The art of the Saturday lunch

Saturday lunch is one of the great luxuries of life that too many people fail to take advantage of.  Saturday lunch shouldn't be rushed, it shouldn't be drive thru fast food or a frozen dinner from a box.  This is 'Me' time, and while company is occasionally ok, dining solo can also be just the ticket.

What makes it so great?  Well, first of all, there is the freedom.  Go at 11, go at 3, stay for one hour or four, who cares, its Saturday.  Secondly, you can go wherever the hell you want - which is really the great advantage of dining solo.  And thirdly, there's booze.  This is the one occasion where you won't see me drinking Miller Lite - chances are I'm only having a few, so I'll pick a heavy beer that packs an ABV punch and has actual taste (Yes, I still love my Miller Lite).  A few of my Saturday favorites:

- Clydes Tower Oaks Lodge, Rockville, Maryland.  One of the great parts about TOL is its location - its located just north of the beltway off 270, tucked back in a empty (on a Saturday) office park on a grassy, wooded lot.  It's that perfect distance to feel like you've actually gone somewhere and done something without really leaving town.  The bar area is large and dark without feeling like you're doing something wrong by being there in the day time.  There's a bunch of camping shit on the wall, the beer list is good, and the cocktails are strong.  Man time?  Check. 

The bartenders are professional, able, but not intrusive.  The food at Tower Oaks is the best of any Clydes restaurant, and there is a half off raw bar during lunch on Saturdays.  There are TVs if you want to watch the game, but they aren't intrusive.  Normal bar capacity on a Saturday at noon: 30%.  This is Saturday lunch nirvana.

- Dogfish Ale Brew House, Falls Church/Seven Corners, VA.  As the name suggests, this place has the beer factor down pat.  A long list of interesting brews that will get you drunk faster than you can say TAXI!  The food, well, the food is passable.  The rule of thumb here is the worse the food is for you, the better they cook it.  They have a sampler of fried food that will make your cardiologist cry.  It does have a bit of a family restaurant vibe to it, but there aren't too many kids here at lunch on Saturday.  The bartenders definitely know their beer, so take advantage and ask for their recommendations.  There are TVs but, similar to TOL, they aren't obtrusive.  Usual bar capacity at noon on a Saturday is about 70%.

- Coastal Flats, Tysons Corner Mall, McLean VA.  This restaurant does better than most at enabling you to forget you are in a mall.  And unlike other mall restaurants, they pay attention to their bar and the business it gets.  The beer menu is somewhat limited, but they do have their house brand beer that is actually pretty decent.  There are flat screen TV's on two sides of the bar that are easily visible but aren't in your face.  The bar staff tends to stick around this place, so they're pros and recognize you after a few visits.  The food is also pretty good, if a bit on the high priced side for a Saturday lunch.  The shrimp and grit cakes are money, as are the filet tips pasta. 

And after you visit any of these three comes the best part of Saturday lunch - the nap.