unofficial 43

Check it out, a blog post.


This is not an official movers post. No other movers were present. But it has to do with food and restaurants so I am posting it anyway.



I should start from the beginning. The accountant from our company came up to the office this afternoon and offered to take us all out for drinks. Unable to pass on company-sponsored debauchery, I accepted. Only two others from the office joined the accountant and myself at the fine establishment of the Rusty Hammer. After about 3 jack and cranberry’s one of my coworkers excused themselves. Three left. Two more Jack and cran’s and I had to slow down so I switched to Guinness. After that my other coworker said she had to leave and the visiting accountant asked if I would like to get a bite to eat. He said he would like to get a good steak. So, running through the possible places to get a good steak in Portsmouth,(muddy river, molly Malone’s, random bar) I asked if he had ever been to 43 Degrees North. He asked if they had good steak and I said they have good everything. True, I am a little biased toward 43, but I have always liked it there. Moxie has gone and not enjoyed it as much as myself. The accountant said it sounded good and suddenly my coworker no longer had to leave.

This suggestion may seem out of the blue but I have suggested it to different suits from the corporate headquarters before, and they really enjoyed it so when they come back they like to go back. Works for me. On a side note I was recently sent to the Chicago office where we went out to dinner at the “best Italian food in Chicago.” It was crap. I was with the CEO and he ordered the wine. He asked what I would like and I asked for Chianti. Being at an Italian restaurant I thought it might be a safe bet. Unfortunately he ordered a bottle of Da Vinci Chianti. Not that the wine was particularly bad, it was not complex, but I have such an aversion to Dan Brown at this point that even the name Da Vinci makes me dislike it. The next day they ordered authentic deep-dish pizza for lunch. Crap again. I’ll take Savarios any day.

Any way, back to 43. The three of us made the long journey from the rusty hammer to 43 without incident. The manager who I have talked to on multiple occasions seated us. While the accountant and my coworker were hanging up their coats the manager said that he had a new cordial that he had just made. He said it was not on the menu yet but he would go and get me one. I was joined by my compatriots and the waitress came over and asked us if we would like to order drinks or if the manager had already taken our orders. They said they were fine and I said that the manager was getting me a drink. They waitress replied with what I can only describe as a “well La-Ti-Da.” The attitude is so out of place it is great. About this time my coworker asked if the music playing was what she thought it was. Yes it was. We are sitting at one of the fanciest restaurants in Portsmouth, about to order some great food, surrounded by yuppies and suits, and we are listening to Johnny Cash sing Cocaine Blues. This restaurant seems to be designed around what my subconscious thinks the ideal restaurant should be.

The Food. Since with the company accountant we decided to pass on the apps and salads and go strait for the main course. A bottle of wine was ordered and it was good. It was a Cab from CA, nothing overly special, but decent. I was more interested in the drink I was brought. The manager had made an Earl Grey tea cordial and mixed it with chia spice, sweetened condensed milk, and vodka. It was delicious. It was like a weird cross between a chai latte and Thai iced tea. It was really delicious.

My coworker ordered the salmon and the accountant ordered the steak, so not wanting to duplicate I ordered the pork. What I got was amazing. It was almost what I would describe as chicken-fried pork but fancy. It was served with wild boar sausage gravy on top. One side dish was an apple cored, sliced across multiple times, stuffed with what I can only describe as a cheesy and starchy filling, and baked. It was incredible. Under the pork was what seemed to be homemade sauerkraut, with a little fruit mixed in. I have eaten a lot, but this is defiantly one of the best, even for 43 this food was above par. I can say that this entrée will be one that I will use as a comparison for a while.


Just moved,
Mycroft