For what seemed like centuries I drove by an establishment that, evening or afternoon, had happy, warm faces aglow with libations and laughter at a nameless locale in the NULU district of East Market. Today, I refer to this chic restaurant as Social 732, even though it’s really 732 Social, and frequent it about once a week on Wednesday evenings. This hopping wine bar-looking establishment sits in the green building adjacent to the Beer Store, Toast on Market, and the Mayan Café. Wooden interiors, tables, and chairs all made from the local recycled wood fill out the interior with a cement floor and indirect lighting. There is a full menu of local organic food (pricey!), cocktails (pricey at 9 dollars a pop), and wines and beers (still pricey, starting at 6 dollars). The bartenders are world-renowned, according to chef Jayson Lewellyn, who purchased drinks for me and my underage friend (hehe!) after witnessing my indecisiveness. He disclosed this wealth of information about the place – and then, typical for me, we proceeded to have a miniature argument about whether and how much one should advertise the fact that all the materials in the building and that go towards producing the food is local and organic. His point was that customers should just come to expect that as the new standard, I said that he is missing out on a large portion of his target market, which is most definitely literate, by not making this explicit more places, such as the menu.
The bartenders, who are very nice and urban-scruffy looking are either gay or very flirty (I think Kyle is the flirty one), make their own bitters and drinks that I generally conclude are too strong to be sensational (I wouldn’t know, though… I should just order an amaretto sour or gin and tonic). The drink that Jayson bought me is known as being the hardest of them all called the dirk funk featuring Johnny Drum 101, Carpono Antica Formula, Grand Marnier, Herbsaint, Angostura Bitters. I don’t know what all that means, but the upshot is that you’ll be toasted after a few sips (It’s basically 10 drinks in one and too strong to even sniff). I decided a third of the way through my drink, which none of my friends could handle, to chug it down – which led to one gooooood evening!
I have been back many times to sample the wine and beer selection and would recommend the three philosophers beer, the cheap Riesling (I got my friends hooked on that!), the cheese tray with the local honey, tomme cheese, American-something cheese, and bleu goat (killer!!!). I have sampled their cake dessert and rock shrimp mac-n-cheese, but disliked them both. The cake lacks in flavor and tastes old and the rock shrimp tastes like the grizzly pieces of a chicken tossed into a mac sauce that is too creamy.
The waitstaff at Social 732 are interesting. So there is Urith, a friend who always waits on us on Wednesday nights and makes change for fifties even when I forget that I ever gave her a fifty in the first place. Then there is an individual who always wears dresses, never smiles, and whose face muscles move like federer’s rocket arms in a tennis match as she eats a salad at work. The only time I saw her smile was when she opened the door for me to the bathroom and brushed my leg awkwardly on the way in. Weirdo! Then there are several friendly hostesses who seem to smile for relatively no reason when I enter the establishment. (I secretly wonder if they talk about me behind my back.) Always gossip-worthy!
Sitting outside at Social 732, embraced by a warm Louisville night breeze is how I spent many an evening this summer. Like La Roux’s Bulletproof, this was the go-to restaurant of the summer. However pricey it is, the atmosphere makes it worth it - there are always giddy side tables to talk with. However, if you want to pay half for your brews, split a bottle at the beer store!
No comments:
Post a Comment