205. New Orleans Café Lager

Smoothness 4
Cost 4
Piss Factor 3
Aftertaste 2
Coolness 4

It was Saturday night and we were going to dine at a great Indian restaurant on Pacific Highway called Last Train to Bombay. However, we hadn’t made a reservation and when we arrived it was packed and there were no tables left. The waiter in his well ironed black slacks, maroon waistcoat and pristine white shirt said they could make a table for us but it would be about 40 minutes so we agreed and left the restaurant looking for something to do to kill the time.

About 100 metres up the road was the New Orleans Café which we’d walked passed many times but never been in. It was really busy with full tables inside and out in their courtyard and there was a jazz band playing in the corner so as Green Onion drifted through the voices of the customers we sat down at the last available table.

The drinks menu was a bit barren but they had their own lager so I thought it would be rude not to try it and I was pleasantly surprised. It went down as easily as all cold beers in hot countries do but with surprisingly little aftertaste for a “local brew” but at $7 per bottle it would unlikely be my choice of drink for a whole evening’s boozing. However, extreme kudos to the Café for having their own beer – but for all I know there is some dude in the back shop sticking labels on Heiniken bottles.