Beer and Burgers: Harmon Brewing, Tacoma WA

Beer flights at The Harmon 

The foods and craft beer scene that threatens to overwhelm Seattle is spreading to nearby Tacoma, Washington. The downtown area, anchored by the Seattle Art Museum and University of Washington campus boasts a craft brewery, Harmon Brewing Co., with a family friendly restaurant, The Harmon.

Since you are so close to Seattle, you can have wild salmon, but we stuck to food better suited to the beer.

Fish tacos at The Harmon

Not just beer

But The Harmon isn't just for beer geeks. The restaurant features local spirits like Heritage bourbon, used in the Manhattan-like Don Draper (double barrel boring, bitters, cherry and orange) or the Mango Madness, which uses Heritage mango vodka, triple sec and OJ.

But oh that beer

But we really did come for the beer, which we tasted in two flights: the stand-by, and a series of seasonal brews. The Pinnacle Peak Ale is mildly hoppy, like a beginner AIPA, while the Point Defiance IPA rocks the local hops.

Quinoa Burger

We also had a season One Hop Wonder, the dry Blonde beer, a Porter and an amber, all served on small wooden skis.

The food matches the beer

The Harmon suggests beer pairings, though we went off piste and stuck with IPAs to go with our vegetarian quinoa burger and fish tacos.

The burger, which comes with excellent parmesan fries or a huge side salad, is served on a brioche bun. With sriracha ranch sauce, pepper jack cheese and a fresh chili, it was messy but delicious. You can get the quinoa patty with any of the burger toppings; the patty melt, with provolone, grilled onions, mushrooms and Thousand Island dressing was also appealing.

More adult fun in Tacoma: America's Car Museum

There was also a Big Veggie sandwich, with roasted peppers, avocado and cucumber on toasted wheat bread,

The Halibut tacos were loaded with black bean and corn salsa, wild Halibut, cottage cheese and shredded cabbage. They were served with homemade tortilla chips.

Note: I was a guest of Travel Tacoma, which covered my meal and hotel.