Elora brew pub a work of art

Listening to a favourite Springsteen song while waiting briefly for our reserved table seems like a good way to start out an evening at a brew pub. The Elora Brewing Company first opened its doors just over a year ago establishing itself as the only brewery in Elora.

My husband, teenage daughter and I were greeted warmly and escorted to a table on the second floor of the two storey building. The first floor consists of a bar with stools, table seating and a large garage door that can be opened in good weather. Both ends of the restaurant are anchored with objects that create their own spectacle. The four enormous steel fermentation tanks at the one end can be seen from both floors. At the opposite end, and just above the garage door, a large creature created by local artist Tim Murton looks to be in midflight. The attention to detail in the decor of this brew pub would give reason enough to make a visit.

The beer and food menus are also a work of art. Albeit somewhat limited in options, the selections are unique and give lots to ponder. Kudos to our server for his patience as we, well, mostly I, asked numerous questions. The first, about a lighter beer selection with not too much malt, was answered knowledgeably with the suggestion of the Elora Borealis Citra Pale Ale ($7, 17 oz.). He chose well. My husband, generally a fan of bottled beer, was equally pleased with the Three Fields Lager ($6, 21 oz.). My daughter chose iced tea ($3.75). Interestingly, beer pairings are suggested on the menu.

Next, I wanted to know about the house pickles. Today’s selection included daikon with turmeric, daikon with kimchee, sweet cucumber and rhubarb. I couldn’t decide so I chose the platter which included some of each for sharing ($11). I thought they were all quite good but the rhubarb was given the top rating.

The kale salad ($8) was large enough that the three of us were able to share this as well.

The honey, cranberry and yogurt dressing combined with small chunks of apple, fennel and roasted pumpkin seeds added good flavour and took away any bitterness from the kale. It too was a hit.

My husband chose the special for the evening; the duck confit with prosciutto and asparagus salad ($18).

Each bite was a forkful of flavour, particularly with the lemon butter dressing, but the dish was portioned a little small with one duck leg.

I chose the mushroom almond burger with deep fried tomato ($15). The burger fell apart making it a challenge to eat with the bun but I scooped up every last bit, enjoying every bite. The accompanying frites with house-made ketchup were not without guilt but oh so worth it. The fries disappeared quickly once they were offered up for sharing.

I think my daughter was happy that I’d convinced her to go for it and order the mac and cheese, accompanied by homemade grainy mustard and pickles ($14). She said it was nice and hot, served in its own baking dish and topped with a little melted cheese. The portion was just right for her.

For dessert, only one of the three menu options was available as they were changing over to new items.

The chocolate brownie rested on a pool of thick strawberry compote and was topped with whipped cream and a cookie crumble. The small, round, cardamom spice cake was centred in a delicious cream pond bordered by chopped pistachios. It was topped with two pieces of white chocolate pistachio bark. If your mouth isn’t watering, it should be — they were wonderful ($7 each)!

Assessing food, atmosphere, service and prices. Dining Out restaurant reviews are based on anonymous visits to the establishments. Restaurants do not pay for any portion of the reviewer’s meal. Robin McQuillan can be reached at rmcquillan@sympatico.ca.