Advertisement
BreadcrumbsYou are here: Home / Blogs / BAR PILOT / Tag

BAR PILOT

Posts tagged with: The Fixin' To

Main Content Skip to Sidebar and Blog Navigation
Weekend reminders

More Beer & Best Bartenders

Two more events to add to an already crowded calendar.

Posted by: John Chandler on Aug 19, 2011 at 11:00AM Speech Bubble4 Comments

Email
Stallone

So PDX Beer Week is here. And we’re awaiting the arrival of the Lagunitas Beer Circus. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “There’s no way to cram anymore hooch happenings into the coming weekend. I’m already calling in sick on Monday.” Well, I hate to be the bearer of good news, but there’s even more in store over the next 60-plus hours.

Drinking buddy and former Portland Monthly editor Bart Blasengame, who traded in his journalism gig to work behind the bar at his own watering hole, the very excellent Fixin’ To in St Johns, dropped me a line about the First Annual North Portland Bartender Invitational, taking place tomorrow (Saturday) at the Fixin’ To (8218 N. Lombard St) from 3–5. Mixologists representing Liberty Glass, Slim’s, Red Fox, Vendetta, and the Florida Room, among others, will compete for the honor of being known as North Portland’s most bad-ass barkeep. Your $10 cover includes free pizza, voting rights, and a raffle ticket for an assortment of faboo prizes. Most importantly, the money goes to Family Dogs New Life Shelter, a no-kill shelter dedicating to rehoming dogs regardless of age, breed, or history. And if that isn’t enough, there will be adorable adoptable pooches on the premises looking for their forever homes. Do it for the dogs!

One of my breweries of choice, New Old Lompoc, will be celebrating its 15th anniversary on Saturday starting at 11 am, at the New Old Lompoc (1616 NW 23rd Ave). The name of the soiree is “15 Beers for 15 Years” and will feature taps dedicated to a whole slew of New Old Lompoc brews past and present, such as Saazall Pilsner, 2008 Jolly Bock, Caribbean Coffee Stout, Bourbon Barrel-Aged LSD, Old Tavern Rat Barleywine, Alpha Blonde Dry Hopped Belgian Golden, and lots more. On a bittersweet note, the press release reads, The anniversary party may be a swan song of sorts – demolition of the New Old Lompoc is certain for 2012 to make way for apartments and upscale retail.Whether or not Lompoc returns to the new building remains to be seen.

In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Into each life some rain must fall…” Obviously Longfellow never spent a year in Portland.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Beer Festivals, The Fixin' To, St Johns, New Old Lompoc Brewing

Happy Hour

Happy Hour of the Week

The Fritos fly at Fixin’ To

Posted by: John Chandler on Sep 13, 2010 at 10:00AM Speech Bubble5 Comments

Email
Fixin1

And now a few words about Fritos and cheap whiskey. Since a respectful amount of time has passed since senior editor Bart Blasengame’s departure from the Portland Monthly masthed, I think it’s perfectly legitimate to pay a Happy Hour visit to his trailer-park-themed watering hole, The Fixin’ To. Located in the rustic heart of St Johns, the Fixin’ To gives Bart B. the chance to introduce the locals to the starchy, unpretentious charms of his Arkansas upbringing.

Establishing a “vibe” can be a daunting task for your average barkeep. We’ve all seen the failures: the random distribution of a few kitschy ceramic trinkets does not create atmosphere—it just makes the place look like a yokel’s garage sale. It’s obvious that Bart spent many of his formative years drinking rotgut in dive bars on the downside of the Mason-Dixon. There’s no other explanation for the presence of so much rotel—cheese dip with chilis and tomatoes—and Fritos that simply must be eaten in the spacious whiskey-tango patio that was cunningly cobbled together from corrugated tin, cyclone fencing, and old doors. Props: he’s also got shuffleboard, the best bar entertainment available that doesn’t involve the removal of clothing.

Fixin2

Rotel makes everything better.

Happy Hour is a low-key interlude weekdays from 2-6 ($1 tall boys of Hamms, Rainier, Old German, and PBR, $1 off wells and specialty cocktails), with enough cheap chow options to pacify even the most cash-strapped citizen. Five bucks will get you three different chip-and-dip options: tortilla chips and rotel or Ritz crackers with either sour cream scallion or bean dip. Portions are thoughtfully divided by size and dietary preferences (vegan, veggie, meat-eater). The chicken and dumplings ($7) are peppery and pillowy and can be served vegan with seitan (wheat gluten) in place of poultry. Both the St Johns Chili Bucket ($7-10, served over jalapeño pudding) and the Frito Pie ($6-9) come with veg options and are probably more food than you can shovel down your pie hole in one sitting, unless you’re one of those competitive eating freaks. After all the snacking there was no room at the inn for Not Your Mom’s Meatloaf ($11), but it looked like a rockin’ prospect as it passed by on the way to another table.

Fixin3

Um, which one lead’s to the Men’s Room?

Bart and his crew do not make fancy, shmancy, cocktails, though they might give it a whirl if you mind your manners. The coin of the realm at The Fixin’ To is brawny drinks with a few unexpected fripperies, like the St Johns Sweet Tea ($6). Here a “good-for-what-ails-you” slug of Old Crow bourbon is blended with sweet tea, triple sec, and muddled citrus, to create a simpler and less syrupy version of the more famous Long Island libation. Old Crow also makes an appearance in the Vacation Bible School ($6) alongside a whole lot of ginger, for a surprisingly refined refresher—surprising because Old Crow is a burning sensation and not a spirit normally associated with polite society.

The Fixin’ To corrals some of the rowdier aspects of southern hospitality, gives them a spit shine and makes them a bit more presentable. And with all the supposed rancor between red states and blue states that seems to be a popular media meme these days, it gladdens my heart that there is common ground for yankee and rebel to roister in our own backyard.

Add a Comment »

Tags: Happy Hour, Cheap Eats, NoPo, North Portland Dining, The Fixin' To, St. Johns

Advertisement
Blog Sidebar and Navigation
Jchandlerbar

In his twenty-plus years as a roving journalist and his forty-plus years as a native Oregonian, Portland Monthly web editor John Chandler has developed an appreciation for a properly stirred cocktail, all manner of beer, smoky single malt scotch, and the odd moment of clarity. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy,” is his pet quote, and he’ll break it out whether the occasion calls for it or not. Rock ‘n’ roll snob, film geek, and cultural kibitzer, Chandler can usually be found perched on a local bar stool muttering to himself about “the good old days” when he was always on the @#$%&!* guest list. Approach with caution.

Follow him on Twitter. Email the editor »

Bar Pilot navigates from dingy dive bars to ritzy schmooze-and-booze affairs to brain-melting rock shows, and points of interest in between. Chandler will do his utmost to jot down keen observations, hopefully inspire a few barroom arguments, and guide his readers through another night on the rocks.

RSS

Advertisement

Recent Posts

Archives

Advertisement