By Sarah B. Smith
Kirkwood touts itself as a family-friendly neighborhood. Good
schools, quality housing, quaint retail. Enter family run and
family-friendly brewpub. Good fit. It is Alandale Brewing Company.
“Its all about family and community,” says Mike Bucchino, general
manager. “Kirkwood is a perfect fit for us.” Opened just a year
ago in July, Alandale has become a popular spot for Kirkwood
residents and the broader community. The family behind the restaurant
is the Churovich clan—brothers Dale, Darren, Doug, his wife
Dana and business partner Bill Mathews. Opening a microbrewery
had long been a dream of Dale’s, a pilot whose travels took
him to brewpubs in Europe. When the former furniture warehouse
on East Jefferson became available, the family sprung into action.
With the assistance of local architect Ken Burns, the warehouse
has been transformed into a pleasant, unpretentious dining establishment
and microbrewery. One of Alandale’s nicest features—and in keeping
with its family orientation—is that the entire restaurant and
bar are non-smoking. A great trend that we wish more would follow.
The restaurant features a small café with a refreshing light
atmosphere, the main dining room, and bar. Two small private
dining rooms and a banquet room provide nice options for family
and business events. The Churovich brothers very hands-on approach
to their restaurant can be seen throughout the establishment.
The extensive woodwork in the restaurant—including the magnificent
bar itself—was all made from scratch by the family. Another
family touch—a children’s restroom brightly decorated with cartoon
characters.
Peter Knobbe has been executive chef since Alandale’s opened
last year. His menu is great for both families coming in for
dinner with the kids or those out to watch a game while enjoying
Alandale’s original beers. “We’re a neighborhood restaurant
that happens to have a great bar that serves great beer,” notes
Knobbe.
Knobbe presents a wonderful array of appetizers. Their “inside
out guacamole” was my favorite. It features crispy fried wontons
filled with a blend of cream cheese and guacamole and served
with roasted poblano salsa, lime crema and quesco fresco. The
hint of lime gave the appetizer a refreshing touch. Another
great option with one of their brews are the chipotle onion
straws—crispy onions with parmesan chipotle seasoning.
Alandale’s serves lunch and dinner, so their menu boasts a wide
range of options —from ‘soups and such’ and ‘healthy stuff’
to hearty entrees and delectable desserts.
Their big red chili ($4) was well worth ordering, with generous
portions of beef and pork and a hearty flavor. Alandale’s wedge
salad at $7.50 is visually impressive and includes blue cheese
dressing, bacon, black olives, tomatoes and hard-boiled egg.
Their zink salad (as in everything but the kitchen sink) includes
grilled chicken, shrimp and roasted mushrooms, among a host
of other ingredients. At $10, it’s a meal in itself.
On the sandwich front ($7.50 to $11), Alandale’s offers several
usual—the BLT, deli sandwich and burgers, to some more unique
creations. Their “cha cha turkey” includes roasted turkey breast
with melted brie, grilled onions and mango mustard, served on
a ciabatta is a tasty selection. Alandale’s Garden of Eatin’
wrap features marinated and grilled eggplant, portobello mushrooms,
feta cheese and a host of other vegetables on a spinach flour
tortilla.
Dinner selections include many “comfort food” favorites. A customer
favorite, and mine too, is Alandale’s pot roast ($15), which
is served with their three-potato mash and crispy onions. The
portions were hardy and delicious. Other selections, such as
fish and chips ($11.75), and their grilled ribeye ($16) are
great stand-bys. Several pasta dishes, including smoked chicken
carbonara ($15), and rasta pasta ($11), make for enjoyable fare.
Alandale’s desserts are well worth trying. The Dutch apple bread
pudding features pecan streusel topping the bread pudding, with
Granny Smith apples and caramel sauce has been their biggest
seller. I thoroughly enjoyed the triple chocolate stout—a mini-chocolate
bundt cake with coffee ice cream, topped with dulce ‘de leche
and a serving of Alandale’s Oatmeal Stout to pour on top. The
flavors combined fabulously. All pastry desserts are $6, with
ice creams and sorbets $5.
No trip to Alandale’s would be complete without trying their
craft brewed beers. Churovich brother Darren is the brew master
and clearly enjoys his new calling. “Brewing is mainly watching,”
Churovich, a former engineer, jokes. A fun way to explore their
offerings is to try their sampler—2 oz. servings of eight of
their beers. The sampling comes with a ‘cheat sheet’ so you’ll
know what’s what. Alandale’s also offers seasonal beers. Blackberry
was the selection on a recent visit; the aroma and taste made
it definitely good enough to come back for more.
And if you’re interested in learning more about craft beers,
try one of Alandale’s classes, which are offered every other
Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. for $15 per person.
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TalkingPOINTS
Wm. D. Alandale
Brewing Company
105
E. Jefferson, Kirkwood, Mo.
(314) 966-BREW
www.alandalebrewing.com
Hours:
Monday-Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tuesday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: 2 to 8 p.m.
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