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PrintElevator Brewery & Draught Haus
A new review of an old favorite.
The 14-ounce New York strip, served with panko, blue cheese and garlic mashed potatoes, and the Procrastinator Doppelbock.
Michael A. Foley/MAF Photography
Checking out the storied history of the downtown building that houses the Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus is worth a trip to the restaurant itself. Built in 1897, it was the home of Bott Brother’s Billiards and a gentlemen’s saloon, with many of the original features still apparent: stained glass, a lovely ceiling and a wonderful old bar. There are even stories about ghosts. Fun stuff.
But trying the food and drink (Elevator has perhaps the best brewing operation in town) is just as enjoyable.
Appetizers were usually great. The creamy and good crab and artichoke dip was commendably heavy on the crab, with plenty of toast points as well as pita for dipping. Brewery chicken wings were crisp and cooked just right; you had your choice of chipotle (tasty) or habanero (hot) flavoring. Shrimp scallops and grits also were outstanding. I found the crisp and chewy calamari to be competent.
The surprises were the several appetizers that sounded heavy, but turned out to be super. For instance, Ryan’s Famous Corn Brats deserve to be famous: Slices of bratwurst, which came with a wonderful sauerkraut and good mustard, were deep-fried in an excellent pilsner corn batter.
That great kraut also showed up in the marvelous sauerkraut balls, which were mixed with onions, pork and cream cheese and then panko-breaded and flash fried. They paired really well with the beer.
The entrees were notable. The baby back ribs were rich and tender. The Bott burger was generously sized, with crisp bacon and your choice of cheese along with the usual trimmings on a sesame brioche roll. Fish and chips provided a generous portion of fried cod in a porter corn batter with good fries. The meaty New York strip with panko, blue cheese and nice mashed potatoes went wonderfully well with the Procrastinator Doppelbock.
An extra word about the Procrastinator. While I have never been a fan of huge dark beers—they tend to cloy—I just adored this beer. It packed a powerful flavor, yet it was clean and refreshing. As for other selections from the brewery, there were several and I’m still working on sampling all of them. Aside from the doppelbock, I tried Three Frogs IPA (a big flavor), Xtra Lager (a subtle and golden German-style) and the Bear Ass pale ale (sturdy, clean and beautifully bitter).
Not that you should miss the beer, but Elevator also did a nice job with cocktails; I particularly liked its R&R Manhattan.
Elevator Brewery & Draught
161 N. High St.
228-0500
elevatorbrewing.com
Price range: Appetizers $8-$11; soups and salads $5-$12; entrees $9-$30; desserts $5-$6.
Hours: Monday through Wednesday 11 am to midnight (kitchen closes at 10 pm); Thursday till 1 am (kitchen closes at 10 pm); Friday till 2 am (kitchen closes at 11 pm); Saturday 5 pm to 2 am (kitchen closes at 11 pm).
Reservations: Accepted.
Rating: *** 1⁄2
