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Guest Review by Owen
The Unicorn, A Requiem:
What can one say about the Unicorn Free House on Steven Ave in Calgary,
except that it wasn't really a free house, it had a deal with Labatts. No
Molson products there. (It never used to be like that, it used to be a
Molson tied house) But the full range of two Irish beers was there,
Guinness and Kilkenney, (sp?) which was always enough for us when served in
addition to the Kieth's India Pale Ale which was on special every Thursday
night when the live music alternated between the Dory Mates, (a band playing
Newfoundland maritime Celtic) and Martin's Barber, who played irish
traditional music with such enthusiasm and joy that we went back week after
week, just to see them play.
The pints were pulled with a minimum of head (none at all on the Kieth's
usually) and I was often beaten to the table by my Pint if Jenny or Kelly
saw my feet coming down the stairs. The service alternated between
lightning fast and friendly and surly and slow. But the beauty of it was
that even when the service was surly and slow, we were so thoroughly abused
by our waitresses that it seemed okay in the end. ("Oh, right, you wanted
your food brought out when it was Hot? Whatever. You're lucky you get
anything at all. (wink)")
The food wasn't bad, either. The fish and chips were voluminous, and you
could either get lunch sized (girly sized) or full (man) sized. I'm a
pretty big guy, but I never finished the big fish and chips. I often
finished the Taco Salad, however, which was also huge and filled with a
reasonable facsimile of fresh vegetables. The Nachos were generally
overdone, the cheese hardened into a sheet of orange leather by the time it
arrived, but we always managed to gnaw our way through it. Also popular was
the Mud Pie dessert, which was really quite good, and seemed like a good
value, although the price escapes me.
What kept us coming back to the Unicorn, however, was the atmosphere. When
I walked down the stairs from street level into the basement, I felt like a
great weight was lifting off my shoulders. I have had great times at the
Unicorn, eating, drinking, and being merry. I have heard great music,
danced, and had a blast.
What made the Unicorn better than any other bar? Buggered with the wide end
of a pint glass if I know, but it was. It gets Five Pints. Two pints of
Kilkenny, Two of Guinness, and one of Kieth's, with a coke for the
designated driver, and an earl grey tea for Heather.
Score: 
The Unicorn is now closed, and I am told by semi-reliable sources that it
has changed ownership and is now being remodeled. If and when it reopens,
expect a review, but one which might not be so favorable. I hope that
whatever they do they don't get rid of our corner booth (right by the
hallway to the bathrooms, convenient to the Guinness tap and the can, what
could have been better than that?)
So until the next time at the Unicorn, Slante, Cheers, and
Sociabaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal.
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