Walrus Alley

 

 

 

 

Don't be afraid that this is in Bridgeport, W+C is located in the nicer part by the water known as Black Rock, which is a stone's throw away from Fairfield. It's walking distance from the Crafty Monk and across the street from Fire Engine Pizza Co. W+C is a nicely decorated place with a bar for about 20 people, really great intimate feel with lots of ornate details in the walls and bar area.

This is just an awesome place with about a dozen rotating taps of craft. Came here around March of 2015 and they had Kentucky Breakfast Stout on tap. They had Fuzzy a few weeks back but we missed it due to snow. Typically you will see about half of the taps geared towards beginners, but then there's always some good stuff to keep the regulars coming back. Sip of Sunshine and Maine Lunch make frequent appearances.

The food is incredible, you pay a pretty penny but it's worth it! Lots of rich, smoked meats like Pork Shoulder. The kind of stuff that just melts in your mouth. Bit of southern style comfort food, and it's a beautiful thing. Check it out ASAP!

It was right about at the point where I was foolishly switching over from the Hutch to I95 where the topic of lunch plans came up. Yeah, we did that hot dog place last time, what else you got? He’s got a place in mind, and he says ‘Bridgeport’, and I’m thinking ‘Oooooh, Bridgeport’, but arrival finds things surprisingly not so Shadyport, no, it does not. Gastropub with good beer & BBQ, that’s an easy sell, and well, any place named for characters from a ‘Through the Looking Glass’ poem...

Enter in; dining side, bar side (if you want me, I’ll be in the bar). Kind of a long narrow room with a skate key shaped bar, wood plank topped, angled and angled again, panel base and foot box; seating for 18 on burgundy leather hightop chairs. Brick wall barback with mounted piping shelving with brown liquor single, and a pair one over the other with mescal & tequila. Upright wood shelving alongside with glassware and meat & booze books atop. Wines countered, and glassware shelved below alongside bottled selections coolered.

Plank wood floors & black ceiling sections. Walls of beige pressed tin vaulted at the end of the bar with an arched panel ceiling, a pair of spinnys and a chandelier. Drop acorn lamps over the bar, sunken baby spots, and mounted single bulb filament boxes. 4 x 8 horizontal board over my shoulder listing beer, style, ABV, & pricing for pint/glass & growler in the center, cocktails to the left, and liquor flights & snacks to the right. Flatscreens over the rear, pig mural stenciled on the far wall, and framed black & white prints of pig farmers and old timey meat & market prints, etc. Little piano around the bar short side for don’t touch. A half dozen hightop tables off the bar, seating to the rear (6 tables mix & match; some picnic, some smaller), roughly a dozen and a half tables around the other side, and a lounge space a-coming upstairs.

Brass barbell tower with a dozen taps; a mix of craft from local hero (NEBCO Sea Hag), regional (Jack’s Abby Leisure Time Lager, Narragansett Town Beach, DogFishHead Festina Peche, Ommegang Abbey, Victory Golden Monkey, Sixpoint Tesla & Gorilla Warfare), and afar (Goose Island Sophie, North Coast Old Rasputin, Stone Go To IPA), + a single cider (Down East Apple Cider). I drank the NEBCO Sea Hag & Jack’s Abby Leisure Time Lager. If the taps don't grab you, they've got a bottle list nearly 4 dozen strong; all of it American craft beer with a few macros & ciders thrown in.

And the aforementioned lunch, maybe a little a lot of food; to give the drink something to wash down. We split two lunch entrees; the garlic & pepper spare ribs (nice rub), and spiced rub beef brisket (came with green peppercorn jus, which was like a beef stock of excellent), both served with cole slaw, pickles, & corn bread. Throw in a house made andouille sausage link (mustardy sauce served) and a side of house cured bacon, and now I need a nap. The food was real good. Regret at not having added the sweet chili baked beans to the mix. You know, they do a 3 course “Notorious P.I.G.” that serves 4 for $128, it might be a bit much for just the two of us.

Cool place. Good tunes (Dylan & The Band), and Megantending, taking some care of us. Solid Cue and tap selection. Sorry Frank, I know you wanted Kenneth up there early for the move, but he’s going to be late today.

 

Had sip of sunshine and palate wrecker

 

 

 

 

A great new addition to Fairfield/Black Rock scene. Awesome barbeque smoked on premise. Chicken wings are amazing. Great tap selection - always something great from outer space - the best of the local brewers plus national greats. Super bottle selection if you get bored. No reason to ever leave.

The old Ash Creek Saloon keeps its rustic charm in Black Rock. A great selection of a dozen exclusively domestic drafts ranging from $6-10; in-house Growlers ready to order, too! About two dozen select bottles/cans add to the selection.

Note that they have one cask-conditioned libation available, too!

Here's a link to the beer/liquor menu (might eventually change, so just Google it): http://www.walruscarpenterct.com/app/download/956206053/Liquour+9.pdf