EVERETT — As a fan of good beer, I was giddy to hear a new brewpub had arrived in town.
Fish Tale got its start in Olympia, with a brewery and later a brew pub. It has expanded now to a new location in Everett, across from Comcast Arena on Hewitt Avenue.
I visited recently, to enjoy a beer and test out the pub’s menu.
My husband and I settled into one of the tables, and perused the menu. The first order of business was deciding on a beer to order.
When we had a hard time deciding, we each settled on a sampler. The samplers are a good deal, four tastes, 5 ounces each, for $5. The waitress suggested a sampling of four beers from Fish Tale or four from Leavenworth Biers and we ended up getting one of each.
You can also select any four beers or ciders from the menu. My favorites were Fish Tale’s amber and their stout. We didn’t try any of their seasonal offerings, but hope to test them out on a return trip.
We visited on a weekday, and the restaurant and pub were both quiet, with many groups lingering over their meals. We enjoyed sitting and chatting while we waited for our food. We laughed when Rage Against the Machine played over the speakers; it was out of place with the otherwise low-key atmosphere. Unlike the pub in Olympia, the restaurant in Everett allows children, and there were a few young people there the day we dined.
For an appetizer, we started out with a sausage sampler ($6.50) with bratwurst, jagerwurst and kielbasa served with a side of sauerkraut, whole grain mustard and very buttery rye toast. I was impressed to learn that Fish Tale smokes the sausage themselves on site.
They also make the mustard. I enjoyed the mustard so much, I had to be careful not to pile on so much I couldn’t taste the sausage. The sausage was delicious, and fitting start to a meal, and it was a perfect size to share. We enjoyed it as we sipped our way through our beers.
I ordered a ham and brie sandwich ($10.25) for my entree and my husband tried the pulled pork sandwich ($8.95). Each entree came with a side from a long list of choices. I had the garlic fries and my husband ordered onion rings (each $1.75 extra; salads or regular fries are included in the entree price.)
My sandwich was fabulous. The cook was generous with the brie, and little bits of it oozed off onto my plate, just waiting to be swept up with a finger. The ham was juicy and the apples were nicely crisp. The fries were also good; the garlic and parmesan wasn’t overpowering, just a pleasing accent. I wished, though, once I stared on the sandwich that I’d ordered a salad. It would have gone better with the brie.
The pulled pork sandwich was delicious and flavorful. The barbecue sauce was served on the side, allowing you to dress it to your preference. The onion rings were crisp without being greasy.
To finish off the meal, we ordered a Mudshark porter cheesecake ($6.95), a dark chocolate cheesecake with a reduction of Fish Tale’s porter. When we asked our waitress what she thought of the cheesecake, she said, “I won’t lie, I’ve had it for dinner once or twice.”
I can’t blame her. It was rich without being overwhelming. The cookie crust was thick and crunchy. The texture wasn’t the perfectly smooth cheesecake texture, but seemed most substantial.
We managed a full meal, with beer, appetizer and desserts for $50.
We came for the beer, but honestly, we’ll probably be back for the food. Particularly the cheesecake. Although I’ll try to resist making it my whole meal.
Fish Tale Brew Pub
2019 Hewitt Ave., Everett; 425-789-1510; www.fishbrewing.com/brewpub
Specialty: Beer and an interesting twist on pub food
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Vegetarian options: Some options including falafel sandwiches and vegan wraps.
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