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Business & Tech

Manayunk Brewery: Perfect for a Sunny Day

This week, food writer Clara Park reviews the Manayunk Brewery.

I've been to the many times, but it's usually been for a night out with friends. There have been birthday celebrations, reunions of one sort or another, or simple conversation over a cold beer. I had little to no knowledge of the actual food menu beyond the bar food staples—including some decent nachos.

When I set out to review Manayunk Brewery I decided to go against all my instincts—like George Costanza did when he ordered the chicken salad sandwich with hot tea and admitted to the gorgeous woman at the diner that he lived with his parents. It turns out that doing the opposite of what you usually do can be quite beneficial. 

I went for lunch in the middle of the day. I chose to sit outside on the deck. I went alone. I ordered iced tea and the lightest beer they have (the blonde ale, which isn't even 5% alcohol. I'm a sucker for an IPA). Instead of the tried-and-true basic burger (my favorite), which comes with a "snowflake bun, lettuce, tomato and onion," I went for the 21-day aged Angus burger with all the bells and whistles.

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This burger was much more expensive than the regular burger (I'm notoriously cheap...) and came with a parmesan crusted tomato, red pepper aioli, balsamic vinegar and olive oil drizzle, lettuce, and red onion. In addition, I ordered it with American cheese instead of my usual Swiss. 

I ordered the burger medium rare, and it arrived a bit over cooked but still juicy. The bun was way too small for the huge patty and abundant accoutrements inside. They inserted a skewer through the burger to anchor all the contents together. The thick pickle slices on top had a hint of heat which was awesome. The pickles disappeared and then I sliced the behemoth burger in half to make it more manageable to eat.

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It was literally too big to fit into my mouth. I made some headway with the burger by squishing the bun, the vegetables, and meat together and jamming what I could into my mouth. I imagine it was quite a sight to see. I figured out that biting into distinct sections of the burger worked out better. Some bites were all meat and cheese, some bites were vegetables and bread and some bites were meat and vegetables. I have to admit that when I was fortunate enough to get all the components in one bite it was heavenly. There was an umami burst of flavor from the balsamic vinegar, the parmesan, the cheese, and aioli. It was a truly satisfying burger in all aspects.

The beer battered fries that came with the burger were crunchy and delicious and stayed that way throughout the meal. It was a handsome plate of food. The iced tea and lighter beer worked well with the flavorful and highly seasoned burger and fries. Both beverages were cool and refreshing.

The service was good, although it got kind of confusing with all the different people coming to check on me and my food. My food arrived hot and in a timely fashion. There were many preparations going on for Cinco de Mayo but I never felt as though I was being ignored.

The decor on the deck was typical of an outdoor dining area: lightweight furniture, baskets, umbrellas, etc. There was plenty of sunlight and views of the (dark brown) water—which doesn't necessarily make you hungry, but did provide a nice breeze at times.

I had a great alfresco lunch at Manayunk Brewery and I look forward to heading there once again when the weather is nice. It was a treat to have a great burger and beer in broad daylight with friendly service to boot. Just like how George got a date with a woman out of his league when he left his comfort zone and his usual routine, I too got an unexpected surprise when I approached Manayunk Brewery from a different vantage point. This place is much more than just a staple of the Main Street night life.

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