I've made my rounds of the bars here in the Electric City. I've danced until the doors closed at the Union Inn, I've answered the obscure trivia questions at the likes of Bombers and Pinhead Susan's. But when the time arrives to have a solid drink, or chat with friends in a good place where the music is neither too loud, nor too soft...well, the Ditch is the place to be.
In 2005, the doors opened on Clinton's Ditch. A new city bar transformed from an old vacant 3500 square foot building to a modern, energy-efficient structure, courtesy of Re4orm Architecture. The Schenectady Historical Society even graced the property with an award, as the bar still maintains a very true-to-form look despite the heavy facelift. What's even better news is that Tim Trier, who owns the Ditch, has begun the construction directly next door on a replica of the old City Firehouse. A building that would that would be a more than 125-year-old structure in this day and age. According to our own Daily Gazette, it would be the "first historic replica project ever attempted in Schenectady." To read the description of what Trier has planned for the site when all is said and done is quite inspiring. To give a spoiler or two, again courtesy of the Gazette, the firehouse will open up an entire new section of cooking space, complete with a wood-fired oven. For anyone who has been to a Pizza Night here at my flat, you'll know how much I'm looking forward to this. To crown it all off, we'll also be looking at space for a whopping 50 more dining customers. Cha-ching.
And what may you, loyal taxpayer, enjoy most of all? There's not a penny of public financing involved in the project. Trier has taken the cost completely upon himself. If that's not worth a pint at his establishment, I'm not quite sure what is.
Alright, now to the good stuff. If you'll kindly directly your eyes above this sentence, I'd like you to meet The Cuban. Hello Cuban. No cigars, 1959 Caddies or Commie propaganda here. This sandwich is lush folks, there's really no other adjective that touches the pure culinary joy of this simple delight. It's pork. It's lovely. Schwing. Let's delve a bit into the food for a moment. The selection is just what you want from a bar: No tome of a menu, just enough of a selection so everybody feels welcome. The portions? Perfect. No feelings of guilt when you leave half your plate untouched. No, it wasn't the fault of your appetite you couldn't finish that reuben at another restaurant. It was because they gave you a portion fit for a large ocean-dwelling mammal. Or Dom DeLuise. You finish your meal with a full stomach, but not one bursting at the seams. It may seem like I'm harping on about this, but think about the last time you ordered a meal in a restaurant and were perfectly sated by the result. I can't.
Bear in mind that I'm no regular here. Despite the thirty second walk door to door, I stop in here for lunch maybe every other week. I've gone in for drinks a handful of times on the weekends. A blogger must sample a variety of places, am I right? And yet the bartender, bless her heart, has never failed to remember the very first beer I ordered months ago. They get plenty of regulars, the day in and day out crowd who are lucky enough to call this place their lunch break. So when I sit down from time to time and my priors are remembered, well that makes a guy feel special, doesn't it? And we all love feeling like unique and beautiful snowflakes, don't we?
When the weekends come there are DJs and dancing, a mix of a crowd to make anyone feel welcome. The doormen are always polite, and the crew tending bar sling drinks with the best. They know they've got a line, and they never make you wait long. You'll be drinking alongside young professionals, old timers, those in between, and of course the ever-adored college crowd trying to find their own niche inside. The drink specials are solid, and this bar is good at letting you know when they're coming. This is a good place, and I mean that in the most sincere form of the word.
What more can I say, dear reader? Drink here. Eat here. Unwind here.
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