reminds me of Chinese style salt and pepper squid. The wings were fried then dressed in chili flakes, wok fried peppers, onions and green onions. The wings were juicy, fat, crunchy morsels. The size of these babies are at least three times that of any other pub in Calgary.

The taste of the freshly grated parmesan and black truffle salt was dominant. Delicious, but I couldn’t eat a whole plate on my own because the flavour and smell was pungent after a few.

Everyone ordered a plate each and we all shared our wings. About my fifth wing in, I began to lose awareness of which flavour of wing I was devouring. I was so into mowing down that I lost tract. I do remember our group’s favourite flavour was chili lime. The sauce was tangy and spicy.

saucy

Andrew observed that our section of the table consumed more wings than the other side. I didn’t want to analyze how much we actually ate, but he was persistent and made me take the photo below as evidence. Now I get to relive how much I over ate.

Meets said these were the best wings she’s ever had and wants to come back. I know my coworkers were surprised that I picked to have wings at a Vietnamese restaurant. After they ate here, they knew why. Pure serves up kick ass wings.

My husband L enjoyed wing Wednesday so much, we returned on Saturday. L ordered the Open Face Beef Banh Mi ($13.75) on focaccia bread, with fries as the side. The wok tossed kalbi beef was tender and saucy. This is just a personal preference, but we would have preferred a plain baguette instead of the focaccia. I felt like a simpler bread would have been a good foil to all the strong, flavourful sauces. I’m keen to try Pure’s traditional Vietnamese Baguette ($13.75), to see how it compares to my favourite banh mi spot – The Submarine.

The Pot au Pho ($13.75) is big enough for two people. I was too full after devouring the entire bowl. The bowl is generously filled with slices of beef, flank, beef balls, crunchy bean sprouts, freshly sliced scallions and a few leaves of basil. The broth is rich and has more intense flavours than your typical pho joint. To date, Song Huong and Pure make my favourite pho in the city. I wanted to try Pho Da Bo for their sate beef with bone marrow.

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I’m keen to organize another wing event. Horatio wants to go to Leopold’s Tavern for cauliflower wings because he’s vegan. There’s a location in the Beltline and another location opening up in Bowness. I want to try Beagle 14 and Unicorn Pub, as I hear from @yycwings that the wings are stellar. Also, if you want to see some serious wing drama, check out the beef @betterthanyycwings has for @yycwings. Hopefully there won’t be any fowl play.

Bars/Lounges · Patio · Restaurants · Wings

Earls on Stephen Ave

June 10, 2018September 16, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Soup received a $150 gift certificate to Earls. She and her partner Ottawa invited me, L, Soccer Mom, and McCartney out for drinks and food. In light of recent news, let’s listen to “Regulate” by Warren G and Nate Dogg.

Our table was next to the patio. We got the best of both words – a view of Stephen Ave, fresh air and spacious, comfortable seating. I preferred to sit inside, as I feel that people who sit on patios on Stephen Ave get stared at by passersby.

I won’t drink house wine. I can’t do it. Two weeks ago in Kyoto, I ordered a bottle of house wine. It was so nasty that I couldn’t choke it down. Last week, I was at Bank and Baron and my colleagues were drinking happy hour house wine. I went against my better judgment and had a glass too. It was vile. At Earls, I ordered a 9 ounce glass of Quails Gate Pinot Noir ($20.25). I thought it was full-bodied and juicy for a pinot. Delicious. I’d come back to Earls just for a nice glass of wine.

Ottawa requested input from us and ordered for the table: Calamari ($14.25), Pan Wings ($13.75), Warm Spinach Dip ($13.75), Green Dragon Roll ($13.25), Garlic Fries ($6), Street Chicken Tacos ($11.75), and Yam Fries ($7.50). She tried to order the Hawaiian Coconut Prawns but the restaurant was out.

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I was surprised I liked the chicken taco so much, because I don’t normally enjoy tacos. The flour tortilla was crisp and held up to the saucy mixture of tender, slow roasted chicken, cilantro, salsa and cabbage. The taste of cilantro was subtle. The combination tasted fresh yet decadent, most likely due to the jalapeño crema and white cheddar. I thought it was odd that Earls named these ‘street tacos’ because street tacos are simple and pretty basic.

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I wanted garlic fries and Soup prefers yam fries. Ottawa ordered both. The fries were just like Palominos, except the latter used a liberal amount of freshly minced garlic in butter, and the fries are thicker and have a crunchier shell.

I liked the yam fries more than the garlic fries. I don’t normally like yam fries because I find the flavour taste fake. Earls make a batch that taste like it’s actually a yam and the fries were fat and crispy, just the way I like them.

One of my favourite items was the pan wings. These aren’t on the menu but our server told us it’s her favourite because they are twice baked and spicy. The sauce was tangy and the skin was crisp. There was a lot of white meat on them bones. The celery was fresh too, sweet and crunchy.

dip

Cheap Eats · Pubs · Restaurants · Wings

Hexters Pub

April 21, 2018November 21, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I organized a second event for my boss at Hexters Pub. We picked a Thursday, which happen to coincide with cheap wing night and karaoke (after 9:00 p.m.). For this post, let’s listen to Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin, as we heard a customer do an excellent rendition.

We sat by the front of the restaurant. We enjoyed the occasional cool breeze blowing in from an open window. The pub itself is spacious and clean. Hexters put together two long tables for our 28 people guests. For work events, we aren’t allowed to pay for guests’ alcoholic beverages. We paid for non-alcoholic beverages, a vegetable platter ($15), two order of deep-fried mozzarella sticks ($10.99), and between 150-170 wings (35 cents each).

wings

To accommodate the crowd, I ordered the more pedestrian flavours – salt and pepper, buffalo, and honey garlic. The wings came out hot and crispy. I noticed wings that came out near the end of the night looked plumper.

The batter on the mozza sticks was light. The cheese was stringy and warm. The vegetable platter consisted of sliced tomatoes, celery, carrots, mushrooms, peppers and a huge bowl of dip. Our server Maureen did a great job looking after our crew. At the end of the night, she asked everyone at our table if we wanted to take the leftover vegetables home.

I accompanied my in-law Veggie Girl when she went outside to smoke. She got into a conversation with another customer who was also smoking. I’ll call this person Scrappy. Scrappy said the nearby Chicago Pizza was her go-to for late night eats. She said the pizza is great, service is good and the staff recognize her number. I joked that I should call and say I’m her to get the same service. Scrappy said that wouldn’t happen as I would need to call from her phone. I said no problem, we would mug her and take her phone. She drew her arms into a fight posture and said, “Go the f$#! ahead. I’m a Bownesian.” I scurried back into the safety of the restaurant but I overheard Veggie Girl tell Scrappy that she too, was from Bowness. I saw from the corner of my eye Scrappy gave Veggie Girl a nod of approval.

I like Hexters for wings, karaoke and a reminder that I should get to know a stranger more intimately before joking about a potential theft. Price-wise, our office came under budget. For 28 people, our bill with a 20% tip was $162. One person skipped out on his beer tab, so I had to cover that out of my own pocket.

Bars/Lounges · Beer · Burgers · Happy Hour · Restaurants · Wings

Silver Point Pub – Wing Night

March 19, 2018September 16, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I’ve been planning small social meet and greets at local businesses. I picked Silver Point Pub in Silver Springs because the employee on the phone was so accommodating when I called to ask about reservations. In the past summer, a volunteer brought me here so he could use the washroom and ask for a glass of water. The server asked me if I wanted some water too. I didn’t want to be a bother but she ensured me she would be happy to do so. For this post, let’s listen to Gary Portnoy’s “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”.

We picked a Wednesday to host this get together, which happened to be wing night. The pub was packed and as a result, food came out a bit slowly. I didn’t mind as when the food did arrive, it was hot and fresh. I rather wait a bit and have the food properly prepared then sent out fast because it was premade.

Kudos to our lone server Lea. She was around constantly to refill drinks and greet each new person that showed up at our tables. Due to our limited budget, my office hosted complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. I ordered two plates of nachos ($12.99), 15 plates of wings ($5) and a veggie platter ($9). I had to think of a nice way to tell people if they wanted booze, they were on their own. I decided with the following sentence – Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at the guest’s own expense.

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The wings were fresh out of the fryer, glistening and saucy. The teriyaki wings had a buttery aftertaste. The salt and pepper were the crowd’s favourite. One guest ordered the Ghost Hot wings. I stuck to the regular old hot wings.

nachos

The nachos were generously topped with gooey cheese, hot peppers, green onions, tomatoes, and black olives. The topping ratio to chips was excellent. The cheese and chips stayed warm for a long time.

For 30 plus guests, the bill with a 20% gratuity was under $200. That worked out to about $6.00 a guest. I have two more events coming up. I hope I can get the budget close to what received at Silver Point Pub.