Business & Tech

Pork Slope to Open Aug. 18 on Fifth Ave.

The bar, owned by the trio behind Talde, will be specializing in strong, brown American liquor, barbequed meat and will open later this month in Aunt Suzie's former space.

August 18 is the day, ladies and gentlemen, when will open their doors on Fifth Avenue, bringing a roadside saloon flavor to the Slope.

, owned by on Seventh Avenue, will be a roadhouse-style bar that serves “really good food,” said one of the owners John Bush, and tough, down-south, brown whiskey, bourbon, rye and scotch.

Bush, David Massoni (who both also own Thistle Hill Tavern) and chef Dale Talde will run the establishment and said it will focus on southern-inspired food, have a pool table and even use the same cups and silverware from when the space was .

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Bush, who will be Pork Slope’s beverage proprietor and will actually work behind the 35-foot bar between Garfield Place and Carroll Street, will be serving staples like Jim Bean, Jameson, Maker’s Mark and Wild Turkey.

But, after recently returning from a "research trip" to distilleries around Louisville, Kentucky, is most excited to pour (and drink) shots of Willett Single Barrel Bourbon, Four Roses Whiskey, Heaven Hill Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey and one of his favorites, Pappy Van Winkle’s 23-year Reserve Bourbon.

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The inspiration behind the soon-to-be-open watering hole comes from wanting to bring the vibe of the trio’s old haunts, like Max Fish in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, to Park Slope. But another inspiration, which has since become some sort of an exaggerated joke, is the 1989 Patrick Swayze movie “Road House.”

To honor the throat-ripping legend, Bush explained, they will have a picture of the late Swayze on the mantle of the bar with an “eternal flame.”

“We will always have that on,” Bush said of the light.

However, Bush does not want people under the impression that they are opening the Double Deuce, the bar where Swayze’s character James Dalton worked as the bouncer, or more accurately, “the cooler.”

“If anyone thinks we are trying to build the Double Deuce, they’re wrong,” Bush said. “I am not afraid to admit ‘Road House’ is an awesome movie, and yes there will be some touches here and there, even a drink special called the Double Deuce.”

In case you were wondering, the Double Deuce will be a 2-ounce shot of whiskey with a 22-ounce glass of beer.

To help you drink as many of those as possible, the menu, made by Dale Talde, is going to fit perfectly with the bar’s off-a-freeway-down-south atmosphere with barbeque ribs, pulled pork, brisket and smoked meats.

Talde also said that he will be making Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches everyday. Back in June, Talde described the sandwhich: "Imagine a Philly Cheese Steak dipped in juis, covered in giardiniera cheese, with Italian-style pickles."

And, if you were wondering, Aug. 18 isn’t just some date the trio agreed on as their opening day:

“We were trying to come up with a date that in reality could be done and about a month ago someone said, ‘Well, you know that Patrick Swayze’s birthday is the 18th, that’s kind of cool,’” Bush explained. “It was a coincidence that made us all pop up and say, ‘That’s a perfect date!’”

Bush also said told Patch about a special surprise on opening night. So, with all due respect to surprises, you’ll just have to show up on Aug. 18 to find out. 


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