Rye, Steak, Bacon, Donuts and Bruce...

Last Friday night, I went out with my sister and a friend of ours to take part of the 11th Annual SF Sketchfest. It's a festival featuring some of your favorite comedy stars - sad that I missed Law & Order's (and Oz) Chris Meloni on Saturday. I didn't realize he was a theater geek that loved performing sketch pieces! So before that here's some cocktail porn:

Restaurant - 5A5 Steak Lounge, a steak restaurant that seems to have an Asian fusion type of theme.

L to R:
My sister's Punkin Pie - all I can remember is that it had Grey Goose Vodka and it tasted like it had pumkin puree and pie spices...it was truly delicious.
My Bulleit and Bacon - Bulleit Rye whiskey, antica formula and maple syrup
served straight up with a salted rim and candied bacon garnish

As you know, I love whiskey, rye and scotch. I love bacon so this is a winning combination in my eyes. This also seemed to be the steakhouse's answer to the Manhattan cocktail (one of my classic bar treats). However, I was disappointed. This cocktail was very one note - all I tasted was the rye. No, not a deal breaker in my book - if I was ordering a SHOT! This is supposed to be a cocktail - I should taste a combination of all the ingredients. And what is Antica Formula, you ask?

Antica Formula is an Italian sweet vermouth with notes of vanilla, orange peel and dried fruits. This sounds lovely but I didn't taste any of these notes either. I did enjoy the candied bacon garnish - slight maple flavor. The salt was also unnecessary. The high price tag - $14 doesn't make it any better.

So to make myself feel better I will share pictures of my delicious dinner that made up for my disappointing drink:

Hamachi Shooters (yellow tail fish, avocado, ginger, yuzu tobiko, ponzu)

Boneless Rib eye with shiitake mushrooms

marble potatoes - fingerling and purple potatoes, cheddar, sour cream, bacon bits

Pistachio cake (really tasted like marizpan)

And as the title implies - donut and beer at the Eureka Theater, SF:

My sister, Tatiana holds up the donut I made her share with me - cake donut with fluff (marshmallow spread), crushed graham crackers and caramel drizzle on top. It tasted almost like a S'more and no my pale ale beer did not go well with it. But I am not a rude girl, I finished my beer. Also, I'm not about to waste a $5 bottle of beer! Donuts at the theater provided by Psycho Donuts, San Jose.

And of course:
Bruce McCullough

(from spikednation.com)

If you are into super obscure sketch comedy from Canada - then you know Bruce from the show The Kids in the Hall. In the picture, Bruce is playing one of my favorite characters, Gavin. Bruce read from a work in progress, Pink Dot Stories. Part essay, part poetry, party musical but 100% obscure - you really have to be a Kids fan to get this kind of humor. I was able to keep up but even some of his material went over my head and I was really paying attention, too! I forgot to mention the opening sketch act for Bruce was a duo appropriately named, "Knuckles and Tits" - no I am not making that up. They were funny but I just wished that most of their skits were not dating themed. 


Despite the rain storm that plowed through the Bay Area last weekend, I managed to enjoy good eats and have lots of laughs! If I do see a cocktail that features whiskey and bacon, I should probably walk away from it. I'll keep reminding myself that bacon is for eating and not drinking.


I just wished the people that created bacon lube would share that thought as well.


Again, I am not making that up!