I have mixed feelings about bars and restaurants where the drinks can be unequivocally categorized as strong. The drinks at Navy Strength (sister bar to No Anchor) definitely fall into that category. While I certainly appreciate getting a great value, Four glasses of champagne? No problem. Calm, cool collected. Three Navy Strength cocktails and you’ll likely find me under the table. It’s taken me a couple of visits to figure out my rhythm here, but after a few visits, I think I finally have it down. Two drinks max and I have my favorite.
If you’re lucky, your cocktail will come on fire. I’m not exactly sure what goes into this tiny pyrotechnics display (I know it involves a crouton and a lime rind), but it smells delicious. If they made a candle from this smell, I would buy ten of them. The drinks that come with the garnish are also great, but they wouldn’t be the same without it.
As for the food, I find it a little bit random and can struggle a bit to compose a full meal, but that is not for lack of options or quality. The food is outstanding, but comprised of lots of tiny bites that don’t always feel cohesive. This curry rice bowl (picked mushrooms, Perfect egg, scallion, coconut, pork belly) has definitely become one of my favorites. Though I am not a fan of pickled mushrooms (they seem to be popping up on more and more menus), the flavors in this bowl are rich, full, and well balanced.
The team at Navy Strength is definitely one of its greatest strengths. Always upbeat, friendly, and positive (even when laboring over intensive drink after drink) and fun to interact with. It is definitely expensive (the drinks and the food), so that’s just something to be prepared for, but since you only need one or two (or at least I do), it’s not necessarily prohibitive.
If croutons afire aren’t really your thing, maybe a drink in a fresh coconut is… or perhaps a fish glug pitcher to share amongst friends is more your style. In any case, you’ll find something to suit your thirst and I hear there are seasonal aspects even to their drink menu that will change periodically (as seasonal implies). While respite from the weather isn’t something we’re looking for this time of year, I can also tell that the fun, tiki (but not tacky) atmosphere will make this a definite destination for us once the weather turns.
Thursday Night Bites 