July 30, 2019
*****A Little Slice Of Life In Northport
While checking me in to the cabin last night, the owner gave me a little information about the town and, more specifically about places to eat.
"There aren't a whole lot of choices, but I'd recommend Kuk's Tavern for dinner tonight. It's Taco Tuesday there."
"That sounds good," I said, "I like tacos."
"Well, the tacos aren't all that great, but you'll get a real good picture of the local color."
"That sounds like the place for me!" (That was especially true when I thought it was named "Kook's Tavern." Turns out, it's pronounced "Kook's" but it's spelled "Kuk's.")
I walked about four blocks through the mostly dead business district. There was almost no traffic on the streets and no cars parked in front of the other three eating establishments. That's why I was shocked to turn the corner and see about 100 cars and pickup trucks parked at a run down wooden building. That run down wooden building was Kuk's Tavern. If the population of Northport is really only 298, I'd say at least two-thirds of the citizenry was eating tacos and drinking alcoholic beverages there.
Kuk's claims to be the oldest continuously operating bar in the state of Washington. I don't know if that's true or not, but I do know it is from a different era. It's the kind of place where male customers still call the female servers "darlin'" and the servers don't seem to mind. It's the kind of place that posts pictures of women in swimsuits all over the ceiling. It's the kind of place that continues to serve booze to obviously drunk old men. It's the kind of place that still sells T-shirts that say "Wipe Your Ass With a Spotted Owl." It's the kind of place where nobody drinks beer that isn't the color and flavor of a Budweiser product. A baseball game was on the TV above the bar, but nobody was watching it. Men with long beards were out on the deck smoking cigarettes and complaining. I don't know what they were complaining about, but they were doing so with wild gestures. I'm pretty sure I didn't see anybody under the age of 50 all night.
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2 years ago
2 years ago
I found about the last seat in the house and bellied up to the bar. When the bartender asked "What can I getcha," I resisted asking about their craft beer selection and ordered a simple Jack & Coke and two tacos. I just wanted to fit in. I am, after all, over 50 years old.
She mixed my drink immediately, asked me my name, and wrote my name and my order down--by hand--at the bottom of a long list in a regular notebook. None of that fancy computer stuff here. The staff consisted of four hard working women trying to keep up with the demand. I knew I was in for a pretty long wait for just a couple of corn shells slopped with meat from a crockpot and a little cheese, lettuce and tomato. I sat back and soaked in the atmosphere.
The place was loud, but not loud with music blasting from speakers. It was loud from people conversing at tables. Next to me at the bar was a 50-year old guy obviously trying to pick up a 50-year old gal next to him. She seemed pleased with his advances and I think they were both going to score. Nobody paid any attention to me except for the bartender. I have never felt so much like the proverbial fly on the wall. I liked it that way.
I had two more drinks before the tacos arrived. The cabin owner was right--the tacos weren't very good.
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Thanks for not posting a picture.
Cheers,
Keith
5 years ago