Skip to main content

For Life, When in Newport: “The White Horse Tavern”






Well, after all that food I could really use a drink. Luckily for us I know just the place, The White Horse Tavern. It is both historic and modern and I had a damn good time here.

The White Horse Tavern has been open since before we were a unified country circa 1673. It is America’s oldest restaurant and there are whiffs of George Washington everywhere you look. You feel as if you are about to see him walk right past you if you pay close enough attention. Naturally this is a joint built right inside my wheelhouse. 

My party and I took a seat at the bar on the second floor next to some locals who were finishing up their dinner and apparently several cocktails. We instantly become enthralled with our bartender who also happens to be a tour guide in the area and local expert on the bar’s history. While he poured our drinks he recalled us with stories about how he came to be involved with The White Horse Tavern and its many fascinating stories from the tunnels buried deep within used during prohibition and how they were finally able to link George Washington this location. Thankfully I had only one drink here or I would've been able to follow along.

As for that drink, well it has been maybe the greatest of my life. Or at least a close second. My real favorite has to be the Grey Goose dirty martini I had on my birthday this past year at Le Boudoir (http://bit.ly/2s3kttO) in Brooklyn. But that is not to show up The White Horse Tavern.






When I sat down I literally had no idea what I wanted but I wanted something that actually tasted good. For me alcohol rarely is delicious. It is either too strong or dry leaving a burning sensation in pouring down my throat. I have never understood how people enjoy drinking whiskey or bourbon straight and enjoy the flavor. I never taste any flavor other than gasoline. So while I sat that there debating my choice my new friend behind the bar recommended a Malibu Bay Breeze, something I haven't had in over ten years. But I went along with it.



This version only had the coconut rum and pineapple juice (no cranberry juice) and was BEYOND delicious!! I couldn't figure out why or how he had gotten it just right. But he sure had. I could have sat there for days sucking those bad boys down until I slipped off the bar stool. Sadly I didn't have time for that in my schedule but I sure as hell will during my next visit. 


Now since I am not one to sit for long without eating we three decided to share a dessert recommended by the couple sitting beside us. We got the butterscotch bread pudding with vanilla ice cream on top. It was satisfying but a bit too sweet for my blood. I was much, much happier with my drink. 

To see a bit of what I did check out this brief video:


Thrillist made a list of the most iconic bar in every state. Interestingly The White Horse Tavern was listed as such for both Rhode Island’s and New York. What are the odds you ask?

During my research I kept coming across The White Horse Tavern here in my hometown of New York City. I had never heard of it before and to my knowledge these two bars have no relation.

The White Horse Tavern in New York City was founded in 1880 and was a favorite among the famous like Dylan Thomas and James Belushi. 

While the Newport location was a meeting place for the colonists and has been a boarding house at one point in the past. After a renovation in the 1950s it became the restaurant/bar you see when you visit today. And when you visit today make sure you find bartender/historian John Begin and take one of his Newport Cocktail Tours. John can be reached at NewportCocktailTours@Gmail.com and be sure to tell him The Queen of F-cking Everything sent you.

Just like 22 Bowen’s (see previous post), the White Horse Tavern is also mentioned on the Newport Discovery Guide’s best of Newport restaurants. 

Clearly I have amazing taste, no surprise there. 


For More Information:








Comments

Popular posts from this blog

For Find Out Friday - Why Do Emery Boards Make My Skin Crawl?

You know that sound a fingernail makes when it scratches against a chalkboard?  You know that feeling the sound of that action gives you? I, like most people, hate that sound.  I instantly feel like scrunching my shoulders up to my neck and closing my eyes.  I feel the exact same way when I am using an emery board to file my nails. This annoying sensation has a name: “grima” which is Spanish for disgust or uneasiness. This term basically describes any feeling of being displeased, annoyed, or dissatisfied someone or something.  It is a feeling that psychologists are starting to pay more attention to as it relates to our other emotions.  Emery boards are traditionally made with cardboard that has small grains of sand adhered to them. It is the sandpaper that I believe makes me filled with grima.  According to studies that are being done around the world, it is not just the feeling that we associate with certain things like nails on a chalkboard or by using emery boards

For Find Out Friday - How Do You Milk An Almond?

Despite my affinity for cheese and other dairy products, occasionally (actually a few times a week) I like to go dairy-free.  During those times I rely heavily on my favorite brand of almond milk, as seen in the picture above.  Though I know there is no dairy in this product, I constantly wonder: “how does one milk an almond”? Logically I am aware that no actually “milking” is taking place.  I also know that almond milk can be made at home, although I have zero interest in attempting to make it despite my love of spending time in my kitchen. So, what is the actual process?  How long does it take?  When / where / who was the first to successful develop this product? When talking about this kind of “milk” what we are really talking about is plant juices that resemble and can be used in the same ways as dairy milk. Plant like juice has been described as milk since about 1200 A.D. The first mentions can be found in a Baghdadi cookbook in the thirteenth

For a Doughnut Worthy of Food Network Glory: “Dun-Well Doughnuts”

All because I wanted a Boston creme doughnut. That is how this blog truly began. It was Father’s Day weekend and although I was initially thinking of myself, I knew my father wouldn’t mind having a sweet treat for dessert. Brooklyn is synonymous with great pizza, bread, and of course bagels. But it also has many great bakeries producing some of the most delicious doughnuts you have ever tasted. Just to name a few, there is: Doughnut Plant , Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop and Dough .   On the day of my craving, I did what any of us do countless times a day - I opened Google. When I Googled “best Boston creme doughnuts in Brooklyn” Dun-Well Doughnuts appeared high on that list. Intrigued I researched it further and learned that it had won the Canadian  Food Network’s contest called “Donut Showdown” in 2013. That was enough information for me to decide to visit the very next day.  Dun-Well Doughnuts was opened by Dan Dunbar and Christopher Hollowell in December 2011. Despite