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| Ottawa's Manx Pub |
A few years ago a new pub opened up in
Halifax to a lot of fanfare. The architect apparently spent weeks
hanging out in pubs in Ireland to get the feel and look of a true
“Irish pub” and this new place was designed with all the features
they found in “real” pubs from across the pond. It is a nice
place; looks very “Irish”, beer is good, and food is tasty. I've
been there once.
The first time we visited our son Ryan
in Ottawa, he insisted on taking us to this fabulous pub for brunch.
We had to be there at a specific time or we could not get a seat, and
it was quite a walk. My first impression was not great. There was a
faded sign hanging on the corner of a building and a set of dingy
stairs leading down to a black basement door. The place was crowded
but we found a seat in the corner. There was a hole in the wall
across from my seat. Five years later, that hole was covered with
duct tape and painted over, but little else has changed. But . . . I
can't imagine visiting Ottawa without making at least one trip to
this pub, the Manx, for at least a beer if not a meal.
What is it that makes the “perfect
pub”? Why do I love going back to the Manx in Ottawa, yet have
never returned to the “authentic” Irish pub in Halifax?
Essential to any real pub is good beer,
but I prefer to find some nice local brews that I can try. It is also
really helpful if the servers know something about the beer and are
willing to give an honest opinion. I often ask them for
recommendations, and a good server is willing to tell me something
about what they serve. I like to hear that “the local IPA is
particularly hoppy”, and when a server tells me that they have a
favourite brew I will usually take their advice and try it – I've
rarely been disappointed. Better than having the server tell me they
“Don't really like beer.” or when visiting Columbus Ohio, I asked
about “local” beer and was told that they serve “Miller Light”.
In a little pub in Bangor Maine the server was so excited about two
local beer that when I chose one, he gave me the other one as well
for free just because he wanted me to try it. I go back there
whenever I'm in Bangor. The Manx always has some interesting beers
from the Ottawa area, and the servers are knowledgeable about what
they serve. A good server recognizes someone who likes good quality
local beers, and when you choose something they suggest they often
will return and not just ask how you liked the brew, but discuss it
with you, comparing opinions and tastes.
Pub food is not always good food, but a
good pub always has good food. Ottawa's Manx excels in this area.
Their food is amazing; interesting and unique. The menu is not your
usual burgers and sandwiches, it is closer to gourmet restaurant
fare. Ryan tells me that their cook/chef, has been there for years so
he must find something satisfying about working in this tiny little
spot, for his talent surely could get him a position in a big fancy
hotel or restaurant. The Manx has a continually changing menu, and it
is always interesting to find out what is featured on the “Specials”
board, but another of my favourite pubs has a menu that always seems
to remain the same. I can depend on getting a “Knotwurst &
Kraut” or a Knot Burger made from local sausage at the The Knot pub
in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. These two favourite meals are always the
same and always excellent. It takes very little to convince me to
pair one of these two specialities with a nice cold Knot Ale whenever
I'm in Lunenburg.
Although quality beer and delicious
food are essential to a perfect pub, equally important is the
atmosphere, the genuine feel of the place. I like The Old Triangle in
Halifax. Their beer isn't extra ordinary, but they pour an excellent
Guinness, and their food is “good”, but it is a pub that just
feels comfortable. I go back to the Manx in Ottawa, or the Knot in
Lunenburg because I enjoy sitting in these pubs sipping a good beer.
I just like being there; they feel good. This is something that you
just can't import from Ireland. It isn't the authentic wood counters
or special bar stools, it is just something that feels right. The
owner of the Manx obviously knows this and has left the place alone.
The display of local artists on the walls changes, but the copper
wrapped tables have always been there, the tables back in one corner
are still awkward to get to and the servers still pass your beer
through a window to those tables, the “Special board is still
leaning against one of the thick pillars, and when you try to read it
from your table, the servers will go bring it over to your table so
you can get a closer look, and I think that hole in the wall in the
corner is still there.
Now that is what makes a Perfect Pub.
Sit back in your favourite chair in your favourite pub and have
another cold one.
