Why: 54°40’ Brewing Company has been open for business for 2½ years and serving food since September. 54°40’ has both year-round and seasonal beers on tap and the food menu includes appetizers, burgers and sandwiches.
Atmosphere: The public space is warm and welcoming, consisting of two main areas with ample seating. Long community-style tables paired with farmhouse chairs, as well as picnic tables, tall bistro tables and stools, and counter seating invite sizable crowds or intimate groups. Brewing equipment is visible from the restaurant through windows on the dividing wall. The walls are covered in two tones of wood siding, which complements the wood seating options. A handsome stone fireplace is the room’s centerpiece, and built-in bookshelves display brewery memorabilia.
What I tried: My dining companion and I started our meal with the loaded fries, which consist of fries topped with German-style bier cheese and bacon. I also tried the smoked pork sandwich made with house-smoked pork loin, savory apple butter and Cajun mustard slaw. My dining companion settled on the “Mad Hatter” sandwich, made with bacon jam, blue cheese crumbles, lettuce, red onion, tomato and mayonnaise on a ciabatta roll. We also tried a Kascadia Kölsch-style ale to drink. The award-winning brew — it’s been named a Gold Medal Washington Beer and Bronze Medal Best of Craft Beer — is made from a pilsner malt and a classic German yeast strain, creating a crisp and easy-drinking beer. We both enjoyed the Kascadia and found it refreshing.
The fries arrived to our table surprisingly quick. They were tepid and limp. The cheese was cool and grainy in consistency. There looked to be two strips of largely chopped bacon atop. We were greatly disappointed with the appetizer, which looked like we’d left it to sit for 20 minutes before eating. When we were asked how it was, we were offered a replacement, but declined. We weren’t charged for the fries.
Dining out guide: 54° 40’ Brewing Company
• Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Last call on food is one hour prior to close.
• Where: 3801 S. Truman Road No. 1, Washougal.
• Contact: 360-844-5932; 54-40brewing.com.
• Health score: Regarding 54° 40’ Brewing Company: Frequency of inspections vary depending on complexity of the food establishment. Level-3 food establishments are inspected three times a year. Level-2 food establishments are inspected twice a year. Level-1 food establishments are inspected once a year. Facility inspections without violations are not included in the list. You may contact Clark County Public Health at 360-397-8428 for more information.
I was looking forward to the pork sandwich based on the tasty-sounding description, but was again disappointed. There was only a smattering of slaw and apple butter, leaving the flavors hardly detectable. There was a generous amount of meat on the sandwich, which was lean and meaty, but barely warm. The egg bun the sandwich was served on was not toasted. Overall, there was room for improvement in all the sandwiche’s components.
My dining companion enjoyed his sandwich and found the ingredients made for a delicious, unique experience. The salad that accompanied was garden fresh.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: A flatbread with roasted tomato and mozzarella cheese is on the menu, as is a Reuben sandwich. The 54°40’ burger combines lettuce, tomato, shaved onion, pickle, roasted red pepper and mayo on a brioche bun with the beef patty. Twelve beers are available on tap.
Other observations: I loved the atmosphere but found room for improvement in the food. Outdoor seating is available. A book club meets on the first day of the month, trivia is the first Wednesday of the month and bands perform at the brewery as well.
Cost: Appetizers cost $5 to $11. Burgers and sandwiches are $10 to $12.
