Why: FlyBoy Brewing, also located in Lake Oswego and Tigard, Ore., recently opened a location in Vancouver. FlyBoy has more than 18 new and unique beers and ciders on tap to pair with a selection of gourmet sandwiches. A nano brewery is on the calendar to open later this year. Conveniently located off of Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard east of Interstate 205, the taproom offers a relaxed atmosphere and delicious options.
What I tried: I settled on the T-Day sandwich and my dining companion had the P-51 Mustang. The T-Day is made on a warmed French roll and includes turkey, cranberry, stuffing and mayonnaise. The P-51 is likewise made on a warmed French roll and is stacked with hot pastrami, coleslaw, swiss cheese and Russian dressing.
Both sandwiches were served in paper-lined baskets with baked potato chips and a pickle and garnished with a leaf of purple cabbage and sprigs of rosemary and thyme. The bread used for both sandwiches was fresh and soft and at its best, served warmed combined with warm ingredients.
The meat on both sandwiches was premium quality. I found the turkey sandwich reminiscent of holiday fare. The cranberry added a pleasant sweetness to the savory stuffing and roasted flavor of the turkey. My dining companion enjoyed the P-51 and noted each element was detectable without any singular ingredient overwhelming the overall flavor of the sandwich. He also liked how the coleslaw was still cool, which made a good impression.
Dining Out review: FlyBoy Brewing
Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Happy hour is 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Where: 316 S.E. 123rd Ave., Vancouver.
Contact: 360-218-1735 or www.flyboybrewingvancouver.com
Health score: FlyBoy Brewing has received a pre-opening inspection and is scheduled for a routine inspection in the near future. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The Elvis combines peanut butter, banana, bacon and optional grape jelly on sourdough, wheat or white bread. The F4U Corsair is a grilled cheese with bacon on your choice of bread. Turkey, coleslaw, provolone cheese, Russian dressing and mayonnaise create the Veronica Lake, while the F-14 Tomcat is made with turkey grilled with green peppers and pepper jack cheese on sourdough bread. The Bomber sounded delicious. This sandwich is made with bacon, grilled cheese, jalapenos and cream cheese. The Super Fortress combines bacon, mozzarella sticks and barbecue sauce on garlic toast. Appetizers include mozzarella sticks and regular and boneless wings.
Atmosphere: The theme celebrates pilots of yesteryear. Above a bare concrete floor, tables are paired with old fashioned restaurant chairs. Two large slabs of wood paired with barstools create tall, bar-style seating in addition to the actual bar-side seating that utilizes the same type of handsome surface, lending Pacific Northwest influence to the space. Banks of coolers behind the bar and on the opposite wall house brews. Several large-screen TVs and a foosball tables provide entertainment. The decor incorporates retro tin World War II pinup signs and other airplane paraphernalia.
Other observations: Service was fast and friendly, the atmosphere is very casual, and you can be confident with the beverage and food selection.
Cost: Sandwiches are about $10 each, and brews range from $4 to just under $6. Test flights are $10 for seven samples. Growlers are $7 and $12 a fill. Happy hour pints are $4 (plus tax) and wine is $6.
