Brewed offers coffee, beer, homemade soup, hot sandwiches
The Columbian
Published: March 6, 2015, 12:00am
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The mango ham melt are among the menu items at Brewed Cafe & Pub on Main Street in downtown Vancouver.
Why: Brewed Café & Pub, at the south end of Main Street in Vancouver, is a gathering place where people can enjoy coffee, beer and wine along with breakfast, homemade soup and hot sandwiches. Brewed occasionally hosts music events as well.
What I tried: I had the mango ham melt, and my dining companion had the Sriracha melt. We also sampled the yuca fries and the bacon-wrapped dates. I had hoped to try the homemade soup of the day, but they were sold out by evening — something to keep in mind if you plan a visit.
The yuca fries looked like a cross between French fries and breaded mozzarella sticks. They were breaded and fried to a light golden brown, with a soft inner core. The flavor was slightly reminiscent of a potato. A chipotle dip was served alongside. The bacon-wrapped dates were served atop fresh greens, which aided in soaking up extra grease. Each sweet date was wrapped with a single layer of bacon. Although the bacon was somewhat fatty, it was cooked beyond the chewy stage, bringing that distinctive, salty bacon essence to the dates.
Of the two sandwiches we ordered, I was more impressed with the Sriracha melt. Made with Tillamook cheddar, Sriracha sauce, Boar’s Head ham and a spicy-sweet jalapeño mix on sourdough bread, the sandwich was grilled to create a gooey, delicious meal.
The mango ham melt began with a toasted ciabatta roll. To it, Swiss cheese, grilled ham and a creamy and spicy mango sauce were added. The sandwich isn’t grilled, so the roll remained fluffy while the grilled ham melted the cheese and warmed the sauce inside the sandwich. In my opinion, this is one of those sandwiches that has great potential. As it is, there is an overwhelming amount of ham, which drowns out everything else. I would remake it with about half the amount of ham to allow the other flavors to shine, and I would add fresh arugula for some oomph. Both sandwiches were served with a bag of rippled potato chips and a fresh strawberry.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The specialty salad is a basic garden salad topped with a choice of pulled pork, grilled chicken or tuna salad. The Brewed BLTA (the “A” stands for avocado) sounded good, as did the Caprese-ish Grilled Cheese made with “the delights of a Caprese salad with spinach and artichoke hearts,” according to Brewed. This sandwich is grilled on rustic sourdough bread. Zenner’s sausages are also available. The after-5 p.m. menu includes chicken bites; chips and salsa; hummus served with pita chips and veggies; and plantain chips served with guacamole and salsa. Dessert selections include cookies, sweet breads and cake slices. Locally roasted Transcendence coffee is served. Brewed also carries Humm kombucha.
Atmosphere: Seating included bar stools at a tall counter, and bistro-style tables and chairs. A few upholstered lounging options were available in the open loft area, which had a big-screen TV and books to borrow. Wooden surfaces in the restaurant complemented simple industrial elements, which were offset by some whimsical stenciling and an iron railing around the loft. Brewed has a Portland vibe, and it may be relaxed or lively, depending on the crowd.
Other observations: The wait staff is friendly and attentive. The indoor temperature was a little warm on the evening of my visit.
Cost: Breakfast costs $1.50 to $4. Salads are $6 and $8. Soup is $3 for a cup and $4.75 for a bowl. Sandwiches range from $3.50 to $7.75. The after-5 p.m. menu items are $4 to $7.50. Cold beverages include Italian soda, iced tea, San Pellegrino, and Virgil’s soda and cost $1.50 to $3. Coffee and espressos start at $1.50 and top out at $3.75. Beer and kombucha range from $2.25 to $11 depending on the serving size.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Health score: Brewed received a score of 0 on Oct. 18. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
