Cuisine Review

Blowing into the Hurricane Brew Pub

My parents always told me to own up to my mistakes, and for the most part I always have.

Last year I awarded the Hurricane Brew Pub in the Nappies as the restaurant least likely to be open in a year. At the time, I had a few bad experiences with service and food quality that do not need to be restated. (We decided at the paper to retire this category, as our general philosophy is to be as positive as we can toward local restaurants, while still offering an honest opinion for our readers.) The owners were upset and I understood – to be honest I hid out from going there as a result. Over time I was told by many that both the food and service had greatly improved.

The owners took a great risk to open up for what would be the third time someone tried to make a brew pub work in that building. Over a decade ago the original owners took a much greater risk investing in renovations and installing top-notch brewing equipment. They made quite a statement of belief in downtown, and did very well for a while. It was, I think, the first place to offer brick oven pizzas in Mobile, and I fondly remember the salads and crispy pies.

Jim Cannon, the second occupant, did not really last long enough to talk about.

The management of Hurricane, with their brewers, are making an excellent and well-thought-of collection of beers aptly named for the region. I hope many of you enjoyed their brews at last weekend’s International Beerfest. From my walks by there daily, and sometimes at night, the Hurricane has apparently become quite popular. When I tried to go in one recent Friday evening, there was not a seat to be had!

The new menu is an overflowing tap of choices to suit anyone with both healthy and more bar-oriented food. Held together with steel rings, with a design of duct tape edges, flooded streets, sandbags, fallen traffic lights and even a “go away Katrina” sign, the menu brings to life the namesake of the brew pub.

The inside of the place does not look like a storm came through, however. The style has stayed the same, open to the elements above (though the roof is still on). The bottom floor still shows off the enormous and shiny copper equipment for making beer, allowing you to see the brew master from time to time working his craft.

The blonde, long picnic-like tables with benches enable large groups or a more intimate twosome to enjoy a cold beer and good meal. You can always sit at the bar to take in the scene, and at night there is often lively, live music playing at the entrance. Upstairs, the room is full of tables and opens up to a great balcony with plenty of room to enjoy the street below.

In addition to great beers, both on tap and from the bottle, there is a long list of specialty drinks for the non-beer drinker. Among them are the hurricane Kate ($7) made with Malibu and Bacardi rums, pomegranate liqueur, orange juice, pineapple juice and a splash of grenadine or the hurricane bananas ($6.50) with Bacardi and Myers rums, triple sec, pineapple juice and grenadine. As you can see, the specialty drinks are tropical in nature. But on to the food.

To begin, there are seven appetizers. The more interesting of them are the brewpub caviar ($5) made with black-eyed peas in malt vinaigrette, served with their homemade tortilla chips. I have tried many a “caviar” of this type, but the malt flavor really brings a unique taste not found in most. You will also find spinach and artichoke dip, cheese quesadillas, fried shrimp served with a “firecracker” Buffalo sauce with bleu cheese and gulf blue crab claws sold at market price – fried or sautéed and served on toast points.

It was too hot on my several visits to try the soup, but each time brought a new one. I understand their gumbo ($4 cup, $6 bowl) may be a competitor next year with the best, and on a cool Monday I could be talked into ordering the red beans and rice (true to typical New Orleans style, my server told me they are quite mild in flavor). There is a house and a Caesar salad served with several zesty dressing choices. You can add fried, grilled or blackened chicken or shrimp, grilled or blackened mahi or grilled tuna to any salad.

The menu keeps on flowing toward sandwiches. What I truly enjoy is a sandwich grilled on well-toasted, buttery bread and you will find this here. I am a club sandwich ($10) fan, and they have what I might consider the best in town. The toasted bread holds it all in, which is important – to me if I lose one bit of the combination it can upset my meal. Black forest ham, smoked turkey, thick, crisp hickory bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and a wonderful balsamic mayo – make sure to ask for pickles. As my father says, “pickle is what makes a sandwich.”

Interestingly enough, a fine club sandwich was what we ate the night Hurricane Frederic hit – the last home-cooked meal for two weeks. They also serve a BLT that looked pretty good. All sandwiches come with a choice of fries, cole slaw, chips or you can add sweet potato fries for 50 cents or a side salad for another dollar. Our photographer raves to me about the grilled tuna sandwich ($12) served on a Kaiser roll with their own spicy tartar sauce. I have to move on, but trust me there is something for everyone.

Next are the burgers – all at a good price with the usual combinations – regular, Swiss and mushroom, black-and-blue, bbq bacon, but next time I want to try the Buffalo burger made with lean buffalo meat. Pub fare is found on yet another page.

More than a few have told me that they have not tasted any better shepard’s pie ($10), unless it was across the pond. Ground sirloin is simmered in their storm surge stout, layered with corn, green peas, mashed potatoes and finished with storm surge stout gravy and served with a side salad. On my first try I had the brewery nachos with chicken ($12) – a generous serving of truly homemade tortilla chips, topped with black bean puree, fresh tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos and shredded cheese served with sour cream (ask for a side of salsa for the perfect kick). This could be a meal for two.

My friend cannot pass up a piece of catfish, and enjoyed every bite of his Southern fish and chips ($10). There are many other things, including five pizzas, baked oysters and Irish nachos (homemade potato chips toped with bacon, cheese, sour cream, etc.).

Well I did kind of rip through the menu here like a hurricane, and you can do some damage to your diet. But the coast is clear, the beer is cold and the food a welcome respite from the storm of your day.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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