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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 1987)
Arts & Entertainment Fishbowls said to violate multiple-drink act Duffy's drains bowls By Mick Dyer Staff Reporter and Diana Johnson Senior Editor Duffy’s Tavern, home of fishbowl mixed drinks, has temporarily stopped serving its infamous beverage due to an alleged viola tion of Lincoln’s alcohol laws. Reg McMecn, owner-manager of Duffy’s Tavern, 141? o St., said the Ne braska State Liquor Commission contacted the establishment last Wednesday. He said Duffy’s was told that its fishbowl drinks were in violation of the “multiple drink act.” The fishbowl, a half-gallon bowl filled with a mixed drink, is intended to be a group drink, McMeen said. Drinkers sip from the fishbowl through plastic straws. The commission charged that the fish bowl is in violation of the Nebraska State Liquor Commission Guidelines, Chapter Six, Section 026.04; which reads: “For the purpose of this rule the words ‘drink’ and drinks’ shall mean with respect to liquor, a container containing no more than 1 and 1/ 2 fluid ounces of the same spirits ...” The rule also seu> legal limits on beer and wine drink sizes. McMecn said that the liquor commission’s notice was unexpected. “We’ve been serving them for six months and all of a sudden we’ve been informed they’re illegal,” he said. A1 Hummel, part-owner and manager, said Duffy’shadn’treceivcd any complaints about the drink special. “Nobody’s really sure why they came to us,” Hummel said. The Nebraska Slate Patrol is responsible for enforcing the state liquor laws estab lished by the commission. Sgt. Bill Saxton, assigned to the liquor commission by the patrol, was not available for comment. Other Lincoln drinking establishments offer drinks in one container to be shared by two or more; for example, some Mexican restaurants serve pitchers of margaritas, Hummel said. Duffy’s Tavern refuses to serve fish bowls to one person, Hummel said. “They all have to come up and get it,” he said, “One person can try to buy one, but we won’t serve it to them.” Frosty Chapman, director of the Ne braska Liquor Commission, said the provi sions of the multiple-drink act regarding group drinks such as fishbowls will be re viewed at a liquor commission meeting Nov. 12. At that time the commission will decide what kind of action will be taken against Duffy’s, if any, Chapman said. If the commission decides to amend the multiple-drink act to allow multiple mixed drinks to be served in single containers, then the administrative procedures act will be invoked and the fishbowl could legally be served again, he said. But the process is complicated and slow, Chapman said. The drink could not be served until three to four weeks after the act is amended. The rewritten act must go through three readings before it can be used again. Several customers have complained about the drink’s temporary disappearance from the regular menu, Hummel said. “I think it’s more disappointment than anything,” he said. I w 'Suspect' lacks suspense with worthless skeletal scripts By Charles Lieurance Senior Kditor Pcicr Yales, director of such triumphs of pacing as “The Deep” and “Breaking Away,” peculiarly drags his feet in his new film, “Suspect.” What could have been suspenseful in “Suspect” is mired in plot contriv ance after plot contrivance. What should flow seamlessly to create po tentially harrowing situations slops and starts like a semitruck heading down a steep hill in the dead of winter. Movie Review But “Suspect” manages to generate two very strong characters through the considerable talents of Cher and Dennis Quaid. Cher, as Kathleen Riley, a frazzled, overworked Washington, D.C., public defender, turns in another fine, unmannered performance in what may be the most amazing show biz career turnaround since Kurt Russell left Disney. Lonely, world-weary and idealis tic under her tough, defensive exte rior, Riley takes on a seemingly im possible case — defending an indi gent deaf-mute charged with cutting the throat of a young Justice Depart ment underling for $9. Her client is uncooperative and violent at first, but gradually Riley’s attempts to draw him out succeed and a series of bizarre contrivances kick in. Quaid plays Eddie Sanger, a char ismatic congressional lobbyist for agribusiness who is chosen as a juror in the murder trial. Although it is never fully explained, Sanger turns out to be kind of an amateur sleuth, strangely willing to wander into dan gerous situations to help Riley build a defense case. Riley resists collusion with a juror strenuously, giving poorly written soliloquies on integrity. Sanger is having similar problems with integ rity, sleeping with a congresswoman to gain her vote. This undercurrent is shallow, and although the film makers might have thought it added deci>cr meaning to an otherwise standard thriller, its treatment is clichcd. Both Quaid and Cher perform admirably with what they have to work with, but in the end the contriv ances and the horrendously poor courtroom scenes get the best of them Instead of questioning and cross-ex amining people on the witness stand, Cher badgers them with romantic rhetoric. Even the long-suffering Hamilton Burger from “Perry Mason” would have put Riley in her place the first day of court. At one point, Cher quotes her ex husband Greg Allman, saying “I’m no angel.” That’s true, and she’s not much of a lawyer either. But the case is bigger than it looks. Yates white washes over the gaping holes in the plot to get to a dreadful surprise end ing involving Congress, jurists, jury tampering, bribes, etc. Yates who has created strong cine matic pulse beats with editing and underwater camera work or at bicycle races in his previous films, falls into several film pace-killers in “Suspect.” When Riley’s deaf-mute client takes the stand, the movie comes to a stand still. The suspect’s testimony has to be filtered through the court reporter. Then the suspect has to read the law yers’ questions off a screen and write his answer on a kind of electronic ctch-a-skctch. Although this might present one of those directorial chal lenges it must be hard to resist, it kills the already skewed pacing of “Sus pect.” As Riley preaches instead of ask ing her client exactly what happened the night of the murder, my mind kept screaming, “Objection!” And the director kept saying, “Overruled.” “Suspect” is a tough break for everyone involved, but it’snotexactly a career-stopper. Quaid, who has almost grown out of his “poor man’s Jack Nicholson” mannerisms, is as fine a big-screen leading man as you’re likely to find this side of Har rison Ford. Cher becomes more formi dable and versatile a performer with each role. Yales seems mainly to be a victim of the nearly worthless, skeletal scripts being peddled these days as major projects. There's no garden at meaty Mountains New York deli By Kevin Cowan Senior Reporter _ __ F rom the nondescript exterior, one might expect the Mountains New York Deli, 305 S. 11th St., to resemble a greasy-spoon cafe with the fry cook whipping out cholesterol fries and charcoal burgers. . More appropriately, the Mountains New York Deli emits the feel of an Italian cafe. Red Melissa Satterlee wipes the Mountains New York Deli counter after lunch Monday. checked tablecloths, vincyard-likc vine sup ports and high ceilings still covered with iron plate ceiling work create an image of ethnic decor. It’s an intimate place to cat the New York-stylc sandwiches featured. Sammy and Mary Hale, owners of the deli catessen as well as The Mountains bar and grill at 311 S. 11th St., said the cafe’s origin arose from several desires. “We go to Kansas City quite a lot,” Mary Restaurant Review said. A similar restaurant there appealed to them. “There wasn’t any place in Lincoh. to gel sandwiches like they serve,” she said. “We had the space already, so we decided to provide sandwiches that hadn’t been available.” The deli, which opened Aug. 31, features thoroughly meaty delicacies, minus lettuce, onion and tomato garb that often accompanies the traditional hoagie. “All meat and bread, no fillers,” she said. There’s definitely no garden-patch work here. These beasts roll out from behind the counter as pure carcass. The deli features any of six meats — roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, kosher salami, turkey and ham — on dark or light rye, for $2.95. To beat the hungries, the deli offers the “Mountains Mile High” sand wich that combines three meats for $3.95. The deli serves a dual purpose, she said, accommodating not only the Mountains bar clientele, but any appetite in search of an all mcat sandwich. Aside from purely carnivorous pursuits, the Mountains deli sports some lighter indul gences, including caramel-pecan topped cheesecake for $1.50, bagels with cream cheese, and potato, macaroni, cucumber and coleslaw salads for $.75. Hale said she has been pleased with the response. While they remain committed to keep the service strictly in the deli. Hale said, catering will soon be added to promote the business. It’s a small place, one that you have to look for, but take along an intimate friend, find the cozy venue,and sec if you can conquer the Mile High mountain of shaved delight.