Friday, January 22, 2010

Congratulations to Sam’s Food & Spirits on the Big 2-5.

Sam’s Food & Spirits turns 25 tomorrow, and Sam Anderson scored good press with the Tribune's Chris Morris, and via Dale Moss in today's C-J.

The place in New Albany again is ostensibly his – more his, anyway -- after about a decade with partners who also operate the area’s Bristol restaurants. It feels right, all right, to Anderson at age 50 to resume the challenge he accepted at 25. He embraced the risk, as he puts it, and comes back for another squeeze.
My circle at the time was a regular fixture at Sam's Tavern, and it seemed that long before the advent of Whole Foods, on some weeks my Whole Paycheck was going to him. Not at any point did I ever imagine that 25 years later, I'd be alive, in the food and drink business and selling my own company's products (NABC Elector) to Sam.

So it goes, and as we know, life's what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. Here's to Sam and his cast and crew over the years, and here's the menu tomorrow. Ironically, two of the three beers with "retro" pricing didn't exist in 1985, but then again, Michelob Dark no longer is with us, either. We drank an awfully lot of it then, usually watching IU basketball games. Damn. Where'd the time go?

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In recognition of Sam’s Food & Spirits Twenty-fifth Anniversary, you are invited to celebrate with us as we roll back our favorite menu item prices to 1985. It is because of your patronage, that we have enjoyed success over the past 25 years. Please enjoy your meal as it was priced in our first year of business, 1985. Thank you for the pleasure of serving you.

Sam Anderson

1985-2010
Menu Available January 23rd Only
Dining Room Only – No Carry-Out Orders
Platters Include — Choice of French Fries, House Fries or Onion Rings

APPETIZERS
Broccoli Cheese Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.95
Fried Mozzarella.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.95
Potato Skins. . . . . . . . . . .. . . Loaded 3.95
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chili Skins 4.95
Fried Vegetable Combo
Includes Mushrooms, Cauliflower
and Zucchini – enough to share.. . . 3.95
Rolled Oysters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.95
Sam’s Salad
Includes Salad, Ham, Turkey, Cheese,
Bacon and Diced Eggs.. . . . . . . . . . . 3.95

FRESH HAMBURGERS
Fresh ground beef brought in daily, pattied in our own kitchen, Charbroiled to order.
Choice of French Fries, House Fries or Onion Rings.
Includes choice of two sides.
Hamburger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Platter 2.95
Each Additional Topping . . . . . . . . .0.25
Cheddar Cheese, American Cheese, Swiss Cheese, Bacon, Sauteed Onions, Sauteed Mushrooms

SANDWICHES
White Fish Sandwich
Broiled or Fried .. . . . . . . . . . . . . Platter 2.95
Fresh Boneless Chicken Breast
Charbroiled or Fried . . . . . . . . .. Platter 2.95
Club Sandwich .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Platter 2.95

DINNERS
White Fish Dinner Broiled, Blackened or Fried. 6.95
Butterfly Shrimp Broiled, Blackened or Fried ..6.95
Chicken Fingers Breaded and Fried .. . . . . . . 6.95
8-oz. Ribeye Broiled to Order.. . . . . . . . . . . 8.95

All Kids’ Meals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.99

Beverages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

10-ounce draft Shock Top, Amberbock, Bud Light 0.85

Trivia for prizes all day. Music by Tim Morrow, 9-midnight.

20 comments:

Meatbe said...

Cheers to Sam's! It is a local treasure that has withstood the test of time.

Does anyone else remember the Hofbrauhaus, that was in that location prior to Sam's? My friends and I used to enjoy draft Beck's Dark there, served in giant mugs. Those were the days.

The New Albanian said...

It's easy to remember Fourth Dam Tavern, slightly less to recall Hofbrauhaus, and almost impossible to come up with the name of the place that was there very briefly just before Sam took over.

Do you? I do.

Iamhoosier said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Iamhoosier said...

I remember the Hofbrauhaus. A German restaurant on this side of the river would be a nice addition.

The New Albanian said...

Okay: First person to guess gets a beer on me.

Cassidy will be at the library looking through old Tribunes.

Meatbe said...

Wow, that is a tough one. For some reason I have a mental image of Wile E. Coyote, but I'm not sure if that's associated with the place that was there so briefly or not....I'm going to keep thinking about it. I want to win that beer!

Iamhoosier said...

Looking through old Leo's.

Amy said...

Tumbleweed

You said it just had to be a guess!

Iamhoosier said...

Stab in the dark. The Grapevine?

The New Albanian said...

Yeah, whatever, I was in a hurry, Amy. My blog, my rules. A beer goes to the first to guess correctly.

It wasn't there very long, just a few months. They kept the Beck's Dark and some of the German menu for a bit, then both disappeared as the place sank slowly out of sight.

The cool thing about the Hofbrauhaus was the stucco and Bavarianstyle murals, painted by the late Mr. DeLisle.

The New Albanian said...

No, not the Grapevine or Tumbleweed.

But: Who remembers what tavern preceded the Tumbleweed (since burned, now Lauren's Corner) at the corner of Charlestown Rd and Slate Run?

No beer for this one. It's too easy.

Iamhoosier said...

I'm not a frequenter of taverns so I have to drop out.

I do remember that there was a waitress at the H-house who had a "Bavarian" accent. She went from there to Neil and Patty's. Was there a long time. Good waitress. Can't remember her name.

Amy said...

Blackiston Mill Pub and Resturant

Meatbe said...

I checked with my go-to guy, Larry Ragland, and he can't remember it either. I'll guess Wile E. Coyote's Grill & Pub.

The New Albanian said...

No sense in dragging this out. It's very difficult.

Answer: Ye Olde Mill Inn.

Like I said, short-lived.

Before Tumbleweed, it was the Lone Star.

John Gonder said...

Before all of that it was Kamer's Tavern.

The entrance was literally on Blackiston Mill Road. If you weren't familiar with the path, you could easily step out of the bar into oncoming traffic. No recollection of any fatalities.

Unless I missed some major work while I was away at school, I believe part of that structure has been built around, and is still there under some drywall or paneling.

And Blackiston Mill Road has been shifted slightly toward town, making the exit from the bar appear to be a lesser challenge.

edward parish said...

Roadrunners

Meatbe said...

Was it, in fact, Roadrunner's for a brief time? I almost guessed that myself. That would explain my Wile E. Coyote fixation. But then again, maybe I just had some bad mushrooms or something.

The New Albanian said...

I don't think so. Ed, are you making a funny, or is my alcohol-related dementia standing in the way of recollection?

edward parish said...

No I thought it WAS something close to that.