Brewpub Grub: Mussels and Chips, Green Dragon Bistro, Portland, OR

Meeting a Brewpub Grub friend on a chilly and rainy Portland night, we find ourselves in the warm and friendly Green Dragon Bistro. And in front of me is a tempting plate of mussels and chips. The mussels are steamed in the beer of the day and served with thin Belgian fries. Imagine moules frites and you are in Belgium.

Mussels and Chips

What you get is a big bowl of steamed mussels, warm broth, lemon wedges, and a side of frites. Spritzing the lemon wedges over the mussels, I dig in. Picking up a shell, I slurp the delicate mussel into my mouth. The mussels are slurpy good. Tender and succulent, one could happily eat and drink the Portland night away. The thin Belgian fries are crispy good and are a perfect follow up to the juicy mussels. Then, you grab a spoon and take a sup of the broth. Repeat until done.

Rogue's Chamomellow Beer

Rogue Ales is the in-house brewery at Green Dragon. It seems that Rogue lets the brew squad play with fun brews. So I chose the thought provoking Chamomellow Ale. This beer arrived with a pretty amber color and nice head. The taste reminded me a chamomile tea, gentle and sweet, but a true ale none the less. And yes, there is a definite floral chamomile aroma. Eminently drinkable and pleasing, the Chamomellow was a satisfying companion for the juicy mussels.

Named by Imbibe Magazine as one of the 100 Best Places to Drink Beer in America, Green Dragon features 62 taps along with the award winning in-house Rogue Ales. The staff and patrons are Portland friendly, and of course, know their beers. Some hipsters are known to frequent the place, too.