on THE TAPHANDLE

Last Friday, the family needed to get out of the house for a while. I suggested Trackside Pizza, which we had eaten at once before. It is a great local restaurant that opened within the past six months.

Like The Powerhouse, it is located right next to the Burlington Northern railroad tracks, hence the name. While eating you can watch, hear, and feel the trains pass. The owners have kept the interior brick of the building exposed and have decorated with a few old soda and railroad signs. The decor is minimal but in keeping with the atmosphere of the space.

The child got to make her own pizza, which will probably be more fun for her and for us when she is older. Our server asked us what topping she wanted and then brought out a circle of dough and the toppings. The wife and I helped the child add the red sauce, mozzarella cheese, black forest ham, and—a surprise addition from our server—pineapple. The child followed the server to the front of the restaurant, to their open kitchen, handed the pizza off to the cooks, and said, "Pie up!" That elicited a bunch of hoots and encouragement from the kitchen staff. The child was beaming. The child was also curious about where her pizza went, so I had to explain that it was being baked and she could have it back soon.

The child's pizza went in with the California Zephyr the wife and I ordered. Ours was a medium crust pizza glazed in olive oil and topped with barbecue sauce, mozzarella cheese, barbecue marinated chicken, red onion, and fresh cilantro. Although I favor red sauce on my pizza, this was a nice diversion, and something both the wife and I could enjoy.

I also ordered a Side Track IPA. This IPA played nice with the California Zephyr. Side Track is on tap at Trackside, but I know little else about it. I believe, after talking to some of the servers, that it may be brewed by Pacific Rim Brewing Company of White Center. I have contacted Pacific Rim to see if this is true. I have also inquired whether or not this is an IPA brewed specifically for Trackside or if this is a renamed version of their Rat City IPA.

Side Track IPA was very good. It had a nice clear, orange-copper color; frothy head; and excellent lacing. Its aroma had a hint of floral surrounded by the citrus of lemon and grapefruit. The flavor was bitter, which one would hope with an IPA, but not too bitter. The finish was long, but smoothed out nicely after the initial flavor. The citrus and hoppiness just kept going and going and going...

All in all, a great family night out with good beer and good pizza.

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On our previous visit, I had Trackside's The B&O. This pizza comes loaded with black forest ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, Italian sausage, black olives, and mozzarella cheese, all on red sauce. I had mine minus the mushrooms. Highly recommended.

The wife previously had The Athenian. It is a pizza with olive oil and roasted garlic base, mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomato, red onion, green pepper, kalamata olive, and feta cheese. She recommends it.