Barrel Mountain Brewing delicious, inviting

Why: Barrel Mountain Brewing, located in Old Town Battle Ground, is among Clark County’s impressive lineup of breweries that offer a full menu and family-friendly atmosphere. Chef Andrew Weber, who has been with Barrel Mountain since May, has food industry experience spanning over 10 years. Before coming to Barrel Mountain, he was executive sous chef at Salty’s on the Columbia. Weber revamped Barrel Mountain’s menu with gourmet burgers and original dishes that pair well with their brews and appease eaters of all ages.

What I tried: My dining companions and I started with the brewery steak bites and the hummus plate. I settled on the Millie May sandwich with french fries and my dining companions had the lettuce wraps with chicken, the adult mac ‘n’ cheese and the Old Town Burger. For dessert we sampled the lemon cheesecake.

The steak bites are served with mushrooms, onion straws, garlic confit and barbecue horseradish. Each bite was a true bite of steak, finished on all edges with a juicy, tender presence, and the accompaniments enhanced the meat. It was an excellent start to our meal. The hummus plate was generously stocked with carrots, celery, marinated artichoke heart pieces, feta cheese squares, pickled onions, cucumber, tomato and kalamata olives with a smoked red pepper garlic hummus. There was also hot toasted portions of fresh pita bread on the plate. The hummus was spicy and flavorful, and the combination of pairings was more than what is typically included on a hummus plate with portions large enough to satisfy at least four people.

The Millie May sandwich is made on a hoagie bun. Cross-sliced and grilled andouille sausage, onion, pickled peppers, garlic aioli and creamy mustard slaw are piled on the bun. I found the spicy heat of the sausage somewhat tamed by the slaw and the rest of the ingredients combined for a juicy medley of complex character. The french fries reminded me of In-N-Out burger’s fries. In fact, they were the closest to them that I have encountered and the portion size was huge.

My dining companion who had the burger enjoyed it thoroughly and was impressed with its size — certainly a satiating burger. The Old Town is topped with smoked bacon, a runny egg, white cheddar cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato and Barrel Mountain beer mustard.

The lettuce wraps are plated as ingredients to combine according to diner’s preference. Fresh butter leaves are accompanied by fried noodles, carrots, cucumber and chicken breast pieces (steak and fish are other protein options) with teriyaki sauce and spicy peanut sauce. My dining companion liked the fresh, salad quality of the dish and favored the teriyaki sauce for dipping.

Orecchiette pasta is used for the mac ‘n’ cheese. White cheddar cheese, Brie, pork belly, asparagus and garlic confit are combined with the pasta and then topped with golden, crispy onion straws and chopped chives for a tasty, memorable mac ‘n’ cheese rendition, which is a must try for mac ‘n’ cheese lovers. My dining companion took home what he could not finish and said it was delicious reheated the following day.

Both the burger and the sandwich came with a house-made, juicy whole pickle, which was more tangy than sweet.

The lemon cheesecake sat atop a fresh berry syrup, which brought out the best in the dessert and finished our meal at Barrel Mountain on a sweet, satisfying note.

Atmosphere: The Main Street entrance opens up to a rustic cabin atmosphere which has a national forest-inspired theme. Wood-covered surfaces surround the dining accommodations, and an assortment of handcrafted lighting fixtures add interest and a warm glow to the space. Large-screen televisions provide entertainment. Seating consists mostly of tables with benches and an assortment of different chairs. There is bar seating and a few tall tables as well. Growlers and swag are on display and for sale as well.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Appetizers include roasted cauliflower and a meat and cheese board. The Beet Me Up salad made with roasted beets, arugula, pickled onions, smoked bacon, toasted hazelnuts and ch?vre cheese with an olive oil, sea salt and balsamic vinaigrette sounded appetizing. The Prairie burger sounded intriguing. It begins as all the other burgers — 7 ounces of short rib brisket Angus and a brioche bun — but it’s stacked with spicy peanut sauce, smoked bacon, fried jalape?os and sweet chili whipped cream cheese. The Mayor Dutch burger has saut?ed mushrooms and onions, provolone cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and barbecue horseradish. Wings come in portions of one and two pounds and are available in four different varieties. Among the sandwich options is the BMB grilled cheese, which consists of Muenster cheese, provolone cheese, white cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, tomato jam and pesto on crusted sourdough (you may also add smoked bacon). Fish and chips, wild mushroom ravioli and tenderloin medallions are among the large plate options.

Other observations: We found the waitstaff attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Food portions are large and appropriately priced. Barrel Mountain is a great place to taste some local brewing talent. An ample amount of outdoor seating is available as well.

Cost: Appetizers cost $8 to $24. Salads are $9. Burgers are $13. Wings cost $9 for one pound and $17 for two pounds. Sandwiches cost $8 to $14. Large plate selections range from $15 to $22. Fish is at market prices and varies. Sides cost $5 to $9. Happy hour menu items range from $5 to $12 and Barrel Mountain Brewing beers are $4.