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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2015)
Cannon Beach Hardware and Public House The beer-battered hali- but fi sh and chips are a tasty, substantial meal, but so is the $20 price tag. Enhanced pub food in a hardware store? It’s not a gimmick, just dual-purpose S Someone on their way to the “Hardware Store” in Cannon Beach is just as likely in need of a burger and fries as they are a hammer and nails. Nicknamed the “Screw and Brew,” Can- non Beach Hardware and Public House tends to both the handyman’s tastebuds as well as his toolbox. It began as a plain old hardware store. After the adjacent space became available walls were knocked down and the pub was erected. Now one can peer from just about any vantage into the tightly packed aisles of the hardware store itself. Underscoring the dual-purpose, staff are shared. Looking for a Gorilla Glue? Need a key duplicated? Ask a waitress. And while the hardware section may hew to the more humble of home-improvement proj- ects, the menu caters to those hungry enough to eat a house. Served with an abundance of fries — or, if you add $1, tots — it’s hard to imagine PDQ\HQWUpHVIDLOLQJWR¿OOHYHQDVWDUYLQJFRQ struction worker. Just as any toolbox wouldn’t be complete with a screwdriver, so too must a pub offer burg- HUVIULHVFKLFNHQZLQJV¿VKDQGFKLSVDQGWKH like. The Hardware Store goes a bit further with halibut and prawn burgers, a meatloaf sandwich, SDWW\PHOWDQGGDLO\VSHFLDOVOLNH¿VKWDFRV , RSWHG ¿UVW IRU WKH EHHUEDWWHUHG KDOLEXW ¿VKDQGFKLSV,KDGWRNQRZ:HUHWKH\UHDOO\ worth $20? The answer is both yes and no. 7KHWKUHHSLHFHVRI¿VKZHUHDPSOHVHYHUHG over a mountain of fries with house-made tartar DQG FRFNWDLO VDXFHV 7KH ¿VK HPHUJHG EOD]LQJ KRW KRZ IULHG ¿VK VKRXOG (YHQ DW D OHLVXUHO\ pace it remained hot until the last bite. :KDWWKHÀDN\EHHUEDWWHUHGFUXVWODFNHGLQ FUXQFKLWJDLQHGLQFOHDQOLQHVV,QWHUPVRI¿VK and chips, these were high-octane, not at all oily. Instead of needing a nap afterwards, they left me VDWLV¿HGHQHUJL]HGDQGOLJKW8QIRUWXQDWHO\WKH\ OHIWP\ZDOOHWOLJKWDVZHOO(YHU\WKLQJDERXWWKH ¿VKDQGFKLSVZRUNHGH[FHSWWKHSULFH)RUDIHZ Cannon Beach Hardware and Public House Rating: 1235 S Hemlock St. Cannon Beach, OR 97110 dollars less I’d have no qualms. As much as the dish succeeded on the pure quality of the halibut, it was the tartar and cock- WDLO VDXFHV WKDW PDGH LW VLQJ (DFK ZDV KRPH made, and marvelous. The cocktail, not overly sweet, had a late-coming, spicy kick. The tartar was ideally balanced between the creamy base ²DJDLQQRWRYHUO\RLO\²DQGWKH]LQJRIOHP on, pickle and (I believe) diced red peppers. As a lover — and collector — of hot sauce, it is a true testament to the Hardware Store’s cocktail and tartar that, when afforded with the opportunity to dabble in their vast, 20-some-bot- tle selection, I opted to stick with the house con- coctions. Cannon Beach Hardware and Public House tends to both the handyman’s tastebuds as well as his toolbox. The Cannon Beach Hard- ware and Public House is nicknamed the Screw & Brew. :KHQ LW FDPH WR WKH EXIIDOR FKLFNHQ VDQG wich ($12), however, I needed that extra kick. Dry and crispy rather than tender and juicy, it re- minded more of chicken strip than the namesake wing. It came with an almost absurd heaping of JRUJRQ]RODEXWZRXOGEHEHWWHUVDQVWKH3DQNR EUHDGLQJ,QRWKHUZRUGV,I\RX¶UHLQWKHPRRG buffalo wings, just order the wings ($6 for six, $10 for 12). After learning the Public House had a tradi- tional smoker on the premises, I had to return to try the pastrami melt ($12). (The BBQ pulled pork is also smoked.) Unlike the classic, tower- ing deli version, the Hardware Store’s pastrami VDQGZLFKZDVHDV\WR¿WLQP\PRXWK²LWZDV the one entrée I saw on the smaller side. But the mouth OF THE COLUMBIA COAST WEEKEND’S LOCAL RESTAURANT REVIEW Story and photos by THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA • mouth@coastweekend.com HOURS: The pub is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the hardware store is open form 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Both are closed Wednesdays. VEGETARIAN/VEGAN OPTIONS: Slim. Veggie burger, chips and salsa, fries, tots, onion rings and side salad. PRICE: $$ – Entrees range from $10 to $20. DRINKS: Microbrews, short wine list, house-infused cocktails (full bar), and Mexican Coke. SERVICE: Every bit as quirky as the place itself. taste was sultry. The melted provolone cheese was gooey and running, smothering and swirl- ing with the bold brine and pepper of the smoked beef. Despite the salaciousness, I did long for some sauerkraut, both for texture and digestive aid. Instead of fries, I opted for a side salad (add :LWKKHDUW\JUHHQVJDUEDQ]REHDQVDQGDU tichoke hearts, it was substantial (but so too was the up-charge). True to the Public House moniker, the Hardware Store is haunted by locals as well as tourists. You might spot some of the regulars drinking from ceramic cups, which indicate membership in the beer club. (A one-time, $25 IHHFRYHUVWKH¿UVWEHHUDQGUHGXFHVWKHFRVWRI pints by 10 percent in perpetuity.) Rotating taps pour top-notch microbrews from Oregon and beyond. There’s a short wine list, house-infused cocktails and Mexican Coke. As the front patio opens and the summer crowds pile in, space can get a bit tight. It’s the SURGXFWRIWKHUHWUR¿WEXWDZRUWKZKLOHWUDGHRII for such bright, earnest, engaging character. 7KRXJKXSRQ¿UVWJODQFHLWPLJKWDSSHDURGG the Cannon Beach Hardware and Public House is more than just a gimmick. KEY TO RATINGS poor below average good & worth returning excellent outstanding, the best in the Columbia-Pacific region 503-436-4086 • cannonbeachhardware.com April 23, 2015 | coastweekend.com | 21