Many of my faithful TexaCali Wine Trail readers in Dallas were also my faithful "Barley House" friends on Henderson St. post-college days. Many fun memories created over cold beers and song at the Barley House. Elvis Costello on the jukebox blaring "Alison...my aim is true" over and over (yeah the later it got the more quarters were thrown in). Many local bands played in the corner, caught a few early Old 97's shows too.
I'll never forget the time I totally bit-it, I mean a complete 5'9" fall on my face due to my fancy new high-heels walking in one night. However, I gracefully stood up and pretended it was my very best SNL skit impression and laughed it off all night long! Most nights I spent hours discussing boyfriends with the girls, played a few hundred rounds of pool, but I'll never forget the time I picked up my cell phone (seems so long ago) around 2002 to hear that my brother was detained at the American Airlines Center on opening night for "breaking into a private suite". In his defense "it was so crowded trying to get out, we all just ducked into a suite to check it out". Yeah opening bottles of booze and logging onto a flat screen TV/Computer in someone's private suite didn't cut it. Nice one little brother - I was mortified. Anyways...
So now the Barley House has moved to a location closer to SMU and "The Porch" now sits on this sacred spot on Henderson St, just a few steps away from Central Expressway. A smile comes across my face every single time I walk into The Porch for lunch or dinner. Its wine list has always been a friend to me, always listing a few TexaCali wines. A few years ago Milla Handley and I stood behind the bar one afternoon for a little server training...her advice of "my Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is more like a long-term relationship than a one-night stand" went over very well that day!
This week I got the exciting news from Avante Beverages that my very favorite California Cabernet is now being poured by-the-glass at The Porch. The 2006 Pellegrini Cloverdale Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon from their Estate Vineyards in Alexander Valley will rock the menu at The Porch all summer long. A perfect friend to their delicious chopped brisket sliders! Sing it Mr. Costello! Cheers to The old Barley House and The Porch! - Ali
2 comments:
I will order this all summer for you ALI! Love the porch and love what you do to make sure we drink the good stuff in Dallas, hope to see you before the month ends. - DM
Ali - we ordered Cloverdale Cab last Friday night and the wine person (a lady) said they weren't carrying it anymore? WTF? Hope you can get it sorted out, we eat at The Porch almost weekly and love drinking your wines too. Call us! Brad
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