Maybe a little fancy for some college beer and food seekers, but The Wrecking Bar Brew Pub is worth the extra change. Located just off the strip in Little Five Points, it is similar to Brickstore and The Porter—except they’re brewing their own beer.
The inside is like an old tavern, or even a castle. Weekdays bring a good-sized crowd and many were bellying up to the bar. For in-house brews, the beer was reasonably priced. The two I tried, the American stout and the kolquittsch, were good beers but pretty traditional flavors.
The cocktail menu was full of fun takes on old classics. What was really nice was the bartender’s name is located next to the cocktail (and the beers labeled who came up with the recipe). This kind of ownership and pride really enhanced the dining experience, especially when the bartenders have their names on their shirts.
Wrecking Bar puts the a new spin on old favorites.
The menu was chef driven and was full of obviously seasonal choices. Most dishes incorporated some version of a root vegetable, which was very nice on a cold evening. They list their local venders (Hurray!) on the menu and boast that even the bread comes from Holman and Fitch and the cheese is from Thomasville, Ga. There were also specials featured so you can come back more often and still try something new.
The steak tartare was on special and it was possibly one of the best ones I had ever had. It was standard issue as far as the capers and quail egg yolk is concerned. The way the meat was cut was exceptional with special attention paid to textures. It was served on a warm slate slab with whole grain mustard (which was delicious, but not necessary) and spent grain bread.
There was nothing unique or particularly special about the tartare, except that it was executed perfectly and tasted delicious. If you don’t know if cow sushi is your thing, Wrecking Bar might change your mind. The calamari was a similar story, nothing you have never seen before, but done very well: a crispy tempura breading, Asian spice and herbs with a little punch. The bar patrons raved about the generous helping of fries served at the bar.
Entrees were also very nice. The portion sizes were great for the quality and cost of the food. The short rib was tender and was served with a really great squash puree. The trout dish could have stood a pinch more salt, but was moist and tender. The accompanying brussel and squash hash was crispy, buttery and perfectly seasoned.
If you are looking for more traditional (albeit well-done) bar fare there are a number of burgers and sandwiches on the menu.
Classics done right at Wrecking Bar
Another treat was almost everything on the menu included one of Wrecking Bar’s home-brewed beers and even the deserts. Chocolate stout crème brulee and stout Sundays were in great style with the rest of the menu.
Overall, the service and food made for a great dinner. They didn’t reinvent the wheel, but they did cook a really good one.
