It Is A Beer Hall With Dogs On The Wall
In the spirit of Sunday afternoon adventures, Teresa and took a trip down to the Southeast. Thanks to Trimet, the ride is easy. Surprisingly easy. We wanted to stop by Powells for some new reading material. We also planned on grabbing some eats and drinks. For sometime, we've been hoping to visit the Lucky Labrador Brew Pub. Finally the time had come!
Lets talk about Trimet. It works well -- most of the time. It really can get you anywhere in the city. The ride is generally safe, but I wouldn't want Teresa on the bus by herself at night. Where we live, we have to walk pretty fare to a few stops. This can put a hamper on exploring. When I started to plan today's trip, I was pleasantly surprised by the 75. We can pick up this line less then five minutes walking distance from the
house. After a short ride, we exit the bus on the corner of SE 39th and SE Hawthorne. Awesome! This line should provide easy access to almost any neighborhood in the Southeast.
We stopped in Powells, and I didn't pick up a book. I wasn't looking too hard. We stopped in Buffalo Exchange, but I didn't find any recycled goods. We continued to walk down SE Hawthorne toward the river. The walk is enjoyable with great views of West Hills in front of you and Mt. Tabor behind you. Eventually, we picked up the bus for a ride down to SE 7th and SE Madison.
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub is located in no man's land. Surrounded by industrial buildings, it doesn't look like much from the outside. The only other entertainment option on the block is Hawthorne Strip (not work safe). You can enter from either SE Madison or SE Hawthorne. We entered from SE Hawthorne, and I was very surprised. It is a large and inviting beer hall! The floor is antique hardwood. The ceilings are at least 15 to 20 feet tall. The entire back wall is covered with a heartland mural that depicts an owner and his dog in a wheat field. You can order food and beer from a large bar. The center of the room is dotted with a number of chairs and tables. On the outside patio, a few patrons brought their pups. It is an awesome site. I can't forget, there are paintings of Labradors all over the walls! I was excited to spend the next few hours of my life in this place.
Of course, the beers were dominated by Lucky Labrador Brewing Company. They do have a few guest taps for favorites like Lagunitas. I thoroughly enjoyed Lucky Lab's Triple Threat IPA and Quality Rye. The pints are poured tall and at reasonable prices. We even tried Lagunitas Lumpy Gravy. It might have trumped the local taps, but I'm not so sure. With a name like Lumpy Gravy, how can the beer taste bad? We did grab some food with our beverages. We shared a hummus plate, chicken gravy and Gobbler sandwich. Each item was excellent. The hummus plate included large pieces of bread instead of pita. The hummus itself was nice and garlicky. I had a few bites of chili, but I preferred The Gobbler. This turkey sandwich was stacked high with cold cuts and dripping with spicy cream cheese. It sounds strange, but I liked the flavor.
The great food definitely complemented the fantastic beer. I loved the space. It was quiet on this day. I knew most people were watching the Super Bowl, but we'd rather be at a decent pub. I am looking forward to revisiting the Lucky Lab in the near future. I have a few more beers to try as well as some sandwiches. I hope each visit is as fun as today.
