With so many great places around to get some food and a pint, there always seems to be somewhere that slips through the cracks and doesn’t get a visit for too long. Most recently, the wife and I realized that we hadn’t visited the Arkansas Ale House in quite some time, and after an afternoon there a couple of weeks ago with the in-laws, we decided to head back up to the North Little Rock home of Diamond Bear Brewing for some dinner.
Not sure if the day was just extra hot or if there was something wrong with the Ale House’s AC, but the first thing we noticed (even before the malty smell of beer) was the heat. I’m hoping it was just a temporary issue, because I hate to think of folks having to work in such steamy conditions. By the time the wife’s IPA and my root beer hit the table, I looked like I had been out doing yard work.
But despite the heat, we had a tasty meal. An order of fried cheese curds was a little more clumped together than we would have liked, but the flavor of the cheese and crisp tempura-like batter was spot on. I’m not sure who in history had the idea to batter dip cheese and fry it, but that person deserves a monument.
We split a sandwich, which was also quite good, but the real standout of the meal was an order of bratwurst served with three kinds of mustard goodness. I always love when the brats get that slightly charred crispness to the skin, and these were perfectly grilled like that. It’s good to see everything still going so well for the Ale House bunch—I can still remember drinking in the tiny Cross Street taproom where Diamond Bear once poured, so even despite the lack of AC, the Ale House is such a major upgrade that I’m pleased every time I go.