6/22/13:
Stars: 3.9 out of 5
Pros: Décor, Staff, Beer, Dog-Friendly
Cons: Food
After our hike of
St. Mary’s Falls (St. Mary's Falls Blog Post) we felt we deserved a beer. Where to go? Not being familiar
with the area I turned to my trusted source for locating VA breweries, Local
Suds (Local Suds). Their amazing little app revealed to us that we weren't
far from what is quickly becoming a top 5 favorite brewery for me, Devils
Backbone Brewing Company (Devils Backbone). We were just over the Blue Ridge Parkway from
their Base Camp location so we all decided that was where we would soothe our
parched throats and get a touch of grub to help keep skin and bones together.
It took us a
minute, due to GPS being a poor co-pilot, for us to find Devils Backbone Base
Camp. The outside fits in wonderfully with the surrounding mountains in which
it sits. The views all round are beautiful. Base Camp has a very rustic look to
it. River stone combines nicely with large windows and exposed wood beams to
provide a pleasing look. We also noted the young hop plants that line the front
walk as you head in, setting the mood.
We were greeted
by a very friendly hostess who was quick to accommodate our request to sit
outside. As she led us to our table I noted that the décor fit with the outside
appearance perfectly. Devils Backbone perfectly captured the feel of a base
camp both inside and out. The inside is all local sourced exposed wood with tin
and local sourced stone in evidence. Everywhere you turn there is a stuffed and
mounted piece of wildlife. My favorite was the stuffed black bear that is in a
perpetual state of climbing a log over the hostess station. Just gives a great
ambiance to the whole experience.
We were seated
outside at a nice big table and left with a slew of beer and food menus. First
things first of course, choose your beer. Once you have a beverage in hand it
makes food selection so much easier. I decided to go with something new (for
me), the Scratch #97. It’s a Session Black Rye IPA. It had a nice little bite
to it and I appreciated the subtle hint of black peppercorns. I was a big fan
and hope I can find it in bottle at the store. I also had a Vienna Lager, a
Devils Backbone staple. Another favorite of mine from their library of hits. My
neighbor, BN, got one of these as well. He took once sip and then promptly
spilled it all over the table and ground. The staff was quick to react, which
was great. One came out with a rag and wiped everything up while a second one
brought out a freshie. It was nicely handled with a smile and efficiency, which
was very nice to see.
While we sipped
our beverages (some with a touch more caution) we got down to the serious
business of victuals. With a younger member at the table, it was decided that a
giant pretzel, called The Deutsch Twist, would be ordered as an appetizer to
help ward off hungers cruel grasp. It is a German pretzel brushed with butter
and salt. It is served with a spicy mustard. Then a variety of dishes were
selected off the menu. There were several burgers, me included, a pulled pork
sandwich and an enchilada platter.
Our food arrived
in a fairly timely fashion with the pretzel, of course, arriving first. It was
massive, I will give them that. And the coating on it was very tasty. But what
won this dish over for me was the spicy mustard. It was like jalapenos married
honey mustard and had a delightful child. Then came the food food. I ordered a
burger with dill Havarti, smoke jalapenos and house-cured thick-cut bacon on
it. Rare as humanly possible, like the gods intended it to be. I will say they
were pretty close with the doneness of my burger. I can always go rarer, but
this was nice and red in the center. Sadly, I was a little disappointed from
there. The cheese was lost in the flavor of the meat and the heat from the
peppers. That was 100% my fault as I did not think ahead to flavor balance. The
jalapenos could have smoked for much much longer. They were all heat (which I
like) and no smoke (which was sad). The bacon also wasn't a show stealer. It
just lacked that extra punch to bring it to the next level. I just felt like my
burger lacked a touch. The other burgers were received fairly well. The pulled
pork was stated as having “been cooked in the oven because it lacked the smoke
flavor one expects if done over a pit”. But, the meat was tender and juicy,
which is a large positive. And the enchilada platter got a half-hearted review.
The corn muffins were quickly devoured, but the enchiladas themselves made it
to a take-home container. They just seemed “a jumble of flavor. I just hoped
for more”. So, over all food took a mixed review. Not bad, but not great. But,
being a glass half full guy, it could have been way worse.
As we were eating
our food we began to notice a few dogs on the back deck. They were just chilling
out, minding their own business. That’s when we realized that the patio/deck
was dog friendly. One of our group members had 2 in the car, so she brought
them on out. It is really great to see a place cater to our 4 legged friends.
Being a dog owner myself, I appreciate when I can bring her someplace with me
instead of leaving her at home. Granted, I didn't have mine with me, but I now
know for the future. Kudos to the forward thinkers at Devils Backbone.
Devils Backbone
turned out to be just the beer we needed after a long day hiking. The décor is
fun and the staff is super friendly. If you find yourself in the area of Devils
Backbone Base Camp, make sure you stop in for a pint or 3. You will surely not
be disappointed.
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