Belly up to the bar

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

Nancy heard through the grapevine about a place that had excellent pizza. As it turned out, we’ve all passed by this establishment at one time or another. As you drive east on Route 20, in the middle of nowhere there’s a curve in the road. As you round the bend you will see a crooked post with a sign on it for the Outpost Tavern and Grill in Pingree Grove.

Honestly, the outside of this tavern was not very inviting. It resembled a place that could have been featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diner’s, Drive-Ins, and Dives” TV show. We parked Jim’s Mercedes amongst the pick-up trucks, looked at each other, mustarded up our courage, and sauntered in.

The inside is exactly what you would expect at a local tavern and grill. There were no regular tables, only high-top tables, a bar, and a gaming area. We were awkwardly standing by the door waiting to be seated, after all, we didn’t have reservations. The congenial barmaid told us to sit anywhere we want.

We chose a high-top table and Nancy made a feeble attempt to climb up on the chair. This proved to be futile because she kept on sliding off. She looked at me and said, “let’s belly up to the bar.”

While chatting with the barmaid and trying to decide on an appetizer, we asked about the Deep Fried Pickles ($5). She informed us that they were actually homemade pickles grown behind the bar. This piqued our interest and we had to try them. These were delicious little slices that were served hot and tangy with a side of ranch dressing.

Jim had to try one of their 12” pizzas ($12) to see what all the hub-bub was about. He added sausage ($2.25 upcharge) and onions ($2.25 upcharge) for a total of $16.50. Unfortunately, for Jim’s taste, the pizza did not measure up to all the hype. The toppings were tasty, but the crust was very bland, like a saltine cracker without the salt.

Nancy ordered an “old school” favorite; a Pizza Burger ($9). This was a hamburger patty with marinara sauce and mozzarella. It came with the usual cup of coleslaw. She fell in love with it today, since she hasn’t had one of these in a very long time, and it was awesome.

Please forgive us for being pompous in the beginning of this article. Everyone inside the tavern was very friendly, we felt at home, and had great conversations with everyone at the bar.

FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible, but the high-top tables could be a problem, ask Nancy…

The price for our “Outpost” excursion was $36.50. Seeing Nancy sliding off a high-top chair, priceless.

Dining Duo Tip: Saturday is half price pizza day, and Sunday is $1.50 Taco Night. This is only for dine in, so plan to stay awhile.

Jim’s take: The pickles were homemade deliciousness, but the pizza crust was a disappointment. I tasted Nancy’s pizza burger and it was delicious.

Nancy’s take: The char and seasoning on my pizza burger made it taste exactly like the ones I remember from the good old days. I tried Jim’s pizza, and I hate to say it, but the crust was tasteless.

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at: thediningduo@gmail.com

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