Ashvegas Restaurant Review: Lexington Avenue Brewery Has Ingredients for Truly Great Gastropub

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by Jason Sandford
on Thursday, January 21, 2010

Welcome to the first in a new series of restaurant reviews here at Ashvegas, written by Asheville foodie Gourmet Girl of the Blogapalooza-award-winning food blog SheWhoEats.

Here you go:

Gastronomical Experimentation at the LAB: The Six Steps of the Scientific Method as Applied to the Lexington Ave Brewery

Step One: Ask Questions
Ever since the LAB opened last Thursday, the question on all my friends' lips has been, "do you want to go to the LAB again tonight?" With over 1,100 Facebook friends and nightly packed houses, they don't need help from me, but I thought I'd take a culinary tour of Asheville's newest brewery anyway. After tasting a hefty percentage of their menu, I think I can safely move on to the second step.

Step 2: Do Background Research
I didn't know much going into it, just that the owners are a couple of local guys who also founded Echo Mountain Studios. I also learned they've been using the word "gastropub" with brazen abandon. As a late night marauder and post 10pm gourmet, this had my interest piqued.

Step 3: Construct a Hypothesis
As opening day neared, the tension mounted, and I occasionally peeked through windows to check out the rusty urban chic decor. Something told me these guys were into something good.

Step 4: Experiment
After four visits, I've concluded that the first taste was the best. I went for lunch, when it was not too crowded. I found the service helpful and efficient, although I still can't decide if the colored lighting effects over the vats call to mind a disco or the United Terminal at O'Hare airport. I ordered the chicken pot pie, while my friend ordered the grilled cheese with tomato soup. The pot pie was the best thing I've sampled there. It surpasses similar attempts at the comfort classic at more established restaurants such as Sunny Point or Tupelo Honey, who have both offered it as specials in the past. The crust was hot, flaky, and perfectly browned, resting lightly atop large chunks of roasted chicken, buoyant butternut squash, sweet potatoes, bright green peas, and best of all, pearl onions. Their pot pie portion is perfect, and I would like nothing better than an order of this excellent dish on a mid-winter's day. My companion was pleased with her grilled cheese, a decent Southern spin on the diner sandwich with an added kick of pimento cheese.

On another occasion I tried the butcher's plate of sausage, bresaola and pate with cornichons and mustard. I enjoyed the large plate of various savory offerings, but I found myself wishing for crackers or bread slices to pair with the rustic charcuterie.

I've seen a lot of folks ordering the onion rings, but I was less impressed with their heavily breaded, greasy basket of rings. The fries, skinny and redolent of garlic and herbs, stayed crisp, tasted great and impressed my partners-in-dine.

In a town full of street vendors, German, Irish and English chefs, the LAB may need to step up their game with the bratwurst. Mine tasted dry and bland, rather than the juicy, herbed sausages I'd prefer. Many kudos to the LAB's homemade pickles, sauerkraut and mustard, all of which were winning additions to the menu.

Enough about the food, let's talk beer. This, in addition to a great location, is the reason for the nightly crowds. The LAB's beer is nothing short of outstanding. From the beautifully balanced chocolate stout to the Belgian white, the LAB brews offer depth and variety I have rarely found in a single Asheville brewery. Their rich, buttery pilsner warmed the belly and heart, and the LAB's white ale is so succulent, so easy drinking, I lost count a little too quickly. I also love their numerical bitterness measurement, a neat trick practically guaranteeing a less experienced beer drinker they will love whichever they order.

I do have one gripe. With all the staff, managers and owners milling about, they need a host or hostess seating folks when they enter. Each night was more stressful than the one before, table hunting I felt like Piggy from Lord of the Flies, looking for a table but instead finding humanity in its worst form of social Darwinism. I come to a pub to relax, not to argue over tables and chairs with my fellow Ashevillians. I think the vibe would be improved with some seating service, calmly funneling drinkers to the bar and diners to the tables.

Step 5: Draw a Conclusion
LAB's first week has gotten off to a raucous start, and I don't think that enthusiasm will wane in the weeks and months to come. I conclude that with their stellar beer offerings and inventive pub menu, The Lexington Ave Brewery will earn a place in Asheville's pantheon of truly great and lasting brewpubs. Or was that a hypothesis? Science was never my strong suit.

Step 6: Communicate Your Results
Happy Reading, and Happy Eating!

Content Source: ashvegas.squarespace.com/journal/2010/1/20/ashvegas-restaurant-review-lexington-avenue-brewery-has-ingr.html

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About the Author - Jason Sandford

Contact Jason Sandford:
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