Q: Have you been to The Waterman yet? How is it?
UP: Yep, sure have! It was good. The menu leans pretty heavily towards fried, so if you’re looking to eat healthily, I’d go to Sea Level, but The Waterman is a great spot to have snacks and beers with friends. The lobster roll is served Maine or Connecticut style (with butter or with mayo) and was enjoyable, though I think Hi Tide’s edges it out. The interior is well-done, too, and service was friendly. We’ll be adding it to our restaurant finder soon.

 

Q: I’m ten days into Dry January, and I really need to drink something more interesting than sparkling water. Any tips on bars that offer delicious alcohol-free cocktails? Or bartenders who are willing to share recipes of good ones? Otherwise, this is going to be a long month or a short experiment.
UP: Jon is doing Dry January, too, so I totally relate! You can do it! Most bartenders would be happy to make you something alcohol-free without judgement, but you don’t want to be that person who takes up a seat at a cocktail bar for water. Look more toward restaurants, where you’ll be snacking a bit at the bar, too. Here’s where I’d recommend: Fin & Fino, Haberdish, Dogwood, The Queen & Glass, and Bardo. Since several people seem to be in the same position, I’ll get some recipes together next week for dry January solidarity. Another thing I like to do at dive bars that may not have much other than soda (and I know this is cheating, but minimally) is get a seltzer with bitters. It adds a little more excitement than drinking straight water.

 

Q: Where can I find a good bananas foster?
UP: I love bananas foster, too, and finally found one! They serve it at Eddie V’s, and servers pour flames over the dish table-side. It’s fun to watch, and the flavors are all that you’d want in the classic dessert. Elsewhere, you’ll see it here and there as a special. Crêpe Cellar serves a bananas foster crêpe that’s a good substitute. Scrolling through Instagram today, I also noticed that RockSalt is serving a brûléed banana as their $4 dessert bite. Chef Jonathan Shuler says it will be on the menu at least through the weekend.

 

Q: What bars have the best bourbon selections in town?
UP: Dot Dot Dot has a pretty deep list; owner Stefan Huebner even brings in lesser-known whiskeys (read more about that in our review). Brian Lorusso at Dogwood Southern Table has a solid selection, too. The Ballantyne Hotel keeps a good list, and The Cowbell in Uptown is often forgotten but has some cool bottles, though the prices can be a bit high. Our list of single barrel bourbons can also point you in the direction of some bars that take whiskey seriously.

 

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