I saw Breakside Brewing had just released their bourbon barreled Aztec on Wednesday, so I had to go check it out. The Aztec is their take on an American strong ale. It is dark (my type of beer) and brewed with honey malt, cocoa, and a mix of Serrano and Habanero chiles. This is a regular on their tap, but this version was additionally aged in bourbon barrels, which I found tamed the spice so it was less backside taste of English Indian curry as instead there was more rounded smoothness, with even a tinge of hard alcohol sweetness. It is sweet, spicy, and strong (12%).
I selected for dinner Breakside Brewing's Curry Fried Chicken served on a bed of mashed potatoes and seasonal local veggies topped with a curry bechamel, fresh pico de gallo, and crispy onions. It went really well to compliment the beer- the chicken was moist with a thick crispy fried skin, the mashed potatoes were creamy as was the curry sauce (resonating the smooth but spicy of the beer), the veggies were cooked right to bring out some color of the broccoli but it was still crisp, and the pico de gallo balanced it out with a bit of tart juicy acid. I would order this dish again, depending on the beer I am highlighting.
Not that of course as soon as we sat down we didn't as a group once again order the excellent blue cheese waffle fries. You can't come here without ordering that again. We also tried on the barkeep's recommendation the Fire Roasted Jalapeno Poppers, fresh jalapenos stuffed by hand with chorizo, jack, cheddar, and cream cheeses, herbs, and spices… which I liked though not as much as the blue cheese waffle fries (photo of fries from previous visit– I was drinking beer when the fries came thanx)
Other dishes served to my beer drinking companions included two other appetizers since they are so generously sized: Breakside Brewery's Housemade Hummus and Marinated Veggie Plate with olives, Italian marinated tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled onion, pepperoncini, feta, and pita; and their Nachos with housemade pico de gallo, jack and cheddar cheese, black beans, sliced jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream
The only other entree that night was the Lambwich 1/2 lb Lamb/Beef patty cooked to your liking, served on a Brioche bun with pesto mayo and Tzatziki Sauce topped with red peppers, pickled onions, lettuce, and tomato, with a side of salad
In terms of breweries to visit, Breakside and their regular update of their beer offerings weekly on Wednesday with special collaborations makes it one of my most highly recommended brewery to visit when in Portland, kicking out my previous choice of Rogue to try "unique beers", and it even pushes me to go outside my usual downtownish/Pearl hood for beer.
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