Beer – Page 10 – mmm-yoso

Portland: Davenport and Belmont Station

March 26, 2015 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Beer, European Restaurants, Portland, Oregon, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

By the time we woke up from our short afternoon siesta, it was time to head off to dinner. I'd already had quite a full day, starting with a nice morning walk and some donuts, then waking the Missus for a caffeine fix and a walk to Olympia Provisions, followed by, yes, a walk to Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Hair of the Dog Brewery. But you know the Missus, we ended walking the two miles or so to Davenport.

It was actually a nice walk. The sky was overcast, but it never rained.

We crossed the Willamette on the Burnside Bridge and passed the iconic Portland White Stag sign.

Traffic looked pretty heavy along Burnside.

You could tell spring was approaching as the Cherry Blossoms were starting to bloom. It was quite a lovely sight.

Our destination was a restaurant named Davenport, which I had read used local ingredients in simple dishes, with excellent and refined technique. The idea is to let the ingredients shine. The Chef Kevin Gibson is a semi-finalist for the James Beard; Best Chef: Northwest category.

There area couple of interesting things about the place, there's no large sign, you have to find 2215 East Burnside, then look for the "red door". Also, the phone conversation for making reservations was, well, interesting…..a woman picked up the phone with simply "hello"…… I had to ask if this was Davenport. At the end of the process, I noticed they hadn't asked for a phone number, so I inquired if they needed one. The answer, "no….if you show up, you show up…if you don't, you don't." Ok…. Well, we did show up.

The menu is ever changing…..in fact, it changes almost everyday.

We loved the menu and it was quite easy to choose our courses.

We had heard that Co-owner Kurt Heilemann curates an amazing wine list. So we asked our server, who was just perfect, efficient, professional, but not stuffy if he would select a glass to pair with each dish.

I will say, that even though I'm not an oenophile, I really enjoyed the pairings. I'm not going to go into detail about the wine, though I will say, the first glass…that Riesling, pared with the foie gras mousse was just perfect. It was without a doubt the best pairing of the evening. When I mentioned how beautiful the stemware was, our server told us it's hand-blown Zalto stemware.

The foie gras mousse was nice, smooth, rich, all you could ever want.

The pate was good, quite refined, balanced in flavor…..perhaps a bit too perfect. Loved the bits of hazelnut which gave it a nice contrasting texture.

For us, it was the pickled sunchokes that really got our attention, great crunch, perfect flavor. The salad was my least favorite….it tasted like it had been dressed with plain white vinegar, as it was way too sour; the pomegranate seeds didn't help adding another layer of tart and tannic flavor to everything.

The rapini, which was beautifully charred, bitterness subdued, smokey flavor enhanced was wonderful.

The addition of the breadcrumbs which added more crunch, only to be balanced with the boiled egg white and richness of the egg yolk just elevated the dish in my opinion. The anchovy was a bit too strong for the dish as just a squeeze of lemon was perfect.

We finished with the grilled lamb shoulder.

Slightly toothsome, but still tender enough considering it was shoulder. The lamb flavor made the perfect, "yes, you are eating lamb" statement. It was perfectly seasoned, a bit too rare for the Missus, but I loved it. The salsa verde really didn'y play into the flavors for me.

Overall, a very nice meal. In terms of service and timing, things were just perfect for us. While we enjoyed our meal, which was good, nothing really extended it into the "great" territory for us. Now the prices, well the food only came out to $60! The wine at $45 almost matched the price of the food. We weren't complaining though as in terms of cost, we thought this to be a reasonably priced meal.

Next time, I think something more along the lines of Le Pigeon would be the Missus's cup of tea.

Davenport
2215 East Burnside
Portland, OR 97214

Of course, we weren't quite ready to call it a night. Candice had recommended that we stop in at Belmont Station. So the Missus decided we needed to work off at least a portion of our dinner….so add another mile-and-a-half to the tab. The streets looked rather dark on SE Stark Street and Belmont Station shone like a pearl in the night.

Basically an amazing bottle shop, with a huge 1200+ bottle list. Connected to the shop is the "Biercafe" which has a nice selection of items on tap.

Our "beertender" was a very nice…cool guy. The Missus got a sour and I ordered something that looked quite interesting – the New Belgium Cocoa Mole Spiced Strong Dark Ale. I was asked if I like "interesting flavors" and said yes. The guy behind the bar said, "folks here either love it or instantly dislike it". Me, I loved it….

Like a pseudo porter, with a pronounced chili-chocolate aroma. Since I love chili beers, I really enjoyed this. Mild spice that very slowly intensified, but never really got too hot. The flavor was quite complex. Even the Missus, who is not a big fan of porters really enjoyed this one.

It was a nice way to end our evening.

Belmont Station
4500 SE Stark St
Portland, OR 97215

By this time, the Missus had figured I'd done enough walking for the day and decided we could catch the bus back. She did have a change of heart as we crossed the Belmont Bridge and decided to ring for a stop. But after all the walking I had done that day. The stroll back to the hotel was nothing.

Such is a typical day for us when travelling…lots of walking and lots of good food….and drinks!

Thanks for stopping by!

COMC: Having a Beery Good Time in Kearny Mesa – Council Brewing Company, Societe Brewing Company, and Quantum Brewing Company

March 18, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer

Yes, it's time to Clear Out the Memory Card……..

Ever wonder what to do after having all that charred animal flesh at, say……Yakyudori. Or maybe that Macau Roast Pork from Golden City is sitting pretty in your belly and you'd like something to take the "edge off". Here's an idea. We've been going to Yakitori Taisho quite often. After having all of that grilled and fried chicken we often like to grab a beer….the perfect ending to a good evening. The Missus talked me into driving all the way to Blind Lady a couple of times…but man, that gets kinda old after a while. I finally managed to talk the Missus into dropping into one of the Breweries around Kearny Mesa one evening. It turned out to be Her favorite of the three:

Council Brewing Company:

**** Council Brewing has closed

Rather low-keyed; located on Convoy Court next to Grab & Go, this is our favorite in the area. I enjoy the Belgian style Tripel, nothing fancy, fairly light, but boozy enough. A nice digestif for me. The Missus enjoys the Tart Saisons, we once had a cucumber tart saison that was just plain great. Haven't seen it since, but we'll keep dropping by once in a while.

The atmosphere is usually very relaxed and low-keyed. With the door open a nice breeze blows thru.

Council Brewing Company
7705 Convoy Ct
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Monday 4pm – 9pm
Tues – Thurs 2pm – 9pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 10pm
Closed Sunday

Societe Brewing Company:

I'd been here a couple of times and had tried their brews at various pubs. For some reason I've never really taken to them.

Societe is without a doubt the most popular of these breweries. I think it's also the most inexpensive. Love that the dogs all hang out and I like the music here. The Missus really wasn't into the beer here.

Societe Brewing Company
8262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Mon – Wed 12pm – 9pm
Thurs – Sat 12pm – 10pm
Sunday 12pm – 8pm

Quantum Brewing Company:

This place is in the same strip mall as Golden City and Pho Nhu Y. We dropped by one evening and had a couple of tasters. One of the tasters; the IPA was almost skunky to my palate. Nothing really stood out and we ended up back at Council.

Really friendly gal behind the bar and there's a kiddy table that looks really cute. Hope they do well, but I think the Missus will stick with Council.

Quantum Brewing
5375 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123
Hours
Tues – Thurs 3pm – 8pm
Friday 3pm – 10pm
Saturday 12pm – 10pm
Sunday 12pm – 6pm
Closed Monday

Yes, there's one missing…..I'll get myself to Helm's one of these days. No, it's definitely not the 30th Street Stumble, but it ain't bad. And I understand that Kilowatt Brewing has just opened as well.

So, in case you need a nice digestif after a meal on Kearny Mesa, dropping by one of these places might be an idea.

Hope you're having a "beery" good week!

And here's one for some bonus points…..

I just to try this…….just because. This, for me, was a really easy to drink, fairly balanced hoppiness and bitterness, and I could make out some citrus tones as well.

Portland: Beer Break – Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Hair of the Dog Brewery

March 13, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Portland, Oregon, Travel

Funny the difference one trip can make. In Belgium, the Missus discovered that She really loved beer after all. And now, after all these years, I have a beer buddy….my wife! Anyway, the Missus loves Her sours and our good friend Candice, strongly recommended a visit to Cascade Brewing's Barrel House. We'd had some of the Cascade's Sours before, some of which a ridiculously pricey, that we thought this would be a fun visit…..and of course, we needed to walk off lunch. So if you're keeping score, add another half mile to our walk.

Even though it was just after noon, the place was pretty busy.

We decided to head on up to the bar and have a seat.

I had been taking quick photos and sending them over to my friends; Blue Star Donuts, Tasty N Alder, Olympia Provisions, and now Cascade. Candice texted back writing, "you're doing Portland's greatest hits…."

The list was just absolutely huge…..it was the "Tart Fruit Festival". The Missus was caught in the clutches of analysis paralysis and just couldn't make a decision.

We decided to do tasters, but while I kept searching for styles the Missus would enjoy, basically anything like a Flemish Red, She kept ordering some pretty strange stuff.

So in case you want to see what we tried…..

Our favorite by far was the Sang Noir(far right), fruity, tart, with nice body, but missing that deep almost prune-vinegar sour richness of a Flemish Red. We were told that Cascade uses Lactobacillus which gives it a nice tartness, but not wild yeast which is crazy hard to control. The Missus was obviously missing Cantillon. Still that sang Noir was quite good.

The Missus did enjoy the Cheri D'Amour (left), while I was surprised that I enjoyed the Gingersnap (to the right).

All of this stuff has a pretty high ABV, so we pretty much stopped here. The Missus is still a bit of a lightweight. Still, this was fun and I'd gladly go again.

Cascade Brewing Barrel House
939 SE Belmont St
Portland, OR 97214

**** Hair of the Dog Brewery and Tasting Room has closed

Still, the Missus wanted one more Brewery stop. We'd been thinking of Upright, but they didn't open until 430pm. So we decided to head back (another half mile) to Hair of the Dog Brewery which was close to the Morrison Bridge which we had to cross anyway.

This nice little bar with the sliding industrial doors was doing pretty good business as well.

I loved the names of the beer. The Missus had two tasters; a "Little Dog" and "Greg", which She really enjoyed; made with winter squash and no hops tasting fairly grassy to me.

I had a "Fred", which I enjoyed, slightly sweet, perfect amount of hops, mild booziness. I would gladly have another…..

and since this was Hair of the Dog (which donates a percentage to Guide Dogs for the Blind), you know there had to be a dog, right? This faithful sweetheart was left on the porch faithfully waiting for her master. Whom she obviously adored. You can read her body language….

Oh, he's getting up and walking this way!

Yay, here he comes….we're going for a nice walk home! Maybe I'll get a treat!

Bummer….he was just going to the restroom…..

Hair of the Dog Brewery and Tasting Room
61 SE Yamhill St
Portland, OR 97214

The one thing I wish I took a photo, actually a video of, was the young, thin, well dressed hipster, wearing a Viking helmet who was dancing while doing the edge of the curb "tightrope walk" on the Morrison Bridge. Great hand movement, decent pirouettes, and sadly, we were both too stunned, and entertained to think about taking a photo. Though I can't help but wonder what tune was playing in his head? "You stay weird Portland!"

We took the nice mile and half walk back to the hotel, for a well deserved nap. After all, we'd be walking back this way (sort of) for dinner!

Portland: Caffiene Break at Barista and Lunch at Olympia Provisions

March 12, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Caffeine Fix, European Restaurants, Portland, Oregon, Travel

After Donuts and then a Tasty N Alder stop, we were in dire need of some exercise. I took the Missus back through The Pearl and we stopped for caffeine at Barista. No pour over or anything like that available at this location. The Missus had a small coffee and I had an iced coffee while we went over our plans for the rest of the day.

Barista
539 NW 13th Ave
Portland, OR 97217

The Missus had seen a couple of shops She wanted to stop into.

Filson is a well known brand, selling some really good outdoor wear. We took a look at some of the bags and luggage, but ended up not purchasing anything. Still, it was fun to browse.

Right across the street is Keen's Headquarters and a large shop called the Keen Garage which we checked out.

By now caffeine had kicked in and we were ready to head to our next spot. I'd already walked about 2 miles or so that morning. Then we walked up The Pearl.

Our next leg would take us about a mile and three-quarters, all the way down Alder and over the Morrison Bridge. You could tell that spring was on it's way as the Cherry Blossoms were starting to bud. All the "SW" avenues, became "SE" as we headed up SE 2nd Avenue and found our "light" lunch stop Olympia Provisions.

But wait, isn't the place called Olympic Provisions and doesn't the sign say that? Well, according to this from Eater Portland and this from Portland Food and Drink, the IOC has issued a cease and desist and has threatened to sue Olympic um, Olympia Provisions for a trademark violation. Really? Good lord, how many places out there are named Olympic Café/Restaurant/Diner….. look-out? So, according to those posts and OP's website, they are "Changing a Letter and Nothing Else".

Regardless, they still have one of my favorite signs……

This shop tucked away in a restored warehouse-industrial building was recommended to us by a number of folks. And since the Missus is really into Her charcuterie/salumi it became a must visit for us.

We decided on the French Board, since the Missus loves Her rillettes and pates. The pork rillette is nicely made, decent salt, not overly seasoned, and quite porky. The pate was the Missus's favorite.

I actually enjoyed the saucisson, which we much more tender than I usually find around these parts. The flavors, while nicely seasoned and spice, just didn't seem overly salty. The garlic sausage was fine if a bit bland.

Seeing pickled egg on the menu; well, you know me, I had to order it. This was a mighty fine pickled egg, just the right amount of sourness with a nice pickling spice. Great flavor and texture.

The Missus wanted to try a cheese. We decided to get something from Oregon. The only choice was Opal Springs from Ancient Heritage Dairy. Made from raw cow and sheep milk, I was told that this is aged 60 days and the rind is brine washed. It was quite smooth and very mild for a washed rind cheese.

This was very easy to eat, though the mild flavors were wiped out when eaten after the cured meats.

Overall, we really enjoyed this meal. Wish this was in our neck of the woods. We'll be sure to drop by again next time we're in Portland.

Olympic Olympia Provisions
107 SE Washington St
Portland, OR 97214
Hours:
Monday      11am – 3pm
Tues – Thurs 11am – 10pm
Friday      10am – 10pm
Saturday     10am – 10pm
Sunday      10am – 9pm

Bellies happy, we headed off to our next stop….it was time for a beer!

Thanks for reading!

Portland: A walk around those familiar places, like Stumptown. Dinner at Little Bird Bistro and a nightcap at Bailey’s Taproom

March 5, 2015 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Caffeine Fix, French Restaurants, Portland, Oregon, Travel

*** Little Bird Bistro and Bailey's Taproom have closed

After a short nap, we awoke…well a bit groggy. So we figured it was time for a walk and maybe some coffee.

We passed all those familiar places…well, at least to me. The Missus really didn't remember much about Portland, other than "Pod", how much she didn't care for Voodoo Donuts, stuff like that.

She did remember the Pioneer Square area and the really nice and friendly Police Officer we met there. That's kind of how travel is; most times, the sites are great, but it's the people that you remember.

Last time we were in Portland, we stayed at the Embassy Suites, which is right across the street from Stumptown Coffee Roasters. I thought it would be nice to drop by again.

The place looks the same. I'm not sure if it's just me; but the baristas here always seem a bit detached, jaded, and "too cool" for us customers. Maybe if I grew a beard, had tats on my arms, and pierced various parts of my anatomy? Fat chance on that though…..

This visit was more for the Missus. She's kind of become one of those pseudo "Third Wave" snobs. Remember those posts on Haraaz Red Maraqaha beans that are Her favorite? Or the cups of Panama Geisha from Bird Rock? She thought a visit here would be interesting to see how Her tastes have changed. And they've changed a lot and so have mine. I'm not a coffee snob, though I know what the Missus enjoys, so I instantly knew upon tasting the cold brew that it wasn't going to cut it; I like nitro cold brew and this Kenya was decent, but I've actually had better at Dark Horse.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters
128 Sw 3rd Ave
Portland, OR 97204

It was still too early for our dinner reservations; so we decided to take a walk around a bit. One of my favorite buildings in Portland is the Dekum Building. The red brick, very German, Romanesque styling make this structure; built in 1891 by Frank Dekum really stand out. Even more entertaining is the story that during the building of this structure, the masons drank beer every morning instead of coffee. The magic of hops; the place is still standing and looking as beautiful as ever.

We headed to downtown proper; past the Thompson Elk Fountain, which made me realize, for some reason, I really hadn't taken many photos during my visits in Portland. So heck, I needed at least one of Portlandia (the statue, not the show).

A little tidbit, the building the statue fronts; The Portland Building was declared one of "the World's Ugliest Buildings" by Travel and Leisure. I didn't think it was that bad….

The Missus was starting to get hungry, so we decided to walk over to our dinner destination. In the beginning, I started with a list, than pared it down based on the Missus's eating habits and preferences. Le Pigeon was on that list, but I thought visiting Gabriel Rucker's other restaurant, the more bistro like Little Bird would be more relaxed. I recall calling and making a reservation, the young lady on the line asked me, "will you be celebrating a special occasion with us? Is there anything special we can do?"

We had arrived early, the place was empty except for one table. The young lady manning the hostess stand was relaxed and friendly. She offered us several tables. I ended up asking her to make the choice for us. So, we ended up getting "her favorite table" on the mezzanine. "Half the fun is watching the place come alive" she said.

I couldn't agree more. Much like The London Plane, having a bird's eye view was worth the price of admission.

The young man who was our Server was quite nice, friendly, but not too friendly, efficient, but not in your face, just perfect for our temperament. When I presented our plan; Chalkboard Special items, to be shared family style, rather than the usual appetizer-entrée service, he was all for it. He told us, "this is going to be great. I was a customer here for two years before working here."

At this point, I'm sorry to say, the photos aren't going to be up to standard. We didn't bring our huge DSLR with us….and in all honesty, I would have felt quite uncomfortable busting the beast out in a situation like this. It just doesn't seem right.

So we march onward. The Charcuterie Board ($25), was solid, if not outstanding.

We're used to charcuterie that makes a statement. Many of the items offered, like the pork rillettes were quite mild, almost lost without accoutrements, in that case, the pickled onions were a must. The texture of the pate was so decadent, but the flavor just needed that "umph". The one item that was full of flavor was the Smoked Pork Mousseline, in this case, not a forcemeat, but a flavorful smoked pork tenderloin. The scotch egg was great, drippy and oozy, the breading balancing out the books.

Next up is what I think is the best thing I've had since our dinner at Suzunari in Tokyo. The Seared Foie Gras, Shaved Oregon Winter Truffle, Foie Gras Sausage (we were told 3 parts chicken – 1 part foie), porcini puree (more like a porcini-butter mousse). Oh, just kill me now…..

Without getting too wordy….I didn't even mention the balsamic glaze, I have to say all of these strong flavors and amazing textures really played well together. The porcini puree was a great example; it was so assertive solo, but together with the foie gras, things balanced out. When eating products like this, I want the true flavor to come through….and then the combination of items which can take the dish a bit higher, perhaps transform and balance the textures, richness, and flavor. This was it for us. Worth every penny ($26).

The Roasted Marrow Bones ($21) were also quite good. The pairing of marrow bones with escargot – "ants on a log" is a classic one. In this case, it included snail sausage, which I thought was quite good.

It was served with some delicious rapini, a nice, thick parmesan vinaigrette, which added an acid-milky component to the dish. The bone marrow was perfectly prepared; in San Diego, I've encountered unrendered product. The naan like flatbread was kind of an afterthought for us.

Our evening had gone quite well, until the wait for our last dish, which took nearly 20 minutes, the Anchovy Cured Pork Belly ($15).

I gotta say, that cauliflower puree was great, just the right amount of seasoning and butter; the texture sublime. The Missus was ok with this, but I thought it was really salty. On the menu it says "crispy boquerones", which were really much too salty fried anchovies. A bit too heavy in terms of sodium. Nice textures, if a bit over-the-top for me.

We didn't go with any wine with dinner, so the damage turned out to be $87….no tax in PDX….which the Missus made sure to tell me after having recently spent over a hundred bucks for a mediocre meal at the Smoking Goat.

Little Bird Bistro
219 SW 6th Ave
Portland, OR 97204

So now he Missus wants to make sure we visit Le Pigeon next time! I think She's ready for it.

After dinner, we headed around the block to Bailey's Taproom for a nightcap. I loved the display which showed the status of every keg and what was lined up.

Loved the half pours, 10 ounces was enough for me after all the rich food. A bit too many hipsters, but we enjoyed the place.

Here's what it looks like in daylight as I walked by the next morning. Great selection….

Bailey’s Taproom
213 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205

Man, we were lovin' Portland!

Prison Hill Brewing Company – Yuma

February 24, 2015 ed fromyuma Beer, Burgers, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

If you are looking for something by Kirk or Cathy, today is not your lucky day. If you want to read a fairly long post by Ed about a new brewpub in Yuma, sit back, relax and enjoy.

The old town/downtown area in Yuma was economically devastated by the sprawl caused by modern roads and highways and the explosion of population in Yuma in the post-World War II era. When I moved to Yuma 15 years ago, the area was still pretty desolate – a lot of for rent signs, empty buildings and vacant storefronts. These days, however, the area is undergoing a renaissance. Not only are new businesses opening, but a lot of places – wine shops, restaurants, and galleries seem to be doing very well.

One of the newest additions to Main Street is The Prison Hill Brewery. Located next to Da Boyz on Main Street; you can enter via the front door:

or the back door:

There is a dog friendly outdoor patio area:

as well as a large dining areas with bars and table service. Here's the bar area:

The main room:

I have been wanting to post about this place since the beginning of January, but I have had other things going on and then it seems like every week somebody else wants to eat at Prison Hill Brewery, so I keep accumulating pictures. Today, however, I am going to put them all together and try and do a post with as few words and as many pictures as I can get away with.

All of the sandwiches and many of the entrées come with one or two side dishes, so let's start with sides. The healthiest side is the grilled mixed vegetables, crispy tender and lightly seasoned, here pictured next to the decent thick chips which are served with many of the sandwiches:

Maybe my favorite side are the Sidewinder fries:

Though not made on premises, these fries are some of the best in town because each end is crunchy while the centers are potato fluffy.

The coleslaw is spicy hot with mustard (and cayenne?) and is fresh and tasty:

I also like the sweet beans:

but I think the macaroni salad is a little bland. Others however tell me that they love the mac salad because it goes with the stronger flavored menu choices. To each . .

The appetizers are kind of a mixed bag. For example, the giant pretzels are outstanding – it'll bring out the German in almost anyone:

Likewise, the tortilla soup (often a special, and sometimes available other times) is an excellent version of this Southwest favorite:

Remembering the soup, the word abundance pops into my head. It was packed with tortilla strips, the tomato Chile broth was outstanding, and the toppings were attractive and tasty.

I was less impressed by the combination appetizer plate:

The pretzels were excellent, of course, but the pieces of fried chicken breast were just adequate, and the two kinds of meatballs ranged from pretty good to pretty mediocre.

Similarly the hummus:

There are a few things that I love as much as good Middle Eastern hummus with the natural flavors of chickpeas and tahini – San Diego has many good Middle Eastern restaurants whose hummus I love. Prison Hill’s dry version lacks soul, and has a background citrusy taste that I suppose masks the missing flavors and freshness. Not to mention the tired and doughy bread.

On the other hand, a bunch of us really liked the poutine (good food, bad pic):

Covering the Sidewinder fries with a dark guinness gravy and patches of melted cheese only makes them more irresistible – if somewhat less healthy. To be honest, I have no idea how this dish would match up to the real thing in Canada, but it works for me in Yuma.

My salad eating friends like the salads – they are not just some "healthy" item to balance out the menu. Our friend Stacy enjoyed the vegetarian Big House Salad, impressed by the freshness and variety of the greens:

Tina loves the Cobb salad here:

In this case, she added smoked tri-tip to her salad, but she was also impressed by the mixture of greens and insisted that I take this picture to show how abundant and fresh they were:

Speaking of the smoked tri-tip, smoked meats are the main ingredient in most of the sandwiches and entrées. Behind the restaurant stand two full-size smokers, so all the smoked meats are smoked on premises:

Two of their popular sandwiches are the Verdict (brisket):

and The Tip (tri-tip):

I actually preferred The Tip because it seemed to have more going on; The Verdict was just a bit drier. The smoked meats in both, however, were perfectly flavored for my tastes, smoky without being only smoky, if you know what I mean.With sandwiches like these, your results may differ based on which piece if beef was just pulled from the smoker.

The cold smoked turkey sandwich (the Jailbird) is excellent also with bacon, tomato, lettuce, and mild cheese, sort of like a smoky club sandwich:

Though not the best I've ever had, the pulled pork is moist, smoky, and porky and topped with coleslaw :

Sometimes, the restaurant has a smoked turkey leg, sort of entrée at sandwich prices:

Lauren thought it was really good. Similarly, one of my favorite dishes on whole menu is the entrée they call The Quartermaster:

Along with the sides, you get a perfectly smoked, moist, tender chicken leg quarter. I loved it.

Of course, not everything is smoked. They make a good chicken salad (here pictured on a sandwich, but perhaps even better on a salad):

(Sorry about that picture)

The menu also includes burgers, hand formed thick and meaty. The American classic is like nothing from my childhood:

And the Shank has a cheese and bacon stuffed patty topped with a deep-fried avocado (yes that's yummy):

When I finish a meal at Prison Hill, I usually don't think about desserts, but the restaurant does do churros:

and a sundae:

and my memory tells me that both were sweet and tasty.

How did I get to the end of a post about a brewery without mentioning beer?

Oops! Prison Hill currently brews several different beers, however their brewing process takes a month and their production facilities are limited, so that they offer usually only one or two of their own. However there is a varied selection of other specialty beers. My beer drinking friends always leave happy, sometimes very happy if you know what I mean:

There’s also an adequate wine list – for small brewpub. The service, occasionally slow, is very professional and sometimes downright friendly. Truth be told, this is a place where I feel comfortable stopping in by myself or with friends. I consider the prices reasonable: sandwiches and burgers (with sides) run $9-$13, salads are generally under $10, entrées range from $11-$14, and appetizers from $6-$12.

Prison Hill Brewery, 278 S Main St, Yuma, AZ 85364; (928) 276-4001. Opens 11 am daily – closes at 10 pm most nights and 2 am Friday and Saturday.

Antwerp: Frituur No 1 and other stuff

February 20, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Belgium, Travel

Heading back from our visit to MAS, we stopped off at Grote Markt. Things were quite festive here as there was a children's festival….at least that's what I think it was, going on.

As we walked back to our apartment, there was a bit of unfinished business to take care of. We'd been in Belgium for a while already and I still hadn't had any frites. This was easy enough to resolve as Frituur No. 1 was right at the top of the street we were staying on, Hoogstraat.

I stood in line with the combination of locals and tourists and got my frites……with curry mayo, which I really didn't care for. The frites were decent, nothing amazing….in fact the Missus was totally unimpressed. Not light and crisp enough on the exterior…lacking that richness and not quite fluffy enough inside.

Still, I finally got some frites, right?

Frituur No. 1
Hoogstraat 1
Antwerp, Belgium

One thing we loved about our street was that there seemed to be a lot of local traffic on it in spite of being one of the streets leading to Grote Markt.

We could get meat, vegetables, bread, a few steps form where we were staying.

On our last evening, we decided to just relax….I used the kitchen, which like the rest of the apartment was amazingly set-up with pots, pans, seasonings, dishwashing liquid….you name it. The place is called Apartment Ahome Awayfromhome, and rightfully so. The owner Gis was so easy to deal with and all the details were just perfect.

From the De Koninck to the laundry detergent the place is probably among the top 4-5 apartments/residences we've stayed at….totally worth it, even with the 55…yes we counted them; steep steps to climb. In case you're wondering; you can find more info about the place here.

Anyway dinner was simple……ingredients from right up the street.

After dinner we took a walk. Things had kind of settled down……

We took a nice stroll, then returned to the apartment.

I watched the news, the Missus caught up on emails….I did a post, then we set out again. Like I've said many times, Antwerp is very relaxed and easy to enjoy….though it kind of gets you itching for more and I could tell the Missus was ready for a change. This was perhaps a bit too sedate for the Missus.

There is quite a diversity to the city. We especially noticed it at night. As groups of young men…and women of all ethnicities headed to their favorite watering hole.

And still, things were quite calm. The music on the street ended by 10pm. I had my Floreffe Tripel and watched the news on the television while the Missus went to sleep.

Tomorrow, we'd be back at that beautiful train station; headed to our next stop.

Thanks for reading!

Antwerp Day 1: Dinner at De 7 Schaken, bicycles, the best beer in the world(?), and other stuffs

January 17, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Belgium, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After walking around the Grote Markt area we headed down South. Stopping at various shops in the Fashion District, finally heading down to the area called T'Zuid, which basically mean "South".

This gentrified area is now a very trendy part of Antwerp. Eight avenues extend from Marnixplaats – Marnix Square. The statue in the square is named Schelde Vrij – Scheldt Free which commemorates the settlement with the Dutch that allowed free passage of ships on the Scheldt River.

Stopping here, we took a nice leisurely stroll back to Grote Markt via various side streets.

The weather was a bit strange, passing clouds would make it seem like rain was on the way, then a few minutes later the sun would be out. This pattern kept repeating itself the whole day.

Before we knew it, dinner time had arrived. There was a place I'd heard about, right across the street from Den Engel.

I don't quite remember how this place ended up on my list, but it did. Located on the main square, I had my doubts, but this pub/restaurant, ended up being pretty good.

There's a bar area and an attached restaurant, which looked rather rustic. The menu had a few Flemish specialties along with stuff like salads and spaghetti….spaghetti?

The Missus was overjoyed to be back in Belgium and be able to order stuff like the Oude Geuze Vieille, which She thoroughly enjoyed.

I just loved my draft Tripel Karmeliet, which seemed much lighter than here in the states. The was a definite spice-pepperiness to the flavor and it was much more carbonated and fizzy than I recalled. It was a heck of a glass!

What did the Missus get? Well, that was quite predictable…Sausage and Stoemp of course. This version came with Flemish style bacon, which was delicious.

As for the rest of it; I preferred the version at Le Fin de Siècle in Brussels.

I went with the braised pork cheeks with chicory.

It arrived in a nice sized pot. The flavor was nicely beefy and the sauce was pretty good…definitely beer in this one. Loved the texture of the braised chicory and the sweetness that cooking it this way brings out. The beef had kept shape but was spoon tender.

The meal came with frites, which I wasn't really impressed with…and mayo of course.

We must have been hungry as we polished off this very hearty meal.

I celebrated being back in Belgium with another beer; this time a draft La Chouffe, which was bit more hoppy than I recalled. Like the Karmeliet, this seemed really light for an 8% ABV brew. I was definitely enjoying being back….

De 7 Schaken
Braderijstraat 24
Antwerp, Belgium

Dinner done, we headed west to the Riverfront….there's really not much to see here, parking lots and such.

Actually, the view of the Grote Markt area from here is much nicer.

One thing we quickly noticed about Antwerp. There were more folks riding on bicycles than anywhere else we'd seen on this trip.

The Missus quickly got into the habit of taking photos of bikes parked around Grote Markt. Here are a few from Her collection.

That little splash of color just makes them look so cheerful…..

While walking back to our flat, I noticed this beer store. I talked the Missus into taking a look. I love the collections some of these places had. While looking in the back of the store a name got my attention……well, it actually screamed out at me.

If you're a beer nerd, it would do the same to you….though probably more intense that what I experienced.

For some, the Westvleteren 12 is the holy grail of beer. It is often mentioned as being the "Best Beer in the World". I asked the clerk behind the counter about this and he sheepishly looked at me and said, "yes, it is the twelve…..have just come in today and I have not put away." He immediately grabbed the case and put it behind the counter. But not before I got a bottle. I was interested because I had worked this beer into a part of our itinerary later on during this trip.

So later in the evening, I opened the bottle…..and my goodness….now I like quads, but this was really boozy and bready….with sweet tones…..it was a bit much even for me. Needless to say, I started having doubts about what I had planned.

Still, we were enjoying our time in Antwerp. It was not overly touristy, the folks rather relaxed, the food decent…..there was nothing to not like.

Thanks for reading!

Testing Out the 30th Street Stumble: Tiger Tiger!, Belching Beaver, Toronado, Hess Brewing, Waypoint Public, Brabant, Modern Times, and others…..

January 12, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

On one of the Sundays right before Christmas, work done for the day, the Missus and I decided to have some "us time". She wanted to go to Tiger! Tiger!, for a beer and something to eat.

Nursing my "Heavenly Hefe", I went over the little trolley-brewery thing Candice and I did a month or so earlier. The Missus was fairly certain that 30th street would be much more fun. As I mentioned in in this post, that option was certainly open.

**** Tiger! Tiger! has closed

So, there we were noshing on the ciccioli…..

When the Missus, bless Her heart, told me, "let's do it! Let's do it right now"…….which is how we set off on an impromptu 30st Street crawl, which I hereby name the 30th Street Stumble…..

Tiger! Tiger!
3025 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Right around the corner from TT is the Belching Beaver Tasting Room.

I have a couple of friends who refuse to partake or visit the place due to the…well….sort of double entendre naming conventions of the brews and the rather creative visual effect of the logo.

Still, it's a nice space…..

Belching Beaver Tasting Room
4223 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

I can't wait for Rip Current to open their tasting room. I've been to the San Marcos tasting room and I really love their Rye Brown.

Our next stop? Well, it was so the Missus could get Her pork belly skewer fix at Toronado. The Missus really didn't care much for the place when we first visited, but She has really started to enjoy the vibe…..love the jukebox and the interesting ATM.

**** Toronado has closed

And also the beer selection of course…..

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We veered off 30th and took a look at Bottlecraft, then walked into Hess Brewing Company.

Where we ran into a couple whom we saw at Tiger Tiger and Belching Beaver….guess great minds think alike!

The folks here were very friendly, the space was nice and wide open, and the cask Jucundus with Vanilla Bean was quite good….much better than the can of Jucundus I'd tried a few months back. The Missus enjoyed the Ficus, though it was a bit too strong for Her.

We were really enjoying our time together. We'd both been busy working, so this was catch up time, without household items getting in the way. We were taking our sweet time and enjoying it.

Hess Brewing Company North Park
3812 Grim Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Back on course on 30th, we stopped in a couple of shops then crossed the street to one of the Missus's favorite places; Waypoint Public. I like the beer selection here, but the prices can be somewhat painful.

**** Waypoint Public has closed

We had some chicharrons…..

And was then joined by a good friend. I'd sent a text to Candice to see if she'd like to join us. She had plans but was nice enough to drop by for a drink! It was great seeing her as always.

Waypoint Public
3794 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We'd already spent a good 4 hours out and about but were not yet done. We headed down 30th Street….it was a nice day, nice and cool, weather in the low 50's.

As we walked over Switzer Canyon, the sun was starting to go down.

And by the time we reached Brabant, evening had settled in.

The place was in full holiday mode…..

This is where I ordered the Missus's favorite beer of the day….in fact, She still mentions how much She enjoyed the The Oude Tart from the Bruery.

We also had "dinner" here. Brat and Stoemp and some frites……

**** Brabant has closed

Brabant Bar & Cafe
2310 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We had thoughts about hitting up Hamilton's down the street, but decided to turn around here. Tomorrow was a work day after all. But we did have one more stop. This one at Modern Times Flavordome, their North Park tasting room, which is basically on 30th.

We both love the decor, much of it made with recycled items….like the lampshades that line the ceiling.

We ordered small pours for a nightcap.

You could order tacos form Perla next door if you wanted……

Modern Times Flavordome
3000 Upas St
San Diego, CA 92104

We then walked the last mile or so back to the car. This is totally doable, 8 hours, probably 4 miles or so round trip, which is no sweat in good weather. Remember, we did over seven miles for oysters. I had thoughts about stopping at Ritual Tavern….but man, we were stuffed.

The Sunday after Christmas we stopped by Blind Lady Ale House.

And while finishing up our charcuterie plate and our drinks, the Missus said, "hey, you know what?" To which I answered, "no way, that'll by pushing it…." But who knows, maybe next time it'll be BLAH to Hamilton's?

Blind Lady Ale House
3416 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

Antwerp Day 1: Grote Markt and Den Engel

January 10, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgium, Pubs and Pub Grub

*** No food in this one….just more beer. Wouldn't mind at all if you just decided to come back tomorrow!

When I mentioned we were going to Antwerp to some folks who had been to Belgium I was asked "why"? Why? I dunno….doing the Brussels – Ghent – Bruge thing sounded fine, but I wanted more and it just seemed like Antwerpen would be a rather nice, laidback destination after Prague. It was a total slamdunk getting to Antwerp. Get the train from the airport and in an hour or so, you are checking out the beautiful vaulted glass ceilings of Antwerpen-Centraal Railway Station.

It's a stunning site; no wonder they call this the "Railway Cathedral". Until arriving here, São Bento Station in Porto had been the most impressive.

We soon figured things out and caught the metro, getting out at Groenplaats. The apartment we were staying at turned out to be awesome. In spite of the 55 narrow and steep stairs, it was equipped with everything we could want and the small things were taken care of, stuff like laundry detergent, even a couple of bottles of de Koninck, the local beer as a welcome. The woman running things was also a joy. The location was amazing, on Hoogstraat one of the main arteries leading to the main square, Grote Markt. The street had a mini-mart, bakery, produce stand, and meat market.

The Grote Markt is lined with Guild Houses, each one topped with a gold statue or emblem. The City Hall, adorned with flags of different nations really stands out. As does the interesting fountain in the center of the square. Is that really someone throwing a severed arm? You bet….. The Brabo fountain depicts the end of the legendary and feared giant Druon Antigoon who guarded the Scheldt River the main river that flows through Antwerp. The giant would demand a toll for anyone crossing the river. If he was refused, the giant would sever the hand of the person and throw it in the river. Silvius Brabo a Roman soldier vanquished the giant and severed the arm of the giant, flinging it into the river.

Such a story called for….well. a drink of course! We were happy to be back in Belgium and were in dire need of some liquid refreshment.

There were two places that I'd heard of right on the square….in fact, they were right next to each other….and looked almost exactly the same. Strange this city where arms are flung into rivers and two different bars next to each other look like twins.

We chose the one on the left; Den Engel. Why? I dunno…maybe because I'm left handed, or because my left leg is lsightly shorter than my right leg so I just tend to lean left?

The was Antwerp, so we both had a De Koninck. It's a bit dry and almost like a lager….in fact, I would have never thought this was Belgian. The Missus didn't care for it very much, though I thought it was fine.

Den Engel
Grote Markt 3
Antwerp, Belgium

The one great thing about having a drink here was the view of the square and especially the 400 foot tall Cathedral of Our Lady.

Walking over to the cathedral, we noticed this plaque written in Japanese.

I was intrigued….what was this all about? Upon returning I did a little bit of research. This plaque, donated by Toyota is to commemorate at story, written by an English author, about a Flemish boy, that's become a classic in Japan. The story? A Dog of Flanders. If you're interested in the who/what/where/why, I really like this post, it covers the story about the story….about the story.

The day was starting to pass us by….it was time to "hele" as we would say back home……

Upon returning home, I noticed a set of photos of an elderly couple making their way through Grote Markt that the Missus took.

I found the photos sweet and touching……with the hope that perhaps this would be the Missus and I someday……