By rewarding voters with a free brew on election night, Hoppy Brewing Company had a Tuesday night packed like a Friday.
Located on 65th and Folsom, Hoppy had a pretty good variety on the menu for a brewery, but many of the choices were a bit pricey for a broke college student. Anything over the $6 dollar Chipotle burrito is a special occasion for me so I took dinner advice from Jake Corbin, a Hoppy regular.
I went with the greasily-famous Philly Cheese Steak for just under the double-digit dollar price of $9.75. It’s been awhile since I had one and the grilled onions, bell peppers and steak seemed like the fail-safe investment of the night.
The sandwich was greasy as expected and in fact a little bit too greasy since the bottom of the sourdough roll was a bit soaked leaving a glossy coat of evidence on my fingertips. Of course some roll-bottom saturation can be excused when taken from a standard foil-wrapped Philly Cheese Steak, but for almost $10, I want perfection!The fries that occupied the other side of the plate didn’t last long even though they tasted the same as 95% of other restaurants. The fries weren’t anything special, but they got the job done for someone who can never turn down fries as a side.
I’ve been telling myself I’m on a diet, but it’s just too hard to eat a salad with my girlfriend not around. Greasy was the topic of the night for my appetite, but I did try to make myself feel less guilty by choosing the steak instead of the ground beef in a Hoppyburger.
After eating greasy foods, my head always seems to feel “clogged” or hazy which prompts a response to drink excessive amounts of water. The waiter seemed to be juggling around six tables at once which granted me only one water refill.
I know I am a camel when it comes to water sometimes so I didn’t even bother interrupting the waiter since I know what it’s like to be understaffed. Considering the unlikely full capacity, the waiter did all he could to keep a fresh supply of ale to others.
Even though the word “free” made grabbing a brew very tempting, I had to pass on it because I have been taking 2400mg of ibuprofen daily for about the last 6 months due to hand tendinitis. I felt a bit juvenile lifting my glass of water among the crowd of ale-drinkers during a toast, but it just wasn’t worth ignoring my doctor’s warning by trying a pint of Hoppy beer. Plus, I never really drank much beer as a beverage; only as a bridge to inebriation.
As far as Philly Cheese Steaks go, I’d give it a B+, but as far as $10 sandwiches go, I wouldn’t repeat it. I am El Cheapo when it comes to food unless I am sure to have a good box of left-overs (i.e. Buca Di Beppo a.k.a. the best leftovers ever). Nevertheless, the chat and the lively environment made my visit to Hoppy a fun time. Next time I’ll try a Heff-a’s-weizen brew.
more info >> www.hoppy.com
