Instead, we traveled to nearby Rafters. Pats fans decked in Corey Dillon jerseys filled the table next to us (and those were the girls!), Sam Adams was on tap, beer signs covered the walls and the waitresses were cute. (Sarah claims not to have noticed; coincidentally, so does our friend Dan). No matter how drunk you get, you'll notice the televisions; in fact, much like the College's fabled emergency blue lights, you can see one (or three) from anywhere in the bar.
We ought to mention the food. That we haven't yet is telling in itself. Rafters is not a place for the serious foodie (not that we claim to be serious foodies; we are merely casual ones). And that's not only because Rafters serves "bar food." Amherst Brewing Company, for instance, might appeal to chowhounds, provided they go looking for a bison or ostrich burger with a side of sweet potato fries and a deep-fried Oreo sundae to finish. Meanwhile, the menu at Rafters contains all of the "bar food" staples one can find at ABC or the Pub-and not much else.
One of the highlights of the meal came before we even ordered, when our waitress placed two bowls of freshly-popped popcorn in front of our party of five. The wings ($16.95 for 24 boned wings; $4.95 for six) that followed were nothing to write home about: the buffalo sauce was not spicy and the honey barbecue was too sweet. The chili ($3.25 for a cup; $4.25 for a bowl) wasn't spicy enough either, but with hot sauce on the table, this was not a problem. Amply-sized and served with tortilla chips, the chili was on the heartier side (more beef and beans, less broth). Andre's clam chowder ($3.50 for a cup; $4.50 for a bowl) was more clammy than potato-ey and on the lighter side with respect to the heavy cream. Alicia's beef vegetable soup ($2.95 for a cup; $3.95 for a bowl), with all of about two pieces of beef and an odd tomato-based broth, did not fare nearly as well.
Nick, in a fit of self-loathing, ordered the Oriental chicken salad ($8.95). The strips of chicken weren't blackened to death as bar salads usually are, and the honey ginger dressing was zesty and creamy, like honey mustard with an Eastern kick. He thought enough of it to take home what he didn't eat (not because he's super prissy; it was just a really big salad). The best part of Dan's chicken fajita salad ($9.95) was the crispy tostada shell, although the only thing distinguishing his from its chicken tostada cousin ($8.95) was the latter's grilled onions and peppers. Dan would have liked more salsa, he said ruefully, but found his choice satisfying nonetheless.
On to the real man food. Sarah's California burger ($7.95) was better in concept than in practice. The melted Monterey Jack cheese plus guacamole plus green onions plus sour cream made for a mess, so Sarah opted to eat the burger with just ketchup (some of which stained her sweatshirt). The burger itself was slightly overcooked, but Sarah liked the toasted bun. Andre's "Rafters six" pizza ($8.95) was festooned with six toppings: pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onion, green pepper and mushroom. It came piping hot but was not as crispy as we had hoped; it was, however, better than any bar pizza this side of Delano's.
As we watched Jay Feely choke on not one, not two but three occasions, much to the chagrin of Giants fans everywhere, we got the feeling that Rafters was the place to go to catch a Pats or Sox game (although if you're rooting for the Steelers or Yankees, you should take out). But if you don't like football or whatever sport that is in season, you'd be better off at the Hangar-or ABC, for that matter. And not just because you like bison and ostrich burgers.