Grub in the Pub

I was in the mood for good beer and good food. I found myself walking into Heartland Brewery located at The Seaport, one of six locations in New York City. It’s not hard to walk into a microbrewery in NYC and find a great hand crafted beer, but what if I want lunch or dinner with that beer? Do I settle for mozzarella sticks and jalapeno poppers that have become a staple on pub menus, or maybe purchase a growler of ale and head back to the apartment to make dinner? No! I want good food with my good beer, and I think I may have found the answer.

An article in The New York Times argues the need for NYC microbreweries to step up the food the same way they have stepped up the brew. Author Eric Asimov wrote, “It (food) requires thinking of beer as a partner to a meal.” When I opened the menu at Heartland, I found just that. Not all items but a select few had a recommended brew that would compliment the meal accordingly, and not just wings and poppers. Being at The Seaport I felt compelled to order the catfish wrap with a barley wine seasonal brew. A large portion of grilled catfish, lettuce, tomato, and spicy tarter sauce was wrapped in a spinach tortilla and served with a side of Spanish rice.

The grub at the pub is exactly what Eric is looking for. A perfect combination of quality food and select beer has made my experience at Heartland a satisfying one; and with barley wine containing 11% alcohol, I had a hard time wiping the stupid grin off my face. So what would you have for dinner: 02’ Pinot Noir with Canadian Cedar Planked Salmon, or the winter seasonal with catfish?