A happy union of principled food and poetic beer

Roosted in Seattle’s Tangletown neighborhood (southeast of Greenlake, hidden within a sorcerous labyrinth of Seattle yuppiedom), the Burgundian is the newest brainchild of the Brouwer’s and Bottleworks team. Owner/manager Matt Bonney has developed a fusion menu with a slight Southern leaning, but offers plenty of Northwest staples – seafood, salads, and a few vegetarian/vegan options. It takes typical bar fare a big step up without altering the mellow neighborhood pub demeanor. Score!

And let’s not forget the libations.

If you want something rare or interesting, they are apt to have it: over 20 rotating draft beers, an extensive (read: typically overpopulated with mediocre imports) canned collection, and whiskey selection to rival the best of ‘em. Featured mixed drinks are on the vogue side – egg whites and baby cucumbers and all – if that’s your thing. Provincial as I am, I opted for an oatmeal pale.  With a decidedly sturdy mouthfeel and a crisp finish, it trumped the tragically oversweet raspberry wheat ale. Let bygones be bygones – and beer be beer.

Should you have too good a time, the B is also a hangover haven. Breakfast is served all day and they keep the lights low. When you’re ready to rejoin the party, a ‘small plates’ happy hour (3-7 daily) is a great (read: economical) way to sample their culinary offerings. The regular menu stays focused; every item knows why it’s there. The mussels with chorizo pipe and sing; both copious in a spicy broth, and served up with perfectly toasted Grand Central bread for $12. On the breakfast side of things, choose anything topped with sausage gravy – you won’t leave disappointed (or hungry). The best vehicle for the aforementioned is their now-famous chicken and waffles – try them and find out why (bourbon spiked maple syrup, anyone?). Skip the white chocolate raspberry bread pudding; I found it a dense and daft cube of unrealized potential, sitting in a dejected pond of too-sweet sauce. Instead, choose better and end the meal with a schooner of the HUB barrel aged imperial stout – it is a bar, after all.

Why we’d go back: The happiest of happy hours and a tap list to satiate the highbrow beer folk. Service is neighborly and easygoing; inside is bright enough in the daytime to feel like you’re not actually in a bar before noon, but dim enough in the eve to feel like you’ve gone out. Oh, and did I mention the fried chicken and waffles?