Walking. Gossip. Travel.

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  • 2022 US Trip – Tenaya Creek Brewery in Las Vegas

    2022 US Trip – Tenaya Creek Brewery in Las Vegas

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    Las Vegas isn’t packed with craft beer breweries and I think that a couple of the best are here and Banger Brewing. I had my bus pass (which I accept makes me sound like a pensioner) so I got a bus there, but then I realised it was only a ten minute walk from downtown Las Vegas so I just walked back. In the searing heat.

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    I arrived around ten minutes before Happy Hour so had a beer that wasn’t included in that offer whilst the server happily came back as soon as the cheaper prices kicked in. The menu on the board (which is incidentally available on webcam at https://www.tenayacreek.com/whats-on-tap/, which is a brilliantly smooth way of displaying up-to-date information such as this) is a little complex to understand at first look, but the server talked me through it.

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    Some of the beers produced by the brewery, with everything much more reasonably priced than in Las Vegas itself. It’s worth a meander to get here and I think everyone at the bar (other than me obviously) was local.

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    The Hazy Phantom Bride from Belching Beaver Brewery and I think that I’ve been to their brewery in California when my friends Alexis and Jose took me, but I might have got muddled up as it was a few years ago and pre-blog. As I’ve mentioned before, most of the reason for this blog existing is to remind me where I’ve been, as I have a tendency to forget things.

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    The Chocolate Stout Nitro from Rogue Ales, which as its name suggests was packed with chocolate and suitably smooth. This comes from Newport in Oregon, one of the numerous places that I want to visit when I finally get to visit the state. I had a lot of tap water whilst I was at the bar given the extreme heat outside, or at least, what I call extreme heat.

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    And to finish, the Pinch Hitter Pale from Tenaya Creek brewery themselves. A credible IPA which has plenty of peach flavour to it, something I think works in a beer, although the server said that customers were rather more divided on that. I’m not into US sports, or indeed any sports really, but whatever it was on the screens was exciting most of those seated at the bar.

    This was a friendly operation and although they don’t do food themselves there are often food trucks parked up outside. The venue started in 1999 as a restaurant and brewery, but they decided to focus on the beer side in 2008 and they moved to these premises in 2015. I liked the laid-back and inviting atmosphere, with the server being personable and engaging. I perhaps didn’t try as many of the brewery’s own beers as I could have done, but the one I had was very agreeable. For anyone who doesn’t want to walk from downtown, a bus doesn’t take long and leaves from the end of Fremont Street.

  • 2022 US Trip – Chick-Fil-A in Las Vegas (Golden Corral)

    2022 US Trip – Chick-Fil-A in Las Vegas (Golden Corral)

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    In my never-ending quest to check the quality of fast food outlets in the United States, I was reminded that I don’t think I’ve ever been to Chick-Fil-A. This is their outlet within the Golden Corral casino in downtown Las Vegas, all clean and tidy with quite a significant queue.

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    I didn’t feel the need to have a drink given I’d just been given a free beer, not was I tempted by the kale crunch.

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    Service was fast and efficient despite the long line, with the staff member merrily calling customers forwards and making time to build up something of a rapport with them. It’s not easy trying to ask everyone a question such as “how has your day been?” or “anything planned for the rest of the day?” whilst trying to sound interested and also not faff around so the queue lengthens. I thought that they all did very well as young Mr Grace might say in Are You Being Served?

    The service at the till was prompt, although the wait for the meal was a bit excessive for a fast food venue. I think I, and someone else who I was talking to (well, complaining with), waited for 12 minutes for these Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips. We weren’t the only ones muttering, the server shouted through to the kitchen on numerous occasions that they were taking far too long with these. But, that meant they were freshly cooked and I wasn’t in a rush. I must have received about six apologies from the staff member about the wait, so I felt it was impossible to be annoyed since they were doing their best.

    There were a couple of free tables, so I seated myself ready to see if I’d be surprised and delighted. And, I was. Tender and moist chicken, with a crunchy exterior with the strips being cooked in peanut oil. The dip provided was the Polynesian Sauce, which I had to Google and it’s made up for this chain, but it’s something like a cross between BBQ sauce and sweet & sour sauce. It was as decadent as the chicken, this is of a quality that I’m not sure KFC has ever reached.

    The reviews for this outlet are relatively high, although I found it odd that they’re not using contactless payments. Every customer was having to sign a printed receipt and I’m not sure whether this is location specific or just the brand standard. Anyway, it could be said this is an excessive blog post for four chicken strips, but they were suitably divine. I can see why this chain is becoming so popular in the United States and I’m sure that I might be popping back to have a little examination of another part of their menu.

  • London – Camden (Borough of) – The Hardy Tree (A Bit Fallen Down)

    London – Camden (Borough of) – The Hardy Tree (A Bit Fallen Down)

    In a quick departure from my US trip content that I’m droning on about, I was saddened to hear that the Hardy Tree in London has fallen down. The Tweet below shows the state of it now….

  • 2022 US Trip – Banger Brewing Tour in Las Vegas

    2022 US Trip – Banger Brewing Tour in Las Vegas

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    I’ve been to Banger Brewing several times over the last few years, but this was the first time that I paid to go on the tour of their brewery set-up. I can’t remember the dates now, but the guide and I worked out that I likely first visited within a year of their 2013 opening. I thought for a while about just how much of a permanent fixture that they had become on Fremont Street, but that was in October 2022 and a few weeks later it was announced that the business was up for sale.

    I’m not really in the market for a craft beer bar in Las Vegas, but I must admit that it would be quite something to own and operate. The turnover is less than I had expected at $536,000 per year, especially given that their rent is $125,000 per year, but their footfall is enormous because of the location. It worries me slightly that this bar, which has always seems well run, isn’t doing better, I hope it’s not a reflection on the craft beer market and is more down to the levels of competition that they face. Hopefully though someone will take on this bar and continue to run it in something like the same manner. The leasehold business is for sale at $250,000 and I imagine someone creative who can perhaps push food more might be able to make something out of this. Although there’s a high footfall down this street, it’s also challenging in terms of people who can be disruptive or have more criminal intent, so it’s not clear that extending the hours later would be a sensible way forwards.

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    Anyway, I’ve digressed, I was meant to be writing about my brewery tour. This is the main bar with the Untappd screen located above the back bar.

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    A table was laid out for all the people going on the tour. They didn’t need to pick such a large table as it transpired that it was just me on the tour.

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    Some of the former wine barrels which will be used to add flavour to the beer after its been brewed.

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    I enjoyed the tour, especially as the guide had an interest in European history which is a noble subject to be engaged with. Another reason is that I’m better able to understand smaller set-ups and I was also able to ask for the difference between craft beer and real ale to be explained in practical terms. The guide was able to do that and point out the different processes involved, which is in fact nearly identical in most parts, although I’ll let professional brewing web-sites discuss that matter in more detail. But I did find the tour easy to understand in terms of the brewing process and the guide was always personable and friendly. He was willing to let me take photos, but added that one visitor had once recorded his entire one hour tour on a phone just inches away from his face. He didn’t find that ideal and I must say, I’m not sure that I would have done either.

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    The brewing equipment is in a relatively compact space in one large room, with some smaller rooms coming off from it. I do wonder whether a future owner might just take all this element out to increase the amount of table space, but there’s something authentic about a pub brewing its own beer. Everything was clean and tidy, the set-up wasn’t large enough for them to waste any space, so it seemed organised and efficient.

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    I liked the branding for their water dispenser. I think it’s something of an in-joke, but it’s one I like because Bud Light does annoy me. And yes, that’s judgemental.

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    There were four beer tasters included in the tour, the Morning Joe, the El Heffe, the Perfect 10 and the Juicy Lucy.

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    Neatly lined up in the order displayed on the card. The one on the left was particularly interesting and although I’ve been known to mutter about the quality of German beer compared to the much better Polish beer, the Kölsch that Banger produced was really quite decadent as these things go. I will admit that Banger have added caramel and hazelnuts to the mix, but they’ve also added coffee and that gave it plenty of depth whilst also remaining light and smooth. Second from the left is the El Heffe, a wheat beer with jalapenos and habanero, a reminder that chillies go well with beer and chocolate.

    The second from the right is the Perfect 10, a dry hopped American ale with a taste of caramel to it, which I thought was pleasant although not particularly stand-out. But the best in my view was the last one, on the right of the photo and a New England IPA packed with tropical and fruity flavours. A very suitable way to finish proceedings.

    I would merrily recommend Banger Brewing and the tour, but since the location is either about to close or change hands, it’s unclear what the future holds. I hope it continues in a similar form, I’ve enjoyed my visits here over the years and at least I got to see their brewing set-up before it was too late.

  • 2022 US Trip – Big Rig Jig in Las Vegas

    2022 US Trip – Big Rig Jig in Las Vegas

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    This sculpture rather stands out at its current location of the former Fergusons Motel on Fremont Street, moved here from its temporary installation at the 2007 Burning Man Festival in Nevada. It was designed by Mike Ross from two repurposed trucks, weighing in at 25 tonnes and managing to stand upright despite that weight. Much in Las Vegas is overstated, but it’s perhaps all the better for that.

  • 2022 US Trip – Outside the Venetian Resort Las Vegas

    2022 US Trip – Outside the Venetian Resort Las Vegas

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    In the last post I shared my photos of an empty Grand Canal Shoppes before it opened, but here’s a photo of outside the Venetian casino during the middle of the day. I’m honestly not sure that it’s an entirely romantic experience getting a gondola around the water in front of the building with everyone (including me) taking photos, but nonetheless it’s a popular pastime. I suppose Las Vegas is all about being seen….

  • 2022 US Trip – Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (Empty and No People)

    2022 US Trip – Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (Empty and No People)

    Just photos, but I quite like these ones. Grand Canal Shoppes is located in the Venetian casino and is a shopping centre with expensive retail outlets and restaurants, all designed to feel like Venice with canals included in the whole arrangement. I wanted to have a look around before it opened for the day and a security guard kindly let me through to take photos, hence I had this ridiculous space to myself for a while other than for a few staff arriving early.

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  • 2022 US Trip – Raising Cane’s Chicken in Las Vegas

    2022 US Trip – Raising Cane’s Chicken in Las Vegas

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    KFC in the United States are mounting the best fight that they can against the growing number of rivals that they’re facing, not least Popeye’s, Jollibee, Chick-fil-A and also Raising Cane’s Chicken. In the UK, I rather suspect the KFC chain is doomed to a slow death, that’s perhaps evident from looking at the Google Review scores from their new restaurant in Beccles where they’ve plummeted to a rating of 2.1. It’s nearly impossible to get a score that low, I assume there’s some factor where they’re deliberately running down the venue. Others in Norfolk aren’t rated much higher, it’s all apparent that the public have lost respect for the chain and I can’t recall the last time I went to a KFC in the UK as their standards are so consistently low. It’s fair to say that I don’t set the bar that high with fast food either. Anyway, I mention this as these growing chains are so much better that they’ll likely be able to take a big chunk out of the KFC market in the UK if they arrive over here. Well, Chick-fil-A won’t be back due to other ethical reasons, but I hope to see Raising Cane’s Chicken making the jump at some stage. As for Raising Cane’s, they’ve gone from 360 restaurants to 2018 to over 650 today and their expansion seems fast.

    I fear that I’m going too far down the food debate argument, so here’s a video for anyone interested in this theory that KFC is on a decline in the US that it won’t be able to turn around.

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    Modern and on-trend, the staff members were friendly, personable and merrily explaining the menu to every customer. Although this isn’t their first venue in Las Vegas (indeed I’ve visited one before), it’s I think their first flagship location here and it only opened a few weeks before I visited.

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    There was plenty of space upstairs and it was spotlessly clean and all looked smart and organised. There’s a sense of class to this operation and the dining area has more of a restaurant feel than a fast food ambience.

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    With the view of New York New York casino out of the window, it was possible to people watch those walking down the Strip. As for the food, well, it was suitably decadent. Tender and moist chicken with a crunchy but not hard coating, Texas toast (effectively just double sized toast which is grilled with a garlic top) that was enjoyable to eat, coleslaw and their house dip, alongside some crinkle cut chips. As for ratings since I started off on that road, it’s sitting currently on 4.7 on Google, as high as a venue is likely to get.

  • 2022 US Trip – Day 26 (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans – Wreckage of Augustus Hamilton’s Aircraft)

    2022 US Trip – Day 26 (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans – Wreckage of Augustus Hamilton’s Aircraft)

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    This heap of metal are parts of the wreckage of the P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft that was being flown by 1st Lieutenant Augustus Hamilton on 14 July 1944. It was intended to be his final mission before returning to the United States to see his wife and new born-son, but it was a flight that he didn’t survive after being shot down by German enemy aircraft. It wasn’t known exactly what happened to his aircraft until 1993 when the crash site was found in France and these items recovered.

    Augustus died at the age of just 22, never meeting his son also named Augustus (1944-1985). What I find especially poignant is that his sister Margaret Hamilton McPhail lived until 2013. She lived for just shy of 70 years without her brother, but at least she got to find out exactly had happened to him during her lifetime. There are some more photos at the Association of Forced Landings web-site. Augustus was born on 4 January 1922 and would have celebrated his 100th birthday just a few days ago. He’s buried at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial which is located by Omaha Beach.

  • 2022 US Trip – Day 26 (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans – Thorpe Abbotts Airfield Sign)

    2022 US Trip – Day 26 (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans – Thorpe Abbotts Airfield Sign)

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    I’m not claiming that New Orleans is in some remote part of the world, but there’s always something exciting and homely seeing a reminder of Norfolk. I know nothing more about this sign, not least as the National WWII Museum seem to make limited effort to explain anything as recent posts may have noted, but I felt the need to reference the Norfolk links. Thorpe Abbotts Airfield, given the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) reference number of 139, was built for the RAF in 1942, transferred to the USAAF in 1943 and ultimately remained in use until 1956. I hadn’t realised this, but although most of the airfield has been returned to other uses, the control tower is now home to the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum.

    Back to this sign, I like to think that some brave pilot brought back this sign when the US air force went back to the United States in late 1945 and handed the airfield back to the RAF. A little bit of Norfolk in New Orleans and I rather like that and I must go to that museum at some point.