So we went to Fraunces Tavern to celebrate our anniversary last Friday. It was very tough.
You see they had changed everything. An Irish Brewery has bought it and turned it into a beer hall. They are catering to the Wall Street Crowd and have dumbed down everything. The old American style menu is no more and you are forced to get bangers and mash and Shepard's pie. The wine list is horrible and the food is just greasy slop.
The beautiful woodwork has been painted over and "distressed" so as to look like an old school pub in Ireland. We are standing in front of a mural that was painted in the 1800"s. It is much the worse for wear. We are standing right at the spot where our table was in the wedding party. So you can imagine how we felt.
Fraunces Tavern is a lot like America. When we weren't paying attention it was taken over by foreigners and foreign attitudes and trashed. I guess we didn't care enough to pay attention. So now it has come to this.
We had a few drinks and some appetizers and the bar closed at midnight.
We want to keep the tradition alive of going there every year but I don't know if we can face it for another year.
17 comments:
Lament the past and present, but always be hopeful for the future. The table is temporal, your bond is not.
Did you meet there?
Back story on Fraunces Tavern please.
I met my wife at the Glenn Miller Ballroom in Boulder, CO. We've never been back there. But we memorialized the calendar date.
We were married there in 2002
My friend was the general manager there and after 911 they were dying.
So we had our wedding there and it was great. The food was unbelievable and we rented the Museum upstairs for the people who got there early because they didn't go to the church.
I had a guy dressed as George Washington there to greet the people when they came in.
It was a red blooded patriotic wedding.
If you know what I mean.
Hey, invite Obama next year, he's sure to have nothing else to do. He might learn something.
Nah, just kidding.
I couldn't invite the Jug Eared Jesus.
He would think it is all about him.
You told us this last year. So what made you think with the same ownership and business model it was going to be any different? I would lower your expectations. Go to Frauces for an ale (I assume their beer is okay) or a cocktail (if they can manage that) and then leave and go to a decent place for dinner. Tradition maintained and you eat well.
And let's face reality: beyond traditional eggs and bacon, a corned beef sandwich, or pot roast, most Irish can't cook. And for me the later two are abominations.
Painting over the original woodwork warrants a flogging.
That place has quite a history - it's a wonder it's not FALN down.
My memory has more holes than a Pittsburgh infield ('50's reference) but didn't you go to a financial district restaurant a while back and didn't you post about having a similar disappointing experience foodwise and ambiencewise? Or was it the same Fraunces Tavern and you went back for more punishment? Not that I'm criticizing (though I am a little) restaurants are such a hit and miss business, even the ones you think are a lock.
I hate it when a long-time hangout decides to "upgrade" to look like some other place. It's bad enough when the change is forced by customers drifting away, but it's intolerable when it's just some nitwit's idea of staying current.
It was the same restaurant. We go every year and are always upset.
I was hoping for some improvement because they said they were doing a new menu but it only got worse.
Send us a photo of what "Stonehenge" looks like these days at Seatuck if you can.
Sixty might be onto something there about inviting the One. Could launch a career in debate moderation down the road. I hate it when a quality place goes down the tubes. We are out in the boondocks here in these hills, especially ethnic food. There was a great place one town over from us. Italian. The cook looked like Penn Jillette. The place was always packed and the owner had a memory like a steel trap. Knew you, what you liked, bordered on creepy. She sold to an employee and it was crap within six months. I hate to even drive by the place anymore.
Congrats to you both!
Did you guys fuck during this little excursion?
tits.
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