Underground Tap & Grill Re-Visited
Disclaimer: Although I have been to the Underground several times on my own, this particular visit was at the invitation of the business.
I can’t remember how long the Underground Tap & Grill has been around, I know it’s been a few years now. It used to be a place that I frequented when I worked downtown because it was right across the street and the whole “craft beer” thing was relatively new. Duck has always been the Chef’s specialty and nothing goes better with a nice cold beer than a nice salty Duck Confit poutine. My huge dislike for the Underground was that I would go to visit with friends on the weekend and not be able to have a conversation because the music was too loud.
Fast Forward to Today…
No longer working downtown. Let’s face it – since the new “ICE” district came in the parking is ridiculously expensive on a night where there is an event in the arena. Most people who have a decent head on their shoulders avoid the whole downtown situation whenever possible at great detriment to the local businesses that depend on us.
Well… Underground has tackled the parking problem and oh so much more!
$3 evening parking after 4pm in the parkade located in the tower right next to Tres Carnales. Just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Underground. Aptly named, you will be going down the stairs to the pub to enjoy some great food and now 72 different beers on tap. 72!
There is a wonderful selection of different styles of beer from different breweries. The selection is always changing. There is a monthly tap takeover and when the keg is gone, it’s off the menu. They even have the lovely Brittany as the Beer Manager. She knows her stuff and is more than happy to help you make an educated choice when you are overwhelmed by the menu. There is also a weekly rotation for the beer cocktails. These are fun and creative mixtures that will leave you wanting more.
And huge bonus, there is no more live DJ on the weekends so that you can now have a conversation with your friends without having to yell!
Now onto the Food
The menu has also gone through some recent changes. Duck is still Chef Lang Hsiao’s specialty. Therefore, we had to try something with duck in it. We had the Adobo Buffalo Duck Wings ($15) which are also available for the “Wing Wednesday” menu special for half price. These were just the right amount of spice, moist and delicious. We will definitely be back for more of these.
There is a new weekly “Chef Special” where Chef gets to be creative. Of course, I had to try it. My choice was the “Canadian Back Bacon” which was “Bourbon maple glazed local farmed pork loin, dry cured in house for 10 days. Served with baked potato, grilled zucchini and egg plant. Although the flavours were all really good, this was not as tender and moist as I was expecting.
My husband tried the 8 oz. striploin with the peppercorn sauce. He says the medium rare was done perfectly; tender, moist and delicious. These come with “all you can eat” sides which are served buffet style. The peppercorn sauce had a bit of a kick to it that was delightful.
The Beer…
Oh the beer! Brittany was wonderful about explaining what a Gose was, as I had not yet had the opportunity to sample one. The tap takeover was with Red Racer brewery and they had a delicious sounding Gose; the Lime Margarita.
“Inspired by the beaches of Mexico, the essence of a lime margarita is captured in a craft beer. This lightly salted, slightly tart beer is infused with lime juice and a splash of Tequila to give a tropical cocktail take on a German style ale.”
This beer was amazing! Such a refreshing beer that needs to be enjoyed with some sunshine out on a patio. I’m a new fan. Hubby had the Beavertail Raspberry Ale by Grizzly Paw in Canmore.
- So if you have any burning questions about a particular brew and Brittany is on shift, she has all of the knowledge to help you.
- We had no room for dessert, however there are 6 lovely choices on the menu for you to enjoy.
- We were also informed that there is a Saturday Brunch menu available from 11 am to 2 pm on the weekend.
- The venue is usually accessible but during our visit the elevator was being repaired.
- There are gluten-free and vegan options available on the menu.
Thank you Underground! We had a wonderful evening trying the latest menu and taps. We are looking forward to our next visit.
Website:
http://www.undergroundtapandgrill.com/
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https://www.instagram.com/undergroundtapandgrill/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/underground_edm
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https://www.facebook.com/TheUndergroundTapGrill/?fref=ts