The Trappist: Beer and More
The Trappist is a specialty beer cafe located in Old Oakland. They specialize in beers from Belgium. They have been around for awhile, but it has been too long since my last visit. A lot has changed. They’ve expanded to more than twice their size, recently opened a new location in Rockridge, and now serves food. The Trappist was participating in Oakland’s Restaurant Week. For $20 you could get a pre-fixed menu including one of their beers on tap.
My friend and I went straight from work Friday evening and it was already quite busy. After reviewing the three course meal they were offering as part of Restaurant Week, we decided to order a la carte.
I’m not going to pretend to know beer. I can enjoy an ice cold beer on a warm day and I can enjoy a beer that pairs well with food. I would consider the menu at the Trappist to pair well with beer.
I did a little research before going to the Trappist. I asked my colleague to help me pick a beer according to my tastes. He recommended the Allagash White Ale with a 5% ABV for me. It’s one of their lightest beers, but still has character and a good fresh taste. My friend got some help at the bar. The bartender gave her a taste of the St Bernardus Tripel and she liked the flavor and creaminess. She returned with a glass of the St Bernardus Tripel as well as a bag of chicharrones from 4505 Meats. This would be a great snack to hold us over before our food arrived. The chicharrones had a very strong pork taste that surprised me. I wasn’t expecting that strong of a flavor because it came out of a plastic chip bag. The fresh chicharrones also kept sticking to my teeth. The novelty was still fun.
My friend and I shared a salad and a sandwich. The salad we chose was the Greens, Farro, and Pears. It came with a red wine vinaigrette and sprinkled Point Reyes blue cheese. It was a nice combination and I especially liked how they julienned the pears.
The Trappist Reuben is a grilled corned beef sandwich with gruyere cheese and sauerkraut. This was a delicious sandwich. It came with a few of their house pickled vegetables that I enjoyed. The pickling spice was a little too hot for my friend.
I was intrigued by the almond beer brittle for dessert, but maybe next time as my friend is allergic to nuts. We decided to head next door to Tamarindo for something sweet.
If you love beer, the Trappist is a great choice for you. And if you get hungry, there is probably something tasty on the menu that would compliment that beer in your hand.
