Why: Like the head on a just-poured mug of beer, Walking Man Brewing rose to the No. 15 spot on RateBeer’s Best Brewpubs 2010 list. It’s a beer-lover’s honor, which has brought in a steady stream of brew-tasting epicureans, who are ordering more sample trays, said Jacob Leonard, head brewer for Walking Man.
But epicureans, even the brew variety, cannot live on beer alone. Sometimes you’ve got to eat. Which brings us to pub food, something that the brewery began serving shortly after its 2000 opening.
Atmosphere: Imagine an old spaghetti Western and you get a sense of the brewery from the outside, which is defined by its silver-toned weathered wood. But when you descend a flight of wooden steps to head inside, another world opens. On the ground floor, you’ll find a beer garden to the right, where hops sprout and summer music will play. It’s here where diners and beer lovers can also soak up a view of the Columbia River Gorge.
Walk through the door on the left and enter the darkened den of all things pub. Vintage beer serving trays and beer steins dot this man cave, where patrons sidle up to the etched concrete bar. Bob Craig, the 61-year-old pub owner, said he wanted to create a place where he’d like to hang out, which meant hiring an artist to design metal bar stools that echo the yellow Walking Man brewery logo.
What I tried: I opted for a basket of Garlic Parmesan Fries and, at the server’s suggestion, a Black Pesto Pizza.
The fries, a garlicky dish sure to scatter any would-be vampires, could have easily fed two or more over a glass of beer. They were served sizzling hot and sprinkled with garlic seasoning, which left an impression that lasted for hours after the meal.
The pizza was made with black olives, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, artichoke hearts, green onions and feta cheese. The crust was chewy, pliable and almost like a fresh-baked pita, but with that distinctive pizza-dough flavor. A black-olive pesto sauce topped the dough, and the vegetable toppings were spread over it. Like the fries, the 10-inch pizza could easily be shared with a companion.
Rick Toledo, the brewery’s chef, came up with the pizza recipe when he owned the now-closed The Crossing Café. The secret, he said, is in the pesto sauce, a spread that includes black olives, garlic, capers, olive oil and spices.
Other observations: Don’t look for a men’s room in this brewery. Or a lady’s room, for that matter. Instead, you’ll find two restrooms, one marked “Readers,” the other “Dreamers,” leaving you to decide which one suits you.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The Smoked Salmon Pizza — which is made with smoked salmon, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, mushrooms, green onions and dill — sounded intriguing. Toledo said the salmon in the Columbia River, just a couple blocks away, was the inspiration for this pizza.
Cost: Plan on about $5 for fries and about $10 for pizza.
Hours: Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturday 3 to 9 p.m. and Sunday 3 to 8 p.m.
Contact: 509-427-5520.
Where: 240 S.W. First St., Stevenson.
Health score: Walking Man Brewing received a health score of 18 for its September 2008 inspection, which is the most recent score it has received. Zero is a perfect score. Skamania County Public Health closes restaurants that score 100 or higher. For information, call 509-427-3881.
