Victor-23 pairs craft beer with pub fare

Why: Victor-23 is a neighborhood craft brewery and pub that celebrates Pacific Northwest history, specifically centered on the D.B. Cooper story of 1971. The names of the craft beers produced at Victor-23 are inspired by the Cooper skyjacking and are distributed throughout Western Washington and northern Oregon. Eleven beers on tap can be enjoyed in house with a selection of made-to-order pub fare that aspires to be above average.

Atmosphere: To the left of the entry is where the brewing takes place. Steel cylinders and cones flank a tall counter where chairs are available for seating. Across from this, the space has tables with attractive wood tops and metal chairs set for two to six guests. Toward the back is the bar. The kitchen occupies the rear of the space. Large screen TVs are available for entertainment, and a large mural of a Northwest Orient jet, similar to the one Cooper hijacked, is painted on one of the walls. A portion of the wall behind the bar is dedicated to displaying swag for sale.

What I tried: My dining companion and I started with the chips and salsa. I followed with the smoked brisket dip sandwich with potato salad and the market salad. My dining companion tried the BBQ beef taco, the chorizo taco and the veggie taco. I also tried the El Sequestrador, which is a hybrid cream ale with cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and rice. It was sweet and gave the impression of a cider disguised as a beer.

The chips were a bagged, lightly salted, crisp variety, and they were served with a spicy guajillo chili peanut sauce, a mild salsa verde and some housemade pico de gallo. I appreciated the range of flavor options for the chips.

The sandwich was good, but the bread overwhelmed the brisket, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese within. It is never a good thing for bread to take center stage in a sandwich. My solution was to omit the top half of the bread, douse what remained with the au jus, and eat it open-face. The brisket was delicious. The potato salad was made with diced red potatoes and red onion with some other mix-ins. It was more mustard-based than mayonnaise, and it had a slightly spicy kick. I liked the homemade quality of it and found it unlike any others I have tried.

My dining companion really enjoyed the BBQ beef taco made with smoked brisket, and noted the chorizo and the veggies in the other two tacos were overshadowed by the toppings. The chorizo was topped with potato, an onion-cilantro mix and cotija cheese, and the veggie taco was topped with pickled onions and crema.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Starters include roasted nuts, jalape?o poppers, and a salted and buttered pretzel served with warm beer cheese. Other taco options include slow-roasted pork carnitas as well as a weekly special option. Among the sandwich options are a Cuban and a grilled cheese, and there is a Sonoran dog, which is a Polish sausage wrapped in bacon with cheddar cheese, crema, mustard, pico de gallo and pickled jalape?os. Beers on tap include Skyjacker IPA, Mile High Blonde Cream Ale, Night Jumper Brown Ale, Extortion Imperial Porter, Sleighjacker Barley Wine and Flight 305 Amber.

Other observations: Service was friendly and attentive. Patio seating is available, weather permitting. Top Flight Mug Club membership costs $100 annually and gets you discounts, special event invites and swag.

Cost: Starters are $4 to $10. Nachos cost $10 to $15.50. Tacos are $3 and $3.50. Sandwiches range from $8 to $13. Beers are served in 12-ounce pours and pints.