Last time I went to Sapor Cafe, it was with a man who used to say things like, "Don’t you think that dress is a little low-cut?" and "I don’t think I could ever marry a woman who’s as smart as I am." Also, he was a Republican who lived in the suburbs and went antiquing on weekends.
This was during a brief period in my life when I was trying to be traditional — more like my mom — but it didn’t work out too well. For one thing, it made me irritable. And for another, the man waffled a lot, telling me he couldn’t "handle" a woman like me and retreating, then calling to say he was still hooked and could I meet him for drinks. After a couple weeks of this, I told him we clearly had no future as I was actually quite a bit smarter than he was.
Maybe this is why I hadn’t been back to Sapor until tonight.
Well, for a smart woman who drinks quite a bit between the hours of 5 and 7 o’clock, this really was quite stupid. Because Sapor has an amazing Happy Hour menu: everything — from appetizers to beer to wine — is three dollars. And never have I had such a nice, stoutly-poured $3 glass.
Currently, they’re serving a Luzon Mourvedre-Grenache blend from Spain, which is light, fruity, and not quite dry. The white is an Austrian Gruner Veltliner, aged in stainless steel with a flinty, citrusy edge. You can also get a quesadilla, a plate of French fries with aioli, a small hamburger, a wasabi potato cake, or a bowl of olives for three bucks.
What’s more, the bar at Sapor is a lovely place to sit, looking out over Washington Avenue and all that rush hour traffic you’re not in. And apparently many people know this already, because while it was nearly empty when I entered at 5:15, by 6:30 the place was jammed.
The restaurant next door is quite good, too, as I remember. Though I’m going to have to give it another try now that I’m with an enlightened man. Under the circumstances — what with $3 wine and Tanya Siebenaler’s fantastic cuisine and a partner who likes my necklines low and my I.Q. high, rather than the other way around — I’m bound to see Sapor in a whole new light.
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