In this feature, a friend and I chat up a visit to a local establishment and/or event – something we hope to be less formal and uptight than your standard review.
This entry features a conversation with local homegirl Louise Rocco and the subject of our conversation: Bar Louie, a better-than-average, upscale-ish corporate-owned restaurant on Bay Street in International Plaza, Tampa.
Julie: Tell me what you think about the place as far as food quality vs. ambiance goes.
Louise: I thought the food was not bad, usual fare for a place like that.
Julie: What do you mean by a place like that? I know what I’d mean, but you go first.
Louise: You know a place that is trendy and hip but in an ordinary way.
Julie: I call it faux upscale or yupscale. It’s a chain restaurant. It has a market-research approach, not a personalized one, which by default makes it more common that what it presents itself to be ... but on the other hand the food is good.
Louise: That's a good way to describe it; in a cool place, there are people you know and perhaps you are friendly with the servers or bartenders. But there it didn't really matter and the bartenders were hired to be pretty faces.
Julie: Yes, a truly refined establishment has a personalized approach and feel. ... What did you think of the crowd during our visit? I thought it looked like a casting call for some young adult drama on the WB.
Louise: It did. When it's not a holiday weekend I know some people from T Rowe Price stop over there because it's close to their work but that night the people who came and made it their destination since nothing else was open.
Julie: Well, the decor is lovely, oaken, cigar-bar old-timey comfort with an elegant zazz to it.
Louise: Yeah, it's not bad the décor, but I have seen it before. It does have a big beer selection.
Julie: I think that familiarity is a selling point to them. Yes, and the cocktails are well prepared — could be a little stronger for the price.
Louise: I thought my drink was good the last time. I liked the white cranberry juice (with vodka).
Julie: Nice touch, yes.
Julie: As singles, we were discouraged at our flirting capabilities, weren't we? At least I was.
Louise: I didn't see any real potential there myself.
Julie: The guys were attractive but too put together and former-frat for my speed.
Louise: I would have to second that which is why I didn't see any potential
Julie: Figures the one time the men-to-women ratio in Tampa was actually favorable.
Louise: I was there just to have a drink since our attempt to go to the mall was thwarted.
Julie: Yes. ... I loved my tuna and the bruschetta was good. Had burgers there in the past and they’ve been known to do a discount night that's hectic but worth the hassle. But let me say the female bartenders. Is it me or are chick bartenders rude to other chicks at yuppie establishments?
Julie: (crickets chirping)
Louise: Not really sure about that.
Julie: You're less stereotypy than me. You may need to hone that to survive in the wild.
Louise: I try not to typecast people or just boil them down to a stereotype
Julie: Me too, except when I'm impatient.
Louise: But there was tension between the two (female bartenders). ... I don't really know. I wasn't really paying attention to them but there was that one exchange wasn't there. Not sure what it is all about.
Julie: Ooh.
Louise: Ha!
Louise: No real flavor there, nothing there that you can't find anywhere else; meaning there is no live music or anything to draw people there.
Julie: A bar like that needs some suggestive factor.
Louise: Something to spice it up; very milquetoast; like the Michael Bublé of bars. Nice presentation but no substance
Julie: The Celine Dion of restaurants?
Louise: Pick your metaphor
Julie: I like yours better. It trumps mine with alliteration.
Louise: Alliteration is a good thing
Julie: Like Bar Bowie. That has alliteration.
Louise: Yes but Bowie is suggestive and Bar Louie is not.
Julie: And there you go!
