69蹤獲

I have heard ���stories��� about the witches��� covens and haunted places in Whitewater, and Second Salem has made wonderful use of these tales to give a spooky aura to their craft beers and d矇cor.

The beer names and logos are all centered on this theme, and the graphics are beautifully done, as are the paintings on the walls. You can almost imagine a story emanating out of these canvases while sipping on one of their many craft brew offerings.

But don���t get me wrong���the restaurant is actually a bright and inviting establishment, with windows along two walls and plenty of seating. But back to the beer, I had a sample of a very unusual beer, a hefeweizen named The Wildman of La Grange. If you think cider, it might not seem weak at first taste. The flavor I was left with, though, was banana. Yep, a banana beer. It was enjoyable once I figured it out.

Helene sampled their hazy IPA, the Apparition. Cloudy, as hazy should be, and hoppy, it was fresh and refreshing. We���ll have to come back to sample the rest.

Jennifer noticed the pomegranate sunset martini ($7) in the list of craft cocktails. The drink���s brilliant colors did in fact resemble a sunset. Gold and pink in color, it was prepared with pomegranate vodka, grenadine and pineapple juice. Very refreshing.

I was surprised with the variety and quality of the food. They list their sandwiches as handhelds. Our hands could barely hold the thick sandwiches let alone get our mouths around them. Be sure to get extra napkins and just blame the mess on the beer.

We are all fans of Brussels sprouts and order them whenever they are offered. Second Salem has some of the best we have tasted. Roasted in olive oil, the sprouts ($10) were especially crispy with a nice char. They were salted to perfection and then served with a beer mustard dip. Yes!

I went with the brisket Cuban ($15). Slow, beer-braised brisket is always special. There were generous pieces on Cuban bread. Like all good Cuban sandwiches, there was ham, mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese. It was a meaty and filling treat.

Jennifer had a taste for a burger the night we visited. She chose the Little Red Farms Burger ($17), locally sourced from Little Red Farms in Whitewater. The 8-ounce grass-fed beef patty was loaded with flavor. She ordered hers medium, but it was more on the medium-rare side. The burger, piled high with lettuce, tomato, apple onion jam, pickles and Merkts cheese was so huge she ended up deconstructing it so she could actually eat it. All in all, it was a top-notch burger.

She adored the apple onion jam, bringing both sweet and savory notes to the burger. The Merkts cheese was a nice added bonus. The battered fries she chose as her side had an extra crunchy texture and were piping hot and delicious.

Nikki ordered the Nashville chicken ($13) and also added fries ($1). Second Salem���s version of the famous sandwich featured a huge buttermilk fried chicken breast that had some kick but wasn���t too fiery to enjoy. It was served on a soft brioche bun with some lettuce leaves and sweet pickles to balance the spice.

The BLTA���A for avocado���($11) served with Second Salem���s housemade chips, was Helene���s choice. It was a typical BLT, but the standout was the grilled sourdough bread with its crunchy, buttered layer and soft underbelly of bread. Nicely layered, this sandwich wasn���t as bulky as the rest of ours, so Helene was able to keep it clean. With sliced avocado and lots of lettuce, there were a lot of flavors and textures to enjoy. The crispy chips were a good complement to an otherwise healthy meal.

Located on the banks of Cravath Lake in downtown Whitewater, Second Salem Brewing Co. is the ideal place for craft beer and a great meal.