A Sip and A Thought: 202 Main

CONROE, TX -- I had just finished congratulating the actors after a Sunday matinee of ‘The Buddy Holly Story,’ at the Crighton Theatre recently, and was heading back to my car. I then spotted ‘202 Main,’ just a block down from the courthouse square, and kitty, or catty-corner to Conroe’s Founders Plaza. If I knew the address to the place, I’d definitely let you know. LOL. I went in, just for a few seconds, because I still needed to write my musical review, and I soon found they had a Karaoke Night on Wednesdays. Perfect. Date set.

I’ve no doubt that most of us probably hum a few bars of music in the shower, and coupled with some liquid courage, we have no problems getting to the mic and singing in front of people, strangled cats and all. The night I went, one lady named Smokey, sang Al Jureau’s ‘Loving You,’ and I was impressed. Perhaps she sang to great applause in the past, as if her ability came natural to her, or she could have sung it a thousand times before in the shower. No matter what, if a desperate record producer was hanging around the bar that night, Smokey would have been signed to a contract.

I looked on the drinks menu, and saw one called ‘The Issac,’ dedicated to the founder of Conroe’s Switch himself, who founded the town in 1881. I had to have it. The indulgence is 202 Main’s take on a Lemon Bourbon Rosemary Cocktail, with a little twist, honey, instead of the differing syrups. Now I never had rosemary in a drink, but I’ve cooked with the sprigs before, and was excited to see how it would affect the taste. And now being accustomed to smoke, I asked for the waft of its influence as well.

As usual, I let it sit there, still bewildered by the presence of the rosemary, but I also wanted the smoke to do its job. So I looked around, and found that 202’s brick walls, if they could talk, they’d tell a story of over a hundred years of history, harkening back to a post apocalyptic fire that destroyed historic Conroe, forever banishing the wooden buildings that graced the downtown area. It’s interesting, in how the decor of mostly bare brick walls has an upper layer of plaster harkening back to the old days when the walls were completely covered with the stuff. One short wall on the left between the bar and restrooms heading out to the rear courtyard, has an English pub feel to it. And coupled with a mantelpiece, and other accouterments placed around the walls, the place has a speakeasy feel to it. The leather couch and large picture of downtown during the early oil boom days of Conroe, relive the heydays of the oil boom.

When my attention returned to The Issac, I removed the cocktail smoker top, as the remaining smoke wafted away. I went ahead and drowned the remaining bit of rosemary. As I took my first sip, I let it pool on my tongue, and incredibly, I couldn’t taste any alcohol. Honestly. It tasted like a ‘cold cloud’ (which I had read in a Herman Wouk book I took with me to Operation Desert Shield), and it wasn’t until the sip started rolling off, that I got the sensation from the Buffalo Trace Bourbon, which was awesome, enhanced with the sour element of the lemon juice (not overpowering), being held in check by the sweetness of the honey; which added a silken and rich texture to the drink. The smoke and the rosemary played their parts in upping the elements of the drink, which balanced out the taste, and provided earthiness to each sip.

I can imagine some professionals from the area enjoying The Issac with a Traditional Charcuterie board ordered from 202’s kitchen. It’s sophisticated, made for the left-brained professions that frequent the downtown corridor, and I would argue some right-brained professions as well. You’re meant to enjoy this drink with company, chatting about this or that, with maybe an office issue thrown in for good measure. Don’t use controversial topics when sipping The Issac, because the stress will alter your taste buds. The cold cloud will turn into acid rain, so don’t worry, be happy when partaking.

After making some mental notes on The Issac, I began looking around. The 202 Poker Group meets in the back every Wednesday after work, with the best players sometimes duking it out until closing time, around 10:30 pm. Also, you might see some actors from The Crighton or Owen, who spend their hump days at the place during show runs having a drink and singing karaoke, before having to hit the stage on Thursday for rehearsals.

202 Main has stood the test of time. So has Issac Conroe, and his little experiment of the town he founded. And not to mention 202 Main’s ‘The Issac,’ will stand the test of time with you, for the little time you have with it. Go enjoy it … and become part of the legend.

Alcohol Disclaimer: This column is intended for entertainment purposes only. Please drink responsibly, not just for yourself, but for others around you.

202 Main is located at 202 Main Street in Conroe’s Switch. Their website is: 202mainconroe.com

Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net