Beer – Page 9 – mmm-yoso

Coastal Crave

April 29, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Chicken Wings, Gastropub, Poke, Pubs and Pub Grub

**** Coastal Crave has closed

Back in March I noted the impending arrival of Coastal Crave. I was pretty happy, this space had been empty for years. The business was going to run by the owner of the now defunct Skybox Sportsbar, which I'd been to a few times after moving to the area.

Then other news came trickling in….the kitchen was going to be run by the original chef of Common Theory. 'Nuff said. So I held off on coming for a bit, but finally decided to give it a go a couple of weeks back.

It was a Sunday and the bar was full and the really nice patio area was half full….and there was one poor guy running the bar and the dining area, a really nice guy named Danny…..I felt for him.

The beer selection was a bit limited, but had 2-3 items I was ok with. I went with a Port Brewing Shark Attack Red Ale, then turned it down when my food arrived.

The menu seemed a bit pricey, but it's hard to make that determination when you haven't tried anything, so I went full steam ahead. And of course, being from Hawaii, I love my poke, so I thought it would be a good place to start ($9.50). I think for most, this would be ok. Me, well, I'm not a big fan of saku fish….that boned, skinned, pre-cut, vacuum packed, and frozen stuff has a texture I don't enjoy.

I would have appreciated a bit more shoyu and less sesame oil. And I thought the "wasabi pesto" needed more wasabi.

I went with the Garlic Parmesan Wings, which was basically simply fried wings with a dollop of a garlic-cheese paste on them.

The wings were a bit greasy and the flesh dry. There were six wings total….guess how much this was? $11.50……are we soon going to have $2 wings? I rue the day I actually complained about the price of wings at Kyochon!

Man, that was a not so great first visit. Still, I decided to visit again. This time I saw the sign for $1 off draft beer during "Happy Hour" – 4-6pm. It's nothing like, say, Iron Pig's half price happy hour. It was also kind of a bummer when I was told that Sculpin and the Shark Attack Red were excluded from happy hour pricing…..it's only a dollar, but really……

This time around I asked for a recommendation with regards to one of my dishes. Queried about my tolerance for "heat", the Habanero Calamari ($8.50) was recommended.

And this was probably the best item I had at Coastal Crave; tender, nice spice, cooled by a decent aioli. It was on the greasy side….but this is pub grub, right?

I also decided to try the Bone Marrow ($15).

This seemed a bit over-priced and the marrow looked really black. It wasn't too bad, but in spite of the color, there were quite a bit of red, under done parts. This actually made the Wagyu Bone Marrow at Copper Onion seem amazing.

Pretty uneven, almost like the place is over-reaching a bit. I'm glad that it seems the neighborhood folks are coming out and supporting the place, but I wish the food was a bit better and the beer selection more interesting….though I saw most people drinking Bud Light, Corona, and Shock Top……

As you can tell. I was ready to call it quits….but for some reason, I decided on one more try. I saw a nice looking sandwich go out on my previous visit, so I thought I'd order it; the Duck Melt ($13).

I really enjoyed the melted Havarti cheese, slightly milky, creamy, it really added to the sandwich. I thought the duck confit needed a bit more flavor, and the whole thing was super rich. I wish the pickles were a bit more assertive; it would have been just enough acid to cut the richness. The habanero aioli actually detracted from the overall flavor and seemed out of place. Also, the bread had been griddled a bit too long and some of the areas were bitter. The fries were nice and for some reason….maybe the acid component, the ketchup tasted really good.

The folks here seem very nice, though the service can be a bit slow.

I'm glad that places like this are opening in the neighborhood. Like I said about Luce's, I'm not the kind of guy who is just "happy to have xxxx in the neighborhood". And while the menu seems "interesting" (extra " " on this) with stuff like "Gator Cakes" on it. I'm just going to have a burger next time. I'll probably be better off. I hope…..

Coastal Crave
3065 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117

La Mesa Craft Kitchen (first look)

April 26, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Gastropub, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for continuing to drop by to read mmm-yoso!!! Today, Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are taking breaks and Cathy is writing.

Over the past six months, whenever we'd stop at Carnitas Uruapan (which is far more often than I've posted), The Mister and I watched the progressing construction of this new La Mesa Gastropub, which opened about two weeks ago. (cc has been here recently; here is a link to her post)The location of Craft Kitchen La Mesa used to be a 7-11. (Look into the distance of the above photo, you can see the new 7-11 location, directly on the other side of Spring Street).Stepping into the front door, the menu board and ordering area are in front of you. There are also menus on the counter and some chairs if you need to peruse. The menu is short.

Order, pay, find a seat…Perhaps decide on a beer or wine to accompany your meal… Then again, there are tasters ($2 each) when you can't decide. Julian Hard Cider and Karl Strauss Mosaic were our choices this day. Other difficult choices were deciding what we wanted to try on this visit (while planning what we want to try on future visits…did you notice there is breakfast…daily breakfast, not just a weekend Brunch…). So, the "Greens " flat bread ($10) was our mutual choice. Fresh made chewy (with a bit of bottom crunch) flatbread topped with Mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, fresh chopped garlic and basil…the flavors all melded wonderfully and went well with each beverage choice.
This quite large (despite the photo) "Strawberry Fields" salad ($11) with added chicken ($2) was also a mutually decided choice, primarily because of the cheese –Burrata– and our general tendency toward trying to have a 'balanced' meal. Spring mix greens, whole almonds and a very nice strawberry vinaigrette combined with the Burrata and good portion of warm/just cooked marinated chicken (the flavors of the chicken were good enough not to need any seasoning additions) made this salad an excellent meal…well, half the salad plus half the flatbread was a great meal.

La Mesa (and its border) is gradually becoming the East County version of 30th Street, with a few stumbles and successes, with established gastropub/regular pub type restaurants. The concept of breakfast at Craft Kitchen will be thoroughly investigated.

La Mesa Craft Kitchen 4253 Palm Avenue (at Spring Street) La Mesa, CA 91941 (619)461-4887 Open 7 days Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat 8a.m.-11 p.m. Sun 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Website

Iron Pig Alehouse

April 19, 2015 mmm-yoso BBQ, Beer, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

**** Iron Pig has closed

This post really underlines why I like to make multiple visits to places when possible. It's not always practical. But if a place shows promise, I try to visit more than once if possible. Iron Pig is a good example, though sometimes it takes a while.

Back in November, Iron Pig Alehouse opened in PB; you can read Kirbie's post on the place. soon after opening, I visited with a friend of mine…..

And while the service was nice and the beer selection decent; I thought the meal left a lot to be desired.

From the nicely flavored but rubbery skinned smoked wings, to the baby backs with a decent rub, but quite dry and mealy texture, to the mushy brisket. The sauce seemed what my friends would call "competition sauce"…..tasting like a doctored up base. Not bad mind you, just quite generic.

And yet, there seemed some potential here; the flavor of the wings were quite good……..

So it took me six months to convince my biggest BBQ critic, the Missus ("your rubs is too bitter"…."the ribs you made are too dry"……."that pork butt needs to be smoked a bit longer") to check out Iron Pig. And we're glad we did.

Take a look at this version of the smoked wings ($9.99).

Nice and crisp, smoky, perhaps edging on being too salty, but I'll never complain about anything being too smoky. The wings were also moist and tender….just about perfect for us.

Of course the Missus "needed" a salad….sigh…..but, She made the right choice in ordering the "Man Salad" ($12.99).

Our Server/bartender was awesome…..she actually warned us that the "salad has French fries on it….and some folks take exception to that!" Really? It's ok to have fries in the burrito, but not in a salad? This was a huge salad. The blue cheese, brisket (much better than previously encountered), and arugula worked really well for us.

The only item we both didn't care for were the rib tips. I'm a big rib tip fan….I love maneuvering around the chewy cartilage, through all that rich fatty tissue, and the burnt crust for that perfect bite. This was too mushy, mild, and frankly ruined by all that sauce. You really didn't get the joy of having a nice rib tip. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but crunchy, crusty, fatty, rib tips just do well on their own with sauce on the side.

Overall, we had a nice meal. The service was very friendly….actually, I wish I got the name of our bartender/server. She was awesome. I'm sure we'll be back…especially since most draft beers are half price during Happy Hour. I need to have those wings again…..just to see….which version is the norm.

Iron Pig Alehouse
1520 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109

Utah: Island in the Sky (Canyonlands National Park) and Wasatch Brew Pub

April 15, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel, Utah

I woke at 530am on our second morning in Utah. The previous day, had been quite amazing….well, the views, not the food. We decided to head off to a district of the massive (337,598 acres) Canyonlands National Park, known as Island in the Sky, a mesa that towers a thousand feet over the rugged and picturesque terrain below. I got the Missus up at around 6am….we showered, packed up and headed out into the dark morning…..pretty much like the day before. This time though, our target was much closer, a bit over 30 miles or so away. The classic location for viewing the sunrise in the Island in the Sky district is the Mesa Arch which frames the East rising sun. We had run into maybe two cars on our drive to the Mesa Arch, but were surprised when the parking lot was almost full! Taking the short half mile walk to the arch, we could see an entire line of paparazzi folks with camera gear already set-up!

It was crazy. I heard one guy telling another he'd camped out overnight and got to his "spot" to set-up at 5am! Serious folks!

I just headed off to the side to photograph the dramatic sunrise.

The Missus hung back and took a photo of the sunrise through the Mesa Arch.

And while it was a bit of a hazy morning, the views were still quite dramatic.

We walked back to the car and headed off to the Grand View Point Overlook and took the 3 mile hike around the rim of the mesa.

I really enjoyed this hike. The views were just stunning. I probably enjoyed this more than the Delicate Arch, which was the Missus' favorite.

You can see for miles in the distance; view the amazing terrain, and just try to take it all in.

The hike is easy, you can read more about it here and here.

And no, there aren't any fences or barriers……which just adds to the drama. (Click on the photos to enlarge)

We made one last short stop at the Shafer Canyon Overlook, before hitting the road and making the 200 mile trip back to Salt Lake City.

I made a short stop in Green River to refuel, then drove all the way through.

Our destination? The rather hip neighborhood in SLC called Sugar House. During our stop at Whole Foods a couple of nights back. I got into a nice conversation with the very friendly young lady at the deli counter. When I mentioned we were from San Diego…she bent over and whispered; "do you like to drink beer???" I whispered back, "we sure do….but why are we whispering?"

Anyway, she recommended a stop at the Annex by Epic Brewing. So that's where we went. The place has this "club license" which means they can serve alcohol without having to serve food. The server was really nice and explained things to us…took our IDs and scanned them and did the whole thing.

I would have really enjoyed this place except for one thing….the bartender was a jerk. Apparently he didn't like us, and decided to serve and chat to his "friends" rather than pour us our beer, which took 25 minutes to get to us. Other than the three people at the bar, the place was totally empty. I think the last straw was when a group of eight came in after us and got their drinks before us. Even our server profusely apologized telling us, "I'm sorry, but I don't have control over pouring your beer". Too bad, my Belgian Style Golden Ale was quite nice.

I felt really bad for our server when I told her, "I think we'll be headed out." And asked for the check….so I left her a nice tip…after all, it wasn't her fault the wanna be hipster behind the bar was a jerk. Nuff said.

**** The Annex by Epic Brewing has closed

The Annex by Epic Brewing
1048 E 2100 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84106

In retrospect, maybe it was fate that drove us from the Annex to Wasatch Brew Pub next door.

This place was a bit more busy and our server was wonderful. I also loved the names of the beer; Chasing Tail Golden Ale, anyone? This almost made me forget I was in SLC.

And then the Missus saw the beer I "just had to order"…. the Polygamy Porter on Nitro….yep, you heard that right. I just can't help but crack up. I loved the glass….in fact, the Missus and I should have bought a couple for our friends. And then there's the beer's tagline; "Why have just one…." You gotta love it…

This was pretty light, mild coffee, nice and creamy from the nitro. Not the best Porter I've had….but surely one of the best names!

The Missus ordered the Jalapeno Cream Ale, which was quite good. Unlike a lot of chile beers, this one had a nice kick that came through. Great fragrance of jalapenos as well. It went well with the food we had.

The Shishito Peppers could have been roasted a bit more.

But the Missus really enjoyed it…..the portion size was quite large. It needed a bit more salt, but the peppers were really fresh. Some of the larger, older ones had a bit of sneaky heat as well.

The Missus really wanted more veggies and we had dinner reservation for what I thought was going to be a rather rich meal, so I didn't veto the "Super Food Beet Salad". The beets were really tasty, having that balanced sweetness I really enjoy. The vinaigrette was nice, slightly citrusy, never getting in the way of the ingredient's flavors.

I honestly have to say; I'm still not a fan of fruits in my salad…especially mandarin oranges…though the Missus enjoys them.

In the end, I'm glad we ended up here. The service was pleasant, the food, while nothing special was ok, and we got a couple of good laughs as well. The beer will not make you forget about San Diego, but you'll never forget that sign…..

Wasatch Brew Pub
2110 Highland Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84106

Utah: Arches National Park and Moab Brewery

April 14, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel, Utah

Thanks to Cathy, you probably didn't even notice I was gone for a few days, did ya?

A few weeks back, I could tell that the Missus, who had been working really hard was just itchin' for a trip. I had just finished watching an episode of Inside Man…a rarity for me since I've been too busy to watch television over the last couple of months. The episode was about America's National Parks. When the little tidbit about the average age of the typical visitor to a National Park was mentioned, I was shocked. Can you guess what it was? 57? I recall living vicariously thru the stories that kids I knew whose parents would take them to Yellowstone, or some other national park over the summer would tell. We were too poor to travel, but I'd always told myself "someday….." The Missus had been wanting to visit Arches National Park for a while; so I guess "someday" had arrived.

So I quickly planned our escape. An evening flight to Salt Lake City. I decided to stay in Provo since it would cut off an hour of our drive time. We'd be getting to Provo by about 830 pm or so. I did a bit of research to see what was open after 9pm……yikes….not much in Provo or Orem. So what I decided to do was to take an extra hour out, head to Whole Foods in Salt Lake, grab a salad, some nuts(which would keep us the whole weekend), some charcuterie, and head to Provo. So our first real interaction with folks in Utah was at Whole Foods and let me tell you….I just couldn't believe how really nice the two young ladies who helped us were. I'll have more on the young lady at the deli counter later. Strangely, Whole Foods was almost totally empty, at 730 pm…so were the streets of downtown Salt Lake City. We loved the Residence Inn in Provo, full fridge, sofa, living room…even though we'd only be staying the night it made us feel at home.

We headed out before 6 am the next morning. It was hard to see much since the sun didn't come up until almost 7 am.

The drive was interesting….we saw unmelted ice by the side of the roads….snow had fallen as recently as the week before we arrived and if I recall correctly, more snow is set to fall there Wednesday into Thursday this week!

We stopped for fuel, some vitamin D, and a good stretching of our legs in Price.

We arrived at the gates of Arches National Park at around 845am, and managed to drive past the gates by 9am. The Missus wanted to check out the Visitor's Center so we made a stop there. Here's the deal. We had made no plans (except for one must see) and decided just to let the road be our guide. I knew it was going to be amazing just by the view out the window of the Visitor's Center.

I had printed a map earlier, off the National Park Service Website. Maps tell you distance, you can determine location….but they don't indicate what the area looks like. Which was pretty darn beautiful.

We stopped at the trailhead called "Park Avenue" because it resembles the towers that line the famous boulevard in Manhattan.

We then drove just a short distance when I couldn't help but stop and just look in wonder.

In this panoramic shot (click on to enlarge), you can see "the Organ" (second from the right) and the "Three Gossips" (three little nubs to the left of the Organ).

If you ever visit, Balanced Rock should be a must stop. there's an easy short trail…we saw a woman using a walker on the trail. It's pretty amazing…..the Missus kept saying "who knows…..this might just fall and crumble any day now" during the entire time here.

There's this strange sense of scale when looking at these large sandstone formations…it really doesn't look that large from a distance….but up close….. So including people in our photos actually helps to illustrate scale.

From Balanced Rock, it gets a bit more crowded. After all, the Windows area is a must stop.

This is another very easy trail. You can visit the North and South "Window" and also the Turret Arch across the way, via a very easy trail.

It's a very popular area.

As is the "Double Arch" (right across the parking lot), two arches that meet at a single spot….formed by water in a "pothole" according to the signage.

My favorite view were the formations named "Parade of the Elephants"….which really looked like elephants!

Our next stop was the one the Missus was really looking forward to. It meant stopping near an area called Wolfe Ranch. Near here is a side trail where you can view petroglyphs……one of my favorite sites on this trip.

Beyond this point lay what the Missus wanted to see. It was easy trail to this point. Beyond this was a fairly steep trail of what they call "slickrock". Still, I saw many a mom and dad making their way up the side of the mountain with a baby strapped to their back. Granted, they were decades younger than me….but still……

The big payoff here was a close-up view of a iconic symbol of the state of Utah. the Delicate Arch.

It is striking….and as the Missus said, "you know…..this might just fall and crumble any day now!"

The descent was actually harder on my joints than the ascent. But we finally made it back to the car and onward to Moab. I wasn't really inspired by any location in Moab, so I let the Missus choose. She decided on Moab Brewery.

Utah has some of the most restrictive alcohol laws in the US. And Moab Brewery is located almost at the end of the one major thoroughfare, Main Street.

We decided to eat in the bar area. The woman who served us was so nice. We asked about the local liquor restrictions and apologized for not quite knowing it. Her reply, "oh, no problem……I tell everyone who is not a local anyway, so they know." Anyway, anything draft is less than 4 percent ABV, you can get bottled beer, which is considered "liquor", as in hard liquor. There are "tasters", but no "flights".

Anyway, I went with a Hefeweizen, which was decent, non-descript, fairly generic, though quite refreshing.

The Missus had two tasters and went with the Pilsner. Which She said was refreshing, though even lighter than what we had in Prague. Still, it was nice after hiking in the sun…..

We weren't too hungry and decided on two things……

Starting with the Jalapeno Beer Fries ($6.59).

We both actually enjoyed this. The Jalapeno Powder gave this a bit of a "kick", the fries had been dusted with flour and were crisp. The "beer sauce" was like nacho cheese with salsa….but was strangely addictive…in a "college dorm room" kind of way.

We also ordered the Gazpacho Salad with Grilled Chicken ($9.99).

The vinaigrette was decent, this hit the spot as we wanted something cold and light for lunch.

The service was nice, the food…well, I've had much worse in San Diego.

Moab Brewery
686 S Main St
Moab, UT 84532

And so we hit the magical hour of check-in. Which we did….followed by a short nap.

Upon getting up, we decided to head back to Arches for the sunset.

First we visited the area called the "Garden of Eden".

Then it was off to the Windows for the sunset.

The difference in views and how things look at various times of the day is fascinating. Also, you start noticing more on your second visit.

And so we watched the sunset from the Turret Arch…….

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!