Saturday, June 4, 2011

The Rare Night Out: Audubon Ale House


Ok, so it wasn't really a "night" per se, but still, my mother-in-law was nice enough to stop in for 90 minutes and babysit. This gave us ample time to head to the Audubon Ale House for dinner and a couple of drinks. I don't know if I would give this establishment "hidden jewel" status, but I do think that it is an underrated choice when looking to spend some quality time in the local bar. So with time of the essence we chose to hit it up in lieu of other choices, The Saloon and the always reliable Chap's.

The taps at Audubon could probably use a little work. There is probably a little too much of a concentration on blue collar beers, such as Bud and Coors and Yuengling (although the selection on this night was a Bock; maybe it's really good), and not as much of a focus on stand-out microbrews. But then again, they are probably working toward the palette of their clientele, which upon this night seemed to be working more toward the cut-off sleeve type of crowd than the adventurous beer sophisticate. This being said, I was able to find a couple of gems on their docket. I will say I was slightly shocked to see Founders Centennial IPA on their taps. This is definitely a premiere IPA, and it went down very well. While the greatest IPAs seem to reside on the Left Coast, I certainly would recommend this Michigan-based brewery's version for anyone who likes their hops ample. Next up for me was a Victory Headwaters Pale Ale draft. I have already spoken at length on this blog about this wonderful product from the Downingtown staple. Check it out and you will not be disappointed.

Now the area where Audubon Ale House really makes their beer bones is their bottle list. It is not incredibly extensive, but it is certainly above average for a local pub. Amongst the all-stars on the menu are Rogue Dead Guy, three different variations from the geniuses at Dogfish Head, two beastly bottles from the legend that is England's Samuel Smith, and the beer that I selected as my coup de grace on this night, Yards Philly Pale Ale. Needless to say, it was sumptuous and even better most likely since I was getting to spend a rare unencumbered-by-children night with the Mrs. (I would address her beer selection, but she opted for two servings of a Cabernet Sauvignon, the brand of which I do not recall.)

The food, of course, is standard pub fare. We had the mozzarella sticks and the buffalo wings, since they were on sale for the Happy Hour. They were both serviceable, although we do find it funny that we are always underwhelmed by the heat on buffalo wings. The version we ordered at Audubon was called "Chernobyl," which I would assume would mean that they are meltdown-style hot. They certainly had a kick but nothing that would have you running for a water fountain. But they were certainly tasty! Interestingly enough, we ordered the chili nachos, but were told that they were not available because the chili was not "in season." This was odd because I really didn't know that chili had a season! This being said, I admire their commitment to only putting the best product out on the table,even if I have no idea why they couldn't serve it. If they are not going to be able to produce it, they should probably take it off of the Happy Hour menu, but what the hell; it wasn't that big of a deal. We just ordered something else.

If there is one thing I would definitely touch on when it comes to this establishment, it would be the burgers. Big burger fan? Then check this place out. We ordered the Southwestern Burger, which came with jalapenos, Southwest spices, and pepper jack cheese. I threw a little A-1 on the side, not because it needed it but simply because I love the stuff. Seriously, I could probably drink that stuff like an Arnold Palmer. Anyway, the thing was delectable. Cooked perfectly to order with a side of fries. I'm not supposed to eat them, but f*ck it; I went to play basketball this morning (yep, still have massive game at 34) and hopefully I worked it all off.

A final word about the Audubon Ale House: The waitresses. Let's just say that they are really, really, really well endowed...in the area of service. Despite the fact that she was also working the bar, our main waitress was never late with a check-up on beers or satisfaction with the meal. The other one? Well, she was very nice to look at when I wasn't looking deeply into my wife's eyes with love and adoration. Anyway, I know from semi-frequent stops to pick up six-packs (they have a lot of their beers available) that they are both very nice ladies. The dude who brought out our food (in a very timely fashion) was cool too, I just wish his skirt was a little shorter.

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2812 Egypt Road
Audubon, PA 19403

Audobon Ale House on Urbanspoon

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