Brewpub Grub: Meatloaf, Flat Tail Brewing, Corvallis, OR

Visiting a niece and her husband in Oregon State University Beaver Territory in Corvallis, I asked her about a good place for a bite and pint. She suggested Flat Tail Brewing. And so we met at this downtown brewpub popular with locals and the ever present OSU students.

Looking at the appetizing menu, I spotted an item that piqued my mouth-watering interest: meatloaf. I asked the wait person what she thought of the meatloaf. Her eyes lit up and said it was a good choice. The eyes did it and so I ordered.

What I got was a handsome looking chunk of beef, the always required mashed potatoes with gravy, and a generous serving of vegetables. Flat Tail's meatloaf is all natural beef, seasoned with their own house spices. What makes this meatloaf work is the glazed ketchup that was just like mom used to make.

Flat Tail Meatloaf

Biting into a forkful of meatloaf released a mouthful of beefy goodness. Succulent and juicy, along with the tasty seasonings, the meatloaf did not disappoint my appetite. A second bite asked for more of a slow perusal of the dish: the glazed ketchup and spices melded splendidly with the juicy meat. I need to come back to Flattail and eat some more of this.

The vegetables were sautéed perfectly to a firm-and not soggy-crispness. And meatloaf would not be complete without real mashed potatoes. These were real. How could I tell? Topped with beef gravy, the mashed potatoes had just the right amount of lumps to qualify them as "just like mom used to make".

For my beer, I chose the Bourbon Porter. This is more of an after dinner, sipping brew, but I could not resist. The porter drank down thick and malty, sweet, and with those wonderful dulcet tones of bourbon.