For the second time in as many weeks, we did a weekend road trip to upstate New York. About 1,500 miles in three days, part two of the daughter move. And while it was tiring—besides the driving, there was the loading and unloading of boxes and bags, a bookcase, a bike and countless things not starting with B—just looking at the photo above has me ready to get in the car again.
This is a stretch of the New York State Thruway. It rolls through beautiful green hills and farmland and, for three miles or so, actually leaves New York state as it passes through the Seneca Nation at the Cattaraugus Reservation.
Marion and I are hardwired for road trips, and we’ve passed those genes on to our kids. Beautiful scenery is, well, beautiful—but not a requirement. Assorted oddities, like the spot below around Erie, Pennsylvania, make us just as happy. Even seemingly boring flat farmland, miles and miles of corn and soybean fields, shares quiet secrets if you let it.
Food on road trips varies wildly. While on the road, decisions are driven more by “can I eat this one-handed at 75 miles an hour” than by is it good—or even good for me. Once we’re at our destination, we get a little more discerning. This being a working trip, much of our eating even after we’d reached Syracuse was on the perfunctory side. But we did have one evening free to linger over a good meal.
Our daughter got together with college friends for dinner, and we headed straight for our favorite place in town, the Empire Brewing Company. Once we reached the comfortably raucous downtown brewpub, we snagged our favorite “table”—two seats at the bar.
There is just something about dining at the bar that we’ve always loved. I’ve described why in some depth here, but suffice it to say the Empire’s bar did not disappoint. The bartenders were helpful and friendly, but also busy. The action behind and around the bar—bartenders, bar backs, servers and other staff—provided the usual fascinating glimpse into the aptly named world of hospitality.
Knowing this would probably be the last time we ate there, we each went in planning to order favorite dishes—the farmstead chili for Marion and the jambalaya for me. Then we saw “grilled hanger steak, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herb butter and tumbleweed onions” on the menu. We both ordered it, rare. Like everything else about the Empire Brewing Company, it was perfect. As was the shared crème brûlée the bartender talked us into—without much resistance, I must confess.
We will miss this place, I know. But future road trips will turn up new places for us, preferably with seats at the bar.
Road trips can be kind of fun! And a great way to stock up on your karate supplies (who knew you even needed supplies?). I love eating in bars too — always something going on to observe. I couldn’t have resisted that hanger steak either! Fun post — thanks.
It’s a running joke with friends about “The Car” (my 07 Saturn), which on occasion just takes off on adventures. Luckily with me in it, at least thus far. You never know what you’ll get on the road… it took me some time to get used to eating at the bar, since I thought of it as the place where the raucous types got rowdy. No doubt in some places it is, but when there’s a good bar with decent atmosphere, knowledgeable servers – and of course good food! – it’s become a preference. And don’t be too sure you’ll never be back… cars have a way of surprising you once in a while!
John, we had a different take when we saw this place—Marion’s thought was if your karate skills weren’t up to snuff, you could deploy the fireworks.
Anita, we’re always up for a good road trip. Glad you and your Saturn are too.
I know how it is when you help your adult kids move ~ we did it with a 6-year-old, a 2-year-old, a 12-year-old dog, two cars and two of the largest U-Haul trucks they have from Denver to Phoenix. No decent food the entire trip. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat because they were coming home. {smile}
Enjoy what’s left of the summer.