El Loco at the Slip Inn and Aguila Beer

One of Back of the Ferry’s most loyal correspondents, members and readers is returning to New Zealand, and so began the first leg of his work farewell. Another loyal BotF member was up from Melbourne, and we couldn’t mark the farewell on the ferry, the next best thing was to go to a local pub and try some thing new. I used to be pretty dark on the Slip Inn. My primary reason was quite irrational, and that was that it was in the opposite direction to the ferry. I’ve gotten more used to it over the last couple of years (though only if I visit at lunch, knowing I have to return to work – rather than the end of the day. The food wasn’t bad either, but the beer list never challenged.

So, when Cam suggested a quick farewell beverage to Kiwisinoz, it was about convenience more than anything new. Well, surprise – surprise, the Slip Inn’s had a Mexican makeover (day of the dead wallpaper) in the front bar and the menu’s been updated to match. There’s a Mexican cocktail list and plenty of tacos, quesadillas and churros as well as some main courses – featuring grilled meats with various Mexican sauces. The menu’s hardly haute cuisine, but the hot dogs we all had and the Chorizo and Jalapeno quesadilla I snuck absolutely hit the spot when speed and substance were key. I’ll definitely be back for another crack at the menu including some of the more substantial specials featuring ribs and the like. It’s all under the name El Loco at Slip Inn, and is apparently the brain child of one of Merivale’s star chefs – Dan Hong.

As mentioned above, Slip Inn’s beer list is pedestrian, so I’ve had to reach back to the weekend for this post’s unique beer. I tried this blog’s first Colombian beer on the rooftop of the Glenmore Hotel. The highlight of Aguila Beer is its label. Aguila is made by the Cervecería De Barranquilla, which is now part of the SABMiller group. It probably is made in Colombia, but tastes like any old macro that SABMiller flog around the world. Colombia – ticked off.