The Gaslamp can be a scary place. No, not scary like the Gaslamp of 30 years ago, where one was far more likely to encounter a knife-wielding thief or stark-raving lunatic than the droves of high-priced restaurants and ultra-luxe clubs that now populate Downtown’s premier 16-square-block party zone. I’m talking scary for regular people, those who care little for fads and cover charges and even less for velvet ropes, bottle service and rooftop pool parties stuffed to the gills with pretty people.
With each passing year, it gets tougher and tougher for a mild-mannered, normal-looking individual of average means to find an easygoing, casual spot to enjoy quality food and drink Downtown without the seemingly obligatory hype. Especially if one’s looking for craft beer that goes beyond token offerings and macro-produced shams. Still, there are some gems out there, including Quad AleHouse, a laidback, craft beer-stocked lair that touched down upon a second story perch at the corner of Fifth and E last month. And this is one of the first of such sanctuaries to work extra hard so its patrons won’t have to work so hard. Much of that has to do with the fare of chef Brandon Brooks.
“As a native San Diegan, I, like most others I know, have felt a bit disconnected from the Downtown scene. For a long time, the Gaslamp has been home to mostly the club crowd or convention tourists, leaving only a few places where I feel like staying awhile and having a few beers,” says Brooks. “The team behind Quad really wanted to create a place where people could find a haven among what can often be craziness. The food is moderately priced and our space is high enough up that you can enjoy the beauty of the Gaslamp while not having to endure the hustle.”
Brooks is well known by local, beer-centric foodies, who will remember him (perhaps from his appearance in this column in a 2012 issue of West Coaster) from his former posts at Ritual Tavern and, most recently, Sessions Public. Originally brought on to provide menu consultation for Quad as well as its sister venue, Gaslamp Tavern, Brooks became enamored with the passion behind these projects and decided to make a full-time move and play a bigger role in both. Step one was conceiving a culinary direction leading to a menu that would help cement the anti-pomp ethos he and his team were looking to instill.
“I wanted to create a menu that would match the feel of the space and highlight the craft spirit. For me, that meant barbecue,” says Brooks. “Barbecue is about as Americana as it gets and I felt a fresh approach to this classic style of cooking would help draw some people who typically avoid the Downtown area.”
It sounds simple enough and, at its core, it is. However, Brooks is as much about the extensive variety of artisanal ales and lagers pouring forth from Quad’s 28-tap bar as he is the edible bill of fare. As far as he’s concerned, the two are meant to go hand-in-hand (or at least hand-to-mouth), so he has taken a number of strategic steps to ensure the eating-and-drinking experience is as optimal as possible.
“Beer and food should work together,” he says. “The menu has lots of herbs, natural fats and strong, bright flavors, all of which are meant to stimulate palates as well as entice guests to try more of the great beers San Diego has to offer.”
Brooks cites a crisp, hoppy San Diego IPA or pale ale matched with Quad’s ancho-braised brisket as his favorite pairing at the moment. The sweet-spiciness of the ancho chilies helps one savor each sip while the beer cuts through the fat of the brisket. But that’s just one of myriad meaty, smokehouse-themed items up for bid with all those beers.
Quad features five house-prepared, thoughtfully sourced meats—the brisket, pulled pork, Moroccan-spiced lamb shoulder, smoked turkey and whole herb-roasted chicken. Any of the above can be made into a sandwich or salad, or offered up either as a half-pound plate or to-go by the pound. Also available are a number of sides, including smoked cheddar macaroni and cheese baked in a cast-iron skillet, roasted seasonal vegetables, and red potatoes given extra flavor courtesy of rendered brisket and pork drippings.
The decadence doesn’t stop on the savory side. In fact, in addition to staying rich and heavy where sweets are concerned, the dessert menu is where things get even beerier, with ales finding their way into most of the eatery’s confectinery end notes. Case in point—a flourless chocolate cake made with Modern Times Black House Coffee Stout, accompanied with nougat mousse, smoked peanuts and caramel sauce to give the dish a flavor profile resembling that of a Snickers bar. There’s also a “hopped” apple cobbler, truffles made with a rotating array of local beer and beer-infused ice cream shakes further “adult”-erized with the addition of bourbon whipped cream and luxardo cherries. Brooks has provided the recipe for the latter along with step-by-step barbecue instructions. But for the genuine article, take a trip Downtown…even if it’s kinda scary.
Perfect Brisket
204 ounces water
52 ounces apple cider vinegar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup salt
1 10-pound brisket
1/3 cup salt
1/3 cup freshly ground black pepper
2 yellow onions, diced
1 cup garlic, minced
ancho chilies, ground, to taste
adobo chile paste, to taste (based on cook’s preference)
Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a container large enough to hold the brisket and the brine. If more brine is necessary, add the ingredients in the same ratio (80% water/20% vinegar with equal parts sugar and salt). Make sure the brisket is completely submerged in the brine, then cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.
Remove the brisket from the brine and bring to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Combine the salt, pepper and adobo paste, then apply an equal coat of the spice rub to the brisket. Place the brisket in a large, deep roasting pan with the fat cap side up (be careful not to trim too much of the fat cap off, or the brisket will turn out dry). Top the brisket with onions, garlic, chilies and adobo paste. Pour enough water in the pan to cover two-thirds of the brisket. Cover with parchment paper, then cover with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and cook 4 to 5 hours or until the meat flakes apart when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or store, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
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Beer Shake with Bourbon Whipped Cream
4 large scoops ice cream
5 ounces porter or stout (preferably AleSmith Speedway Stout or a mint-flavored chocolate stout)
Bourbon Whipped Cream (see recipe below)
1 luxardo cherry
Combine the ice cream and beer in a blender. The shake should be thick, with a viscosity similar to wet concrete.
To serve, transfer the mixture to a beer glass, generously layer with whipped cream and top with a cherry.
Bourbon Whipped Cream
4 ounces bourbon whiskey
2 Tbsp brown sugar
8 ounces heavy cream
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar
Whisk together the whiskey and brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 8 minutes or until the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Combine the heavy cream, confectioners sugar and syrup mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Turn on the machine and whip at high speed until the mixture is fluffy.