Description
Ever since I was a kid and my old man took me to the Tall Timber in Cook Forest, Pa., and propped me on a bar stool while he shot pool with my uncle Jim, the crack of a cue against pool balls has stirred something inside me. My old man doesn't shoot pool much these days, but when he does, it's like riding a bike; a completely natural skill. Unlike the old man, I'm a shitty pool player. But I love trying. With four tables and ample cue-and-elbow room, The Iron Bull (formerly Goldie's) is about the only place I'll shoot. The fact that it has a microbrew selection filled with the usual suspects (Fat Tire, Mirror Pond, Manny's) only adds to the fun. With 15 flat-screen TVs, The Iron Bull is kind of a sporting paradise for Wallingford boozers, replete with pinball and Mega-Touch games (Mega-Touch!). And given that the bulk of the clientele is older college students, the risk of embarrassing myself in front of someone I know is relatively low. BRIAN J. BARR
