Spring has officially sprung here at the Independent, and, coming soon, we'll be celebrating spring in all the usual ways: a new food menu featuring spring produce from local farms (next Wednesday), beer lists with spring-appropriate beers (already happening), Saturday spring-themed cocktails with Lucky (this Saturday), and, of course, streaking naked through the quad (nightly).
The change in seasons is going to mean menu changes, and that means that it's time to say goodbye to some of your old winter friends, like gumbo, mushroom risotto, the sammich (which will be replaced by another, more spring-appropriate sammich) and the lamb bake. If you, like me, have developed a deep and passionate relationship with Monique's gumbo,* then you have until Wednesday to say goodbye. It's sad, yes, but think of all the summer trysts you can have with other, fresher soups. And, when summer camp is over, you can always reunite in the fall.
We'll be announcing our new menu next Wednesday, but, in the meantime, enjoy these great menu items while we still have them.
Our beer list is also turning spring-y. One new spring-y beer that is a must try is the Brew Gentlemen's "Table Beer," a session Saison. Table beer is inspired by the Belgian "tafelbier," which (and this might shock you) is Flemish for "Table beer" (mind...blown...). Light, citrusy, saison which at 4.5% is just the type of thing that you need to be drinking at 3 p.m. on a Friday or Saturday afternoon.
It's another two week period and we've got another set of hours to confuse you. We now open at 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (as opposed to 11:30 a.m.). And, we're now open from 3-8 p.m. on Sundays. We'll be serving pre-made snacks and wraps from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 3-8 p.m. (our kitchen will be closed for dinner on Sunday). In essence, lunches are working for us, but they start they work for us as early happy hours with some great snacks, better than as folks sitting down for lunch. As I'm fond of saying, we're not the Bush administration here, at the IBC. We pride ourselves on our ability to flip-flop in the face of clear and convincing evidence. The evidence is clear that you want food and drinks at 3, but not at noon. As you wish, my friends.
This Saturday, celebrate spring with Lucky, who is putting together a set of light and refreshing cocktails. He's calling it "Drink Spring 2: Electric Booze-aloo," and promises cocktails that are "light, floral, pleasing to the palate and reminiscent of a warm spring day." I've been speaking Lucky now for the better part of a year, and I'm pretty sure that means that he's still working on his cocktail list. But, I also know that I'm intrigued to see what he whips up.
Craft Beer Week is on the horizon, and we are kicking it off next Friday with an event with Full Pint, Lavery, and Rivertowne that we are calling "Iron Brewer." Three breweries enter with a pin firkin each, all using one secret ingredient somehow in that pin firkin. You drink a three beer flight, then vote. At the end of the night, we tally up the votes and declare the Iron Brewer. If you think this theme and name bears a resemblance to a Food Network show of similar name and concept, then you're right (and hopefully not corporate counsel for the Food Network).
On Tuesday, the 21st, we are hosting our big time Hogo & Hops dinner with Maggie's Farm and Four Seasons. Tickets are limited for this very special event. They can be purchased here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/hogo-hops-a-rum-and-beer-dinner-with-maggies-farm-and-four-seasons-tickets-16489483489?aff=IBCEmail I've received a number of inquiries about this event, which I'll address separately in an FAQ dedicated to it.
Alright folks, looking forward to a great weekend ahead.
* "Gumbo's not like you! Gumbo understands me! She thinks I should quit my job so I can write my novel!"