On Wednesday February 8 2012, Taphouse Grille in Wayne, NJ hosted a beer pairing dinner with Cricket Hill Brewery. Matt Cinotti and Mike Fetherston of TapHouse Grille worked with Chef Mark Arbeit to pair each of the meals in this 5 course dinner with a beer from the wonderful selection at Cricket Hill.
Prior to the event, we arrived early and were offered a seat at the bar to pick any one of the 24 beers on tap to begin our night. Once the event began, we were escorted upstairs to a private room where we were greeted by the owner of Cricket Hill, Rick Reed. He is one of the most energetic guys in the industry and very passionate about his beer. We were first offered their flagship East Coast Lager which is a well balanced Bavarian Helles Lager by the very attentive TapHouse staff. After about 30min, we all gathered in an adjacent room where the tables were all set with our pint glasses waiting to be filled.
As each course was presented, Rick spoke about the history and inspiration of the beer that was being served and Mark would speak about the dish he crafted. We enjoyed dishes such as Potato Leek soup with cornmeal crusted oysters paired with the East Coast Lager. Another course was a grilled bacon beer braised pulled pork and homemade pork rinds. The evening was very enjoyable and it was great to dine with people who enjoy great food and beer.
Visit Taphouse Grille to take advantage of one of the best craft beer selections in NJ. You can also enjoy an extensive menu and fill a 64oz growler to enjoy when you get home.
Find Tap House Grille in person at 344 French Hill Road, Wayne, online, on Facebook or Tweeting. NJCB Members save at Taphouse Grille! How’s 15% off your food bill after 6:30PM daily. Check it out online.