The Dangerous Effects of Outdoor Alcohol in Cambridge
Last week the Cambridge Chronicle gave an update on the new licensing policy which allows bars and restaurants in Cambridge to serve alcohol in outdoor dining areas. As I understand it, the law here used to allow only establishments with their own, privately owned outdoor areas to serve alcohol, whereas those with sidewalk seating (on public property) could not. I don't know if there are any hard numbers, no one really disputes the claim that a lot of potential revenue for Cambridge is lost to Boston during the summer months because it allows such sales.
Certainly for me, when I'm looking to enjoy a few beers on a hot day I tend to gravitate to The Other Side bar which is, well, on the other side of the Charles. So if for no other reason than personal convenience, I think this policy change is a great one. It may even get me to more often patronize that yuppie bastion, Tavern on the Square, as they're one of the bars that applied for a new license.
According to the Chronicle:
The License Commission approved outdoor seats for Upstairs on the Square, Om, Temple Bar, Grafton Street, Tavern on the Square, Wish and Central Kitchen.
What caught my eye on this list was that last one, Central Kitchen. While I've never eaten there, I have had food from their sister-bar up above, The Enormous Room, and it was actually quite good. But what's interesting to me about their application for outdoor seating has more to do with their location. Central Kitchen is situated on Mass Ave, just a half a block west of Norfolk Street next to an alley that my friends and I not-so-affectionately refer to as "Piss Alley."
Piss Alley is actually quite pleasant looking at first glance, with a walkway covered by multicolored glass awnings and a Central Square photo-mural along one wall. However, Piss Alley got it's moniker from the fact that it's unfortunately not too uncommon to run across some of your more classic Central Square alcoholics urinating against one wall, or a fresh stream of it running right across your path. It's often quite disgusting!
So this really makes me wonder how pleasant some outdoor drinks will be at Central Kitchen on one of these hot summer days, as the stench of warm urine wafts across your plate. But at least one won't need to go far after drinking all that beer to revieve themselves.
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