Tap42 – A Beer Enthusiast’s Haven in Fort Lauderdale

Tap42 is a gastropub located just south of Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a great place to check out if you’re looking for interesting domestic and international craft beers, and awesome food to accompany them. They set themselves apart from other pubs in the area by their IMMENSE variety of crafts beers on tap.

The taps behind the bar

I found out about this restaurant on twitter when they started following me. The instant I checked out their website I knew I had to give it a try. Listed under ‘Tap Beers’ on their website are two Belgian favs of mine: Lindemans Framboise Lambic (a fruity beer, raspberry sour flavor) and Hoegaarden (a cloudy wheat citrus flavored beer).

Lindemans Framboise Lambic (Raspberry flavored beer)

Their menu is definitely not the typical bar food menu. I’ve never seen ‘Mussels” on a menu at a Gastropub. The menu features international classics, like “Mussels and Fries” and “Guiness Fish & Chips”, as well as their own classic dishes like “Florida Rock Shrimp Mac n Cheese” and “Three Little Piggy” Burger.

Mussels & Fries – Maine Mussels, Shallots, Garlic, Fine Herbs, White Wine, Crème Fraiche

Florida Rock Shrimp Mac and Cheese: Trotolle Pasta, Irish White Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Crimini Mushrooms, Tomato, Mad Herbs, Bread Crumbs

“Three” Little Piggy: Pork and Beef Blend, Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork, Country Ham, Bourbon BBQ, Whole Grain Mustard, Bibb lettuce, Pickled jalapeno, Provolone, Brioche Bun

At first I thought their menu was a bit over-priced (average $11 for appetizers and $12-$24 for entrees) but when I got my food, I realized the quality is high and portions are quite generous and justify the prices.

As for the draft beers and cidars, they are listed on a chalkboard above the bar, with the consecutive tap numbers, alcohol content and price per glass. A craft beer runs you about $8-$10 a glass, whereas the bottled beers are about $5. I’m a beer enthusiast but, $10 for a glass of beer is a lil on the high side for me, especially when some of the beers can be found in the supermarket at that price for a 6-pack. For the international beers that you can’t normally find at other bars or in the supermarket, I can justify the price.

Tap42 has great happy hour and daily specials: Wednesday is Ladies Nights 7pm-9pm – Ladies drink free, WOOT! Daily Happy Hour special: half off anything you can drink from 4pm to 7pm as well Sunday Brunch specials.

If you’re a beer fan, Tap42 is a must to check out. Even if you’re not a fan of beer, it’s worth a try. The bartenders are very educated on the beers and will be able to recommend something for you to try. They also have an extensive choice of bourbons and cocktails for you to choose from.

Have you ever been to Tap42? What did you order?

LOLing at the Orlando Improv

Over Memorial weekend, my boyfriend, 2 friends and I went on a double date to the Orlando Improv. We got complimentary tickets to see John Heffron perform.

We weren’t allowed to take pics during the show so, this is the best I could do. [The Flyer]

The Orlando Improv Comedy Club is located on International Drive in the Pointe Orlando  plaza.

I had never been to a comedy show so I was anxious to see if it would be like the standups I often watch on Comedy Central. I had never heard of John Heffron either so I really hoped that I’d enjoy his performance – I don’t like corny, predictable humor.

We arrived at about 10:15, picked up our tickets and joined the line to be seated.

The theater room was smaller than I expected it to be, but they manage to fit A LOT of people. Square tables for four are set up in rows in the semi-circular room. The room has elevated platforms, so even if you were seated in the last row, you still had a decent view. We were seated on the 2nd platform, about the 3rd row from the back.

Before we could take a close look at the menu, the lights dimmed and the host for the evening was on the stage. I had to depend on the backlight from my cellphone to read the menu. The menu is a bit limited so it didn’t take me too long to choose what I wanted (a first!)

The host cracked a few jokes and then introduced John’s opening act. This guy was funny, but we got the feeling he was high. And then onto the main act: John Heffron.

The moment he got on the stage, he went right into cracking the audience up. He was hilarious, original and natural. His jokes all flowed. When he veered off on several tangents, he’d always pull himself back to his original story. I nearly choked on my food several times because I was laughing so hard. Even days after the performance I was still laughing at jokes he told us.

It was a fun datenight. I’ll definitely go back to another comedy show. There are a few things I’d do differently though, like eat and drink before the show – there are several restaurants in the Pointe Orlando plaza as well as on I-Drive to dine at before the show. The menu at the comedy club is limited and over priced so I suggest looking into other dining options before getting to the show. Plus, it’s not cute when your mouth is full while you’re laughing out loud, and food gets everywhere or you choke [speaking from experience here]. Also, I’d aim to get there earlier next time, like at 9:45-10 (arrive at least 30-45 min before showtime). They seat you according to when you get there so: early = front rows, late = back rows – duh! We didn’t get bad seats this time around, but the front rows on the platform closest to the stage looked better laid out with more room in between the tables.

You can check out the upcoming performances at the Orlando Improv on their website. The websites for International Drive & Pointe Orlando are good to look at too.

Have you ever been to the Orlando Improv? Who did you see? Were they funny?