1. 19 October 2010 · 05:20 PM · 1 note

    Cafe Amsterdam - Anchorage AK

    I don’t normally focus on locations, restaurants, or bars.  Do not misunderstand me, I do enjoy a few choice bars, but I am not your average bar hopper or into the club scene.  I enjoy more of the slower paced, relaxed scenes.  I’m not into shots, bombs, or really any hard liquor besides some really good bourbon.  I am one of those people, who truly enjoy beer.  So when my friend Rob mentioned a place called Cafe Amsterdam, as something he thought I would really enjoy, I was nervous about the typical, overwhelming and crowded bar scene.  

    However when Rob mentioned that the beer list at this supposed cafe was longer than their menu, I was highly intrigued.  My mother agreed with Rob, and raved about how much she thinks I would like it.  So my partner and I, accompanied by my Rob and my Mother, took a visit to Cafe Amsterdam.

    Like almost everything in Anchorage, Cafe Amsterdam was located in a small strip mall near Northern Lights district.  The doors open up into a make shift garden patio complete with plants and umbrellas, right next to the bar, complete with a rotating tap and plenty of them.  

    We all sat down in the quaint patio and opened up a menu to see a very sort menu of food with something for everyone.  Not to many choices as far as food went, but the beer menu was great.  Three pages long, categorized by origin.  I chose a simple grilled cheese sandwich and a Zatec Bright Lager.  While the food and beer were great, the best part of Cafe Amsterdam was their staff.

    I looked around the walls to see a pleura of photographs and beer related literature, including a photo of our server with the famed Michael Jackson (No, not the pop star, the beer writer).  Our server was a robust man, with a curled gray mustache, with a very robust knowledge of beer to boot.  As a matter of fact everyone there seemed to know a lot about beer.  Rob made a point of informing our wait staff about my homebrewing experience and knowledge of beer, which struck up some good conversation.  The server was a professional brewer who retired to live in the lovely state of Alaska, but once a beer person, always a beer person, and he was drawn to what he loves.  

    While the look of the place, and some of the patrons reminded me of the older and sophisticated feel of Sergio’s back home, the overall atmosphere of the experience and conversation reminded me of much more of the Louisville Beer Store.  Cafe Amsterdam even had some of events set up, such as beer tasting 101 and and beer dinners, and continue to have updated events, beer blogs, and of course, good beer and good conversation.

    1. poorkidgoodbeer posted this