On the second day of our trip exploring the traditions, foods, people, cultures, history, architecture, sites, music, flora and fauna of the eastern region of this great country we packed up the car and headed to Pennsylvania. We had been to Pennsylvania before and were excited to return. How could you not like the state that is home to steel, Scranton, City Tavern, The Liberty Bell, the Amish, Yuengling, and many universities (we passed a zillion en route from Jersey to our point of destination). Although there were many universities, we had a special one in mind that we wanted to visit- West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. This is because in West Chester was my phantom cousin, Kelly, the only person in my family Bob had yet to meet and this cousin was the reason for our trip - she was graduating from college!
When we got to West Chester, home to everyone's favorite Jackass (no it's not Bob) Bam Margera, we checked into our hotel. Kelly came over soon after with an 18-pack of beer and with that simple gesture, she endeared herself to Bob. So, we talked, drank and readied ourselves for steppin' out on the town.
The first stop was Iron Hill Brewing Co. located in this quaint little college town. Food and more beer time! The interior of the restaurant was nice and dark with some pretty cool paintings on the walls. Seated right by the kitchen, we could see plenty of action, as well as, some of the dishes that were being prepared. We were actually surprised by what they had on the menu since we had a preconceived notion that the place was going to only be bar fare due to the fact that the place was a brewery.
They had plenty of Iron Hill beers on tap in a wide variety: Lagers, Stouts, IPA, etc. Although we love beer, we didn't really get into doing a tasting and comparison of each other's beers due to the fact we were already a little fueled up from the aforementioned case of beer at the hotel. We were hungry and were pleased when our appetizers arrived. Calamari with a cilantro cream sauce and teriyaki chicken wraps.
The calamari was nice and crispy with an amazing sauce that neither of us had encountered before. Bob had his fair share, as calamari is one of his favorite tasty morsels. The wraps were also really good as the lettuce and other veggies were nice and fresh (maybe right off the wagon from Lancaster). Along with the teriyaki sauce, there was a peanut-based sauce that added a delicious twist.
I ordered the Swordfish with Herb Aioli and Bob ordered the Pork Tenderloin Medallions. The swordfish was fresh with a lemon pepper crust and the aioli added a nice kick. Coupled with the fish was Potato Croquets and a bed of peppers and onions. Delish!
I'm not a huge fan of pork, but Bob is a connoisseur of our little curly tailed friend so he was fired up when his large serving of Pork Tenderloin Medallions appeared in front of him. He stared down lovingly at his stack of breaded pork covered with a delicate sauce of corn, potato and other diced goodies and dove right in. I could tell Bob's food must have been pretty good since he was doing a lot of chewing with his eyes closed while making noises of a foodie in bliss. Oink, oink!
After dinner it was time for a nightcap or ten. Right as we came out of the front door of the restaurant, we spied a seemingly authentic Irish bar named Kildare's. We like Irish-themed bars, so we didn't hesitate and crossed the street like any Irish people would who knew a fine pint and some spirits were a few feet away - quickly!
Kildare's had a true Irish look, mimicking that of a Pub you would find in the heart of Ireland. The bar, seating, walls, etc. all were made up of a dark wood that looked as if it were shipped in from Ireland years ago. I was impressed with the décor, they even used gaelic on the front window to let any wayward Irishman know that Kildare's was an establishment where he would be at home. I had an Irish coffee to get going again, since I was near food coma and Bob enjoyed a handful of Guinnesses. Kelly, Bob and myself found ourselves settling in and looking forward to an evening of drinking and conversing in our little corner of the little pub.
As we sat and talked while waiting for Kelly's boyfriend, we noticed that a lot of young people were entering the bar. The kind of people that were looking for a party. The kind of people that didn't look like they were just heading in for some Guinness and warm conversation. People that didn't look like they were entering Kildare's to enjoy it's authentic look and feel. These people were there to grind uglies and listen to horrible music. Alas, the authenticity of Kildare's was slipping away. From Irish bar to obnoxious college kids dance party, we were all heartbroken. Shortly after, we found out the place was one of many Kildare's in a chain of these faux-pubs. We were fooled. Bamboozled. Hoodwinked. This was not an Irish bar. It was a front for sweaty dance parties that used the guise and goods of Ireland to trap unsuspecting barflies like ourselves to spend money during the early evening when the dance floor was empty.
How did we get home that night? Well I'm glad you asked, my cousin sent us off on a drunk van with all the liquored up college kids, lovingly provided by
Kildare's well after 2am. How was the graduation the next morning at 9am? Well, that's a stupid question - you all know the answer to that one.
Maybe I could end this by saying something witty like, 'Voodoo Doughnut really cast a spell on me with their doughnut magic.'. But I'll avoid doing something as cheesy as that.
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