Ever since we saw Anthony Bourdain visit Moonshine on his show No Reservations, we've always been meaning to go. Two of our best friends go all the time; it's down the block from one of them in Red Hook over near Wolcott St. Well we finally had the chance to go last weekend and I've already been plotting my next visit and telling anyone who would listen about how much fun we had.
Moonshine is the kind of place everyone wants at the end of their block with its casual atmosphere, inexpensive drinks, quality entertainment (Ms Pac Man, Photohunt, pool table, Buck Hunter and a juke box) and friendly service. They also have copious amounts of board games, including some of my favorites like Jenga and Connect Four (totally reminds me of the bar in Boston where I met my husband). But some of the things that differentiate this bar from others -- the bar's dog, opportunity to grill and chill your own meat in the back -- are apparently health code violations, according to The New York Times.
The bar's Web site now has the following posted in its BYOM section: "It is with great regret that we must announce the closing of the grills. The NYC Department of Health will not allow us to offer the grills to the public and therefore we have removed them from the premises. Feel free to BYOF...Bring Your Own Food."
What the NYT article so accurately points out is that some of these "violations" are just ridiculous and unavoidable. Ok, mice droppings... I get it. Fruit flies, yes gross, but who doesn't have fruit flies? I had flies in my sake at Nobu. Citations for bare-hand lime contact is just ridiculous.
A male worker observed having bare-hand contact with one slice of ready-to-eat lime while placing on top of beer bottle for patron in bar,” the citation, dated Oct. 9, states. Bare-hand contact? How else is a bartender supposed to get a ready-to-eat lime slice into a bottle of Corona for a patron? According to the health department, there are two solutions. Plastic gloves or tongs. In other words, every time a bartender in New York City puts a lime slice in that Corona with bare hands, he or she is breaking the law.
What do you think? I know I'll probably be back for more ...
Moonshine
317 Columbia St.
Red Hook Brooklyn
718.422.0563
2 comments:
Sweet Baby Jesus! What's next? Are we mackerel snappers to have our churches shut down because we share a cup? New York is truly sick unto death.
The lime charge is common, or was, certainly, in the East Village, when inspectors felt that some, ah, extra appreciation for their efforts was lacking during their visit.
It's outright harassment, and expensive for the establishment, because it means that one or more bartenders must take a Food Handling course in order to be certified in the cutting of limes. No joke.
Post a Comment