Hot Dish Review

This gastro pub in the heart of L5P is owned by chef Nick Rutherford, who’s culinary pedigree has earned him and his establishment much praise.

Located in the long, narrow space that was once Bridgetown Grill, I can’t walk into The Porter without being transported back in time to the days when me and the boys in The Tombstones would take up residency in the big booth up front, ordering pitchers of cheap beer, Jamaican veggie patties, jerk chicken, and more beer.

Gone are the bright tropical walls and booths, replaced by warm hues of brown. It’s a cozy space condusive to sampling unusual brews and creative pub fare. And I love the little touches like serving water in Mason jars.

I’ve had stellar mac ‘n’ cheese and crazy good goat cheese fritters on previous visits. Although I’ve heard mostly positive reports on Rutherford’s entrees, I’ve yet to venture past the starters.

LC and I stopped in recently, choosing a secluded booth in the back. The Porter’s beer list can be daunting despite the fact that it is catergorized by type….430 choices from ales to stouts.

Unlike most pubs, however, The Porter’s other focus is the food. We started our visit with the obvious….goat cheese fritters which look unnervingly like cheese sticks of the frozen mozzarella variety, but are rather filled with soft, warm goat cheese. The fritters are finished with a sprinkling of black pepper and a generous drizzle of clover honey. Sweet, savory, and perfect with a beer like my Brooklyn Chocolate Stout.

Wanting to try at least one new dish, I ordered the mussels, in a simple broth made with Dogfish Head 60 Minute and tomato water. Too simple. They were delivered with a smattering of coarsely minced garlic which I found rather off-putting. The crusty bread was good but I didn’t like the broth enough to sop it up. No comparison to the amazing mussels at Top Flr.

LC tried The Porter’s take on the traditional pub meal of fish ‘n’ chips. He enjoyed the flaky fried cod but, again, I didn’t find anything above average in the flavor or presentation, although I thought it was fun that Rutherford uses Terrapin Golden Beer in the batter. Belgian fries seasoned with garlic oil were perfectly crispy, but LC didn’t care for them.

The Porter offers a few beer “flights”, inviting guests to sample beers they may not have tried before. Turns out, the flavor profiles and nuances of beer are much more complicated than wine.

And you thought beer was for dummies.

1156 Euclid Avenue 404-223-0393

My first visit to The Porter last August was short and sweet, so I was excited to return on Friday, not only for the tremendous beer selection but for Nick Rutherford’s way-better-than-bar-food menu.

And who better to delve into The Porter’s lengthy beer list with than AM. He is really into specialty beers, even brewing his own. We met at the bar where I started with a tasting of three dark beers available on draught, the Weyerbacher Fifteen, Southern Tier JahVah, and Great Divide Claymore Scotch. Of the three, I liked the Fifteen the best, but honestly, I didn’t love any of them. I did, however, love the way they were served, in three little jars set in a wooden tray.

With 29 beers on draught, most of them unfamiliar, choosing is difficult. Eight pages of bottled beer makes ordering feel like studying, although it is very helpful to have a flavor description below each selection. I zeroed in on the Delirium Nocturnum, described as dark and delicious, black raisins, dried figs. AM agreed it was a good choice for me.

The only food I had tried on my first visit was the mac ‘n’ cheese and goat cheese fritters, both amazing. This time AM and I started off with the goat cheese fritters, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with black pepper, creamy and delicious.

AM got a Caracole Ambree, a Belgian strong ale with hints of caramel spice, cinnamon, and apple. In the mood for a stout, I ordered a Ten Fidy, described as “love in a can” with flavors of chocolate, coffee, leather and caramel. Now we’re talkin’.

More food was in order so we shared the house-made bratwurst and sauerkraut. Organic Fuji apples were listed as well but I failed to find any hint of them on the plate. The sausages were perfectly seasoned and delicious with the classic kraut pairing.

We moved on to Nostradamus, Podge Belgian Imperial, Koningshoeven Triple, and more. I lost track to say the least.