Coming In Fourth, notes form the Target

Left wanting.   Cool Inlet shorts, 3/21.

   March 21st.  First day of Spring.  All of the sudden the local weather douche-bags have jumped on the Polar Express and are claiming cool temps thru April.  Just doesn't seem fair, but life ain't always fair.  Ask the guy who came in fourth at the Olympics.  So we must must raise a toast to those people that never give up.  Those few individuals, such as ourselves, that march to a slightly different drummer...Nye...not a different drummer but our own veritable composer.  We who had the nerve to look a chilled Neptune in the eye and spat back that our day will come again.  We will return at that mystical alchemy hour to see the Surf give up it's carvable waves, rolling in like sets of lemmings. Our heads will be held high as we laugh in the light of the the setting sun watching it disappear over the Assawoman's horizon.

No shower in sight, but we got a pool!

       
                   This past Thursday, no real waves.  Heavy flurries earlier in the day.  Cold winds along the coast.  The inlet was pretty much still asnooze in it's winter bed.  A classic OC surf spot, the inlet has a lot of potential for scoring some serious stoke when the time comes.  Upon scouting, the Oceanic Motel would provide a pool once their season began, but showers were not found on location.  Doesn't mean they aren't there just more in- depth effort needed.
   We marched north along Baltimore Avenue, made a right on 8th and another right onto Coastal.  Pickles Pub.  Deja Vue.  Been here. Done it. Each of the last two times left us wanting.  A lot of potential, but one major concern, we prefer our wings cooked.  This evening was the final reckoning.  An official rating for all to see.  Tonight's experience started off with a serious concern.  Two bartenders.   A bar half empty.  And we still waited.  Not that we expect the royal treatment but it was close to ten minutes.  We had enough time to check the NCAA tournament scores. Com'on Man!  Her cords and smile didn't help.  Beer selection helped. More than ample - 25 on tap. Cold liquid gold is always appreciated, however at this point the 2nd faux pas took place.  My next beer choice (and I did change beers) was served in the original glass...unwashed...not even rinsed... Com'on Man! The ratings began dropping like the temps outside. At some point in the middle of all this, and I must admit the resulting fluster left me at a loss as to exactly when, but somewhere in between beer pours (same F-ing glass. Seriously! Yes, I'm still aghast!) we ordered our wings.
   Wing choices: Buffalo, BBQ, Baltimore (Old Bay), and Sriracha (a sweet-hot Thai Chili).  We got bold here.  Sriracha is a known hottie...we chose 'em, and BBQ.  They arrived cooked...through and through.  Nice.  Breaded before sauced.  Not so nice.  Like a thief in night (or kitchen) the breading stole from the taste; the meat not being able to absorb the flavors of the sauces.  BBQ merely average.  The Sriracha...a welcome back-end heat. Background music made the experience much more tolerable with a decent mix of classic and modern pop/rock.  The crowd was in the similar. Classic and modern.  Prices hmmmmm... on the high side.  Twenty-one bucks for the wings alone.  Need we say it again?  Off-Season!  Come-On Man!  Gotta believe the younger of the working patrons calling Pickles home spend a chunk of their paychecks here.  But we digress- and move on.

THE RATINGS-

Sriracha Chili Wings: B- (out with the breading!)

BBQ Wings: C

Beer: B- (new glass dude!)

Atmosphere: C (all about service)

Overall Score = 2.38