Coming Attractions

In case there are some readers here who don't regularly read John Foyston's blog "The Beer Here" (whatsa matter with you?), he has two news items of interest. I will excerpt them very briefly and direct you to his blog, where there are expansive descriptions and photographs.

Update on Deschutes' Portland Brewery
Just the facts, ma'am: opening in April, employing acres of salvaged old-growth, a German-made Kaspar Schulz brewhouse with glittering copper. You want to know (and see) how these facts fit together? Follow this link.

"Belgian Embassy" Opening
It is not a diplomatic installation, but a Belgian-style bistro and taproom. This harder-to-summarize news demands excerpting:

All beers at the Belgian Embassy will be Belgian-brewed or Belgian inspired and the food will come from classic Belgian recipes such as mussels, beef carbonnade and Belgium's famed pomme frites. "We're going to go all out, cutting our own frites and doing the traditional two-stage frying," says Parker. "We're making every effort to make this as authentic a Belgian experience as we can."

...The Belgian Embassy will feature nightly prix fixe three- and five-course meals, pairing each curse with a different Belgian beer. Or, patrons can order from an ala carte menu and choose their own pairings. The bistro/bar will start with four beers on tap and those selections will always be rotating, taking advantage of the growing number of Belgian and Belgian-inspired beers available in the market. The upstairs bar will also feature daily flights of up to four beers, each paired with an appropriate cheese or chocolate and daily happy hours featuring Belgian beer and food specials.

It is located in what was formerly Lovely Hula Hands (938 N Cook) on the coccyx of the Mississippi Ave groovester scene. The old house is very cool, and seems like a perfect choice for establishing a Flemish vibe. Opens this Thursday at 5 pm. More from John here.

[Update from publican Jim Parker: "The opening has been pushed back a couple of days because we have hired a Belgian ex-pat to run the kitchen, which is very exciting news for us and will help us deliver more of an authentic Belgian experience. We will open Sunday the 18th at 5 p.m."]