Monday, August 2, 2010

Go And Knock On Their Door

Last week the Beer Rover received a text message from its traveling correspondent about a new pub called The Regal Beagle.  The text said the new restaurant had a bunch of taps and menu consisting of sausages.  What the heck?  Was this some sort of mean joke?  A restaurant that only offered good craft beers and sausages, who was reading my mind?  I had to see for myself and made it down to The Regal Beagle late last week.

We went for a late lunch and loved The Regal Beagle.  It sells food (sausages and appetizers), and it felt more like a pub than a restaurant.  Most of the seating is at the long, L-shaped bar, but there are a handful of tables and all were available when we visited.  Natural light filled the pub, as a bank of windows face India Street and run the length of the restaurant.  There are twenty-four taps, and a modest selection of canned beer.  The taps consisted of craft beer, mostly from San Diego and California, and several Belgian beers.  The beer list appeared well thought out and any beer geek will find something to enjoy.  I am guessing the taps rotate frequently.

The sausages are from T&H Prime Meat and Sausage.  There were eleven sausages to choose from.  I picked the German Garlic - how could I not when the description said it was for Nazi vampires.  It was cooked properly and served on a bun with onions and peppers along with a side of homemade potato chips (which were awesome).   There are six mustard choices, including a spicy and stone ground mustard.  The only place I have had T&H's sausages before was at the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens, and am glad to get them closer to home.  In addition to sausages, The Regal Beagle offers other appetizers including pretzels, Buffalo wings, and a mixed green salad.

The beer prices are reasonable.  Many beers are $5, and higher abvs and Belgians are $6 to $8.  Beers are $1 off during happy hour, which goes to 7 daily (I am not 100% on this time).  I had the Green Flash Extra Pale Ale.  Like all Green Flash beers, it was a style over achiever, hoppier than most pale ales let alone extra pale ales, despite a late lunch appropriate abv of less than 5%.

Maybe it's because I write a beer blog, but any new restaurant needs to have a good beer and wine selection to make me a repeat customer.  It doesn't need twenty-four taps, like The Regal Beagle, but a few interesting, rotating choices are mandatory.  I have stated this before, and am sure I will state it again, but the restaurateur that cares about beer and wine cares about food.  I have not found this a universal truism, but the restaurants where the beer and wine are good, usually have decent food, and it's true in reverse where the beer and wine are afterthoughts.  The Regal Beagle is worth a stop, or many stops.  It hit the ground running with its fantastic beer selection and wonderful sausages, and I wish them success.

2 comments:

The Hop Daddy said...

Did you see Jack Tripper there? Seriously, this looks worthy of a visit. Thanks!

Rational Realist said...

No Jack, but Chrissy was there with Mr. Roper - who knew? Worth a visit in a big way.