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From Reporter Issue 82
Not just American pie...
Snooty Europeans who talk down America often without having been
there make me angry when they get it notably wrong. Take food.
American cooking isn't McDonald's. This year on different visits I've
munched in modish eateries in Miami, eaten obscure ethnic dishes in
Queen's and had some excellent plain food in Chicago's suburban diners.
Sadly, the real taste of the USA is hard to come by in Europe. Luckily,
that's not true for us since we've got Stars'n Bars or SNB as it's
known to its friends on our doorstep in Monaco.
Let's start with the food after all, whatever you say everything
else is an extra. On my last visit I tucked into a World Series salad
lettuce, tomatoes, onions and feta cheese topped with chicken morsels
and followed up with barbecued pork ribs and coleslaw. Though tempted,
I gave the pecan pie a miss and rounded off with a humble sorbet and
coffee. This was great food, and SNB's boast that all ingredients are
fresh was clearly proven. Judge a restaurant by its tomatoes. No sign
here of those hard, tasteless specimens which I've seen too much of
lately. As to drinks, I had a wide choice of wines and beers to choose
from and went for a bottle of South African Altus Chardonnay. All this
came out at 309 francs and it was worth every cent.
Of course, there's more to SNB than what's on the table. It's a
"sports bar" with a remarkable display of memorabilia from an
original F1 car to one of Magic Johnson's tee shirts, and as well some
relics of visiting showbiz people such as Madona's body suit. The vast
3-level dining area is dotted with screens where customers can watch
their sport of choice. Then there's the human side. Service by a
multilingual staff is relaxed and cheerful, and if she's not too busy
you might get to talk to SNB's Annette Anderson. I'd met her several
times before but only on this occasion did I learn that she was a
Mainer is Mainiac really the right form, as she tried to tell me?
and had been to school with Stephen King ("an odd-ball... seriously
weird... had a very strange beard").
After seven years of presence in its prime site in Monaco, Annette
told me, SNB has perfected a "total experience", offering "really good
American food, atmosphere and all sorts of add-ons we've got a
supervised children's area, a gamesroom, a cybercafι, and you can eat
in a quiet corner or a place that's more noisily social. People are
welcome at any time if it's not a normal meal hour we'll rustle up a
lox'n bagel or whatever omelette you fancy. Come once and you'll be
back." Of that, I'm sure...
Stars and Bars is at 10 Quai Antoine 1er in Monaco. For
reservations and news of upcoming events Thanksgiving, New Year's
call or log on to www.starsnbars.com
© Patrick Middleton
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