Brewpub Grub: Lamb Burger and Split Pea Soup, Ecliptic Brewing, Portland OR

It's always a treat to spend time in Portland's Lower Mississippi Avenue, a great sidewalk and eatery neighborhood. And there is a new brewpub in the neighborhood that I'm happy to introduce to you: Ecliptic Brewing.

It is lunch time at Ecliptic and I choose the tempting and thought provoking Lamb Burger. Ecliptic's version is a generous patty of Oregon lamb, smothered with caramelized onion, dijon, chevre, arugula, and all stuffed between a large ciabatta. The soup of the day was Split Pea and Ham.

Lamb Burger and Split Pea Soup

What you can't see in the photo is the lamb; there is such a generous portion of caramelized onion that you have to poke underneath it all to confirm that indeed you have a lamb sandwich on your plate. And what you get is a hefty and magnificent lamb sandwich. First biting into the sandwich you are rewarded with the sweetness of the caramelized onions along with all the succulent goodness of ground lamb. The chevre added a creamy texture to the bite. The lamb patty was moist and tasty, and proved a delicious alternative to the usual pub fare. Good choice, Ecliptic.
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The soup of the day was split pea and ham. Ecliptic's version comes in a real bowl: no soup-in-a-cup for lunch here. The split pea and ham was thick and creamy, with a surprising notes of spice to it. Together with the lamb burger, lunch was filling and rewarding.

For my brew, I chose the Spica Hefepils. This unfiltered lager had a nice clean taste to it. With a moderate maltiness and pleasant hop flavor, the Hefepils drank down like a hefeweisen, but still a pilsner in character.

The staff at Ecliptic is friendly and know their beer and can talk intelligently about their brews. The brewery is located in a large building with plenty of seating which is always appreciated on lower Mississippi Avenue. Add Ecliptic's large parking lot and you have a pleasant and memorable visit.

Sunday-Thursday: 11am-10pm