It all goes back to last semester. Tibbetts is the news editor for The Polytechnic, though at the time of this incident, he served as its editor in chief. One evening, as we enjoyed beverages at the Notty Pine, he convinced me it might be fun to write a companion column to Words to Eat By. Actually, in fairness, all he convinced me to do was to write an article about a bar for that week’s edition as content was a bit short. My huge ego and apparently complete inability to distance myself from RPI did the rest.

The one stipulation was that the bars reviewed would be largely unknown to RPI students. I challenged his assessment of what RPI students generally know. For example, I wanted to write about the bar we were in at the time, the Notty Pine. I think most students walk right past it or perhaps order pizza for delivery. Maybe some have had dinner in its dining room. How many have actually drank at the bar?

Tibbetts told me no. He wanted to hear about exotic taverns in distant places, such as Albany and Schenectady. Everyone knows about Notty Pine, according to him. So I let it stew, every week wishing I could write this column. Now that Tibbetts is no longer my boss, he can’t stop me from telling you all the truth: Notty Pine is a great place not only to eat, but also to drink.

The establishment is equal parts neighborhood bar and inexpensive Italian restaurant. The family friendly dining room is in the rear of the property, with its own door on the Hutton Street side. The bar is in the front.

It’s a neighborhood bar in the truest sense, populated by a cast of local regulars who debate the issues of the day openly and proudly with the staff and each other. You are, of course, welcome to join in, even if they disagree with you. It’s generally a decent mix of conservative and liberal viewpoints, though, so the dialogue can get animated at times. Most nights Matt is your bartender, and he excels at keeping the conversation reasonable and good-natured.

The food ranges from good to great. In the great category are the chicken nachos and the hot turkey sandwich. Portions are huge, as befits an Italian restaurant. Yes, the Italian food items are also quite good, but I’m a sucker for hot turkey on bread with plenty of gravy or a huge plate of cheese and chicken with some nachos on the bottom.

The beer selection is decent. There is a seasonal tap, currently pouring Red Hook’s delicious winter ale, the Winter Hook. Matt says the Winter Hook and, naturally, old fashioned Budweiser, are the local favorites. The full food menu is also available in the bar area, which tends to be a cozier and more lively setting than the family-filled dining room.

There is one Notty Pine ritual I haven’t seen anywhere else, though. Quite a few customers seem fond of the pint-and-a-pizza takeout maneuver. They first call in a pizza order for pick up. Then they appear at the bar and order beer while waiting. They don’t take the beer home; they drink it at the bar, regardless of when the pizza is actually ready. They have priorities. The pizza can wait. Beer is important.