Category Archives: Picture City Porter

Christmas Eve at Ladyface!

     Merry Christmas Eve!!! My brother and his wife (whom shall now be referred to as “the vegans“) are in town for the holidays. They’re home-brewers and total beer snobs (that’s where I learned my beer-snobbery), so we went to Ladyface for an early lunch and beer tasting.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!
Ladyface Mountain!
We all started off with different beers. Starting from the top left and going clockwise: Picture City Porter, Ladyface IPA, Blind Ambition Amber, La Blonde, and the seasonal “O Smokey Night”.
I was very happy with my Blind Ambition – I’ve always been partial to ambers.
 Blind Ambition post-swirling.
It’s always necessary to start with sweet potato fries, especially if they come with red ale ketchup! The taste of the ale was actually present in the sauce and added a malty depth to the ketchup. I could’ve sipped it straight from the cup!
Having “the vegans” in the house always makes me crave meat to compensate for the overload of tofu and legumes that they use to fill our fridge. I ordered the grass-fed, free-range burger with white cheddar on a pretzel bun. It came with sliced red onions bathed in balsamic vinegar, organic tomatoes and butter lettuce on the side.
Dessert consisted of dreamy, delicate chocolate crepes stuffed with slightly-sweet chantilly cream and drizzled with raspberry compote.
They suggested that the crepes be paired with Liefman’s slightly sour lambic brewed with cherries.
It actually had small fragments of cherries in it!
 Obviously we weren’t satisfied with the dessert, OR the beer-pairing.
We were so unimpressed that we bought another bottle to take home for post-church enjoyment.
Such suffering 🙂
After a long lunch, we ventured back to the brewery section of the alehouse and brasserie.
They were in the middle of boiling their La Blanche Witbier, and we got a chance to talk with the brewmaster, David Griffiths, as well as the owner of the restaurant, Cyrena Nouzille.
Some of their seasonals were being fermented in French oak barrels.
     It was a really tough way to spend Christmas Eve, but we felt it was our duty to help support the local business. We’re off to attend Christmas Eve service, and then we’ll be spending the evening sipping fine brews and enjoying some quality time with our little family. I’m feeling extremely blessed this season.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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Filed under Agoura, blonde ale, brewery, burgers, IPA, Ladyface, Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie, Liefmans, O Smokey Night, Picture City Porter, sweet potato fries, vegan

Ladyface Date Night!

     Today, I had one goal in mind when I woke up: HAPPY HOUR DATE NIGHT! In preparation for such fantastical wonderment, I centered my day around it. It’s all about balance, baby!

My Monsta had SIX cups of spinach, 1/3 of a cup of unsweetened soymilk, 1/2 of a banana, 3 sprigs of fresh asparagus, 1/2 of a lemon and 1/2 of a lime, and 1/2 of a cup of frozen blueberries. POWERMONSTA!!!!
     I had four teeny-tiny hours at work today. I arrived with a big mug of coffee in my hand and a smile on my face. After those four hours, I left with an empty mug and a scowl. Grrr on you, retail!
I refueled with a mini-Kitchen Sink Salad. This had half of a bag of chopped lettuce, 1/4 of a chopped bell pepper, 1/2 of a cup of lentils and 1/2 of a carton of egg white salad. Just enough to tide me over until dinner, and just enough health to cancel out what comes next!
We went to Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie (What is a brasserie? I’m too lazy/exhausted to look it up!) for happy hour. This was my first time being here, and most definitely not my last!
The fermentation process takes place in the middle of the restaurant! Next time I go here, I will most definitely ask for a tour of the brewery! And employment! If only I lived closer…
First things first: We got the Picture City Porter. This beer has a strong scent of coffee and a mild taste of chocolate. It’s very rich, but has only a small amount of carbonation. Aaaah, beer, I’ve missed you!
We split a pitcher. It was somewhat awesome.
After checking out the bar menu, we couldn’t agree on the type of pommes frites to get, so I ordered the garlic and herb with garlic mayo, and he got the Harissa spice. The garlic and herb fries were AMAZING! He ended up not being a fan of the Harissa spice (“They’re too spicy! I thought they’d taste smoky!”) and demolished the remains of my fries. Rawr.
The sliders came next. We got them medium-well (NOOOO SALMONELLA!!!!), and they came on the most fluffy, delicate little buns I’ve ever had. When I start working there, I’ll tell you what they actually consist of :).
We also got an order of bruschetta. I was trying to have an open mind, but I definitely do NOT enjoy eating fungi, and only recently began enjoying having tomatoes on my burgers, so these were a fail for me. Plus, the toasted bread almost chipped my tooth. Boo.
Obviously, the only way to make my teeth feel better was to have another beer. They were all out of their ambers, so I settled for what the waiter recommended: Big Daddy IPA by Speakeasy. Apparently, Speakeasy is out of Boulder, CO: my old hometown. As soon as I heard that, I was sold. This beer is ridiculously hoppy, which I’m finally growing to appreciate and respect, and tasted like the holidays – a bit like pine, as weird as that sounds… It’s similar to Hoptober by New Belgium, yet was mellow enough that I wasn’t pursing my lips in pain after every sip. I guess I’m learning!
This picture is solely for my friend, Malachi. A giraffe, and a carafe. You’re welcome.
After a few hours and three beers on my part, we ended up with this amazing and completely unnecessary piece of bread pudding. Okay, that was a lie. It was TOTALLY necessary! This bread pudding was luscious and decadent and full of cinnamon, brandy, and love. It tasted like Cinnabon on crack. In a good way.
     Now, it’s only 9:45pm and I am completely tuckered-out. Starting happy hour at 4pm can do that to you, I guess. Enjoy the visual attack of delicious pictures, and I shall go pass out with visions of bread pudding swirling and twirling through my head. Tomorrey morning shall be greeted with a hike!
Where’s your favorite place for happy hour?

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Filed under beer, Bread pudding, date night, green monster, kitchen sink salad, Ladyface Ale Companie, Picture City Porter, pommes frites, sliders