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Chuckanut and Chewy Salmon in Bellingham, WA
Last week I found myself in Bellingham--a port city that is 90 minutes north of Seattle and the seat of Whatcom County. Bellingham is also seat to two respectable breweries: Chuckanut and Boundary Bay. After stowing my luggage in my room at the Bellwether Hotel, I bee-lined it to Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen, 2009 recipient of the Small Brewpub Award from the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). I felt instantly at ease at the Chuckanut--the setting is casual and unfussy. The beer, however, is far from casual. The Helles Lager (30 IBU) was crisp and refreshing (and, I will add, paired nicely with a cup of seafood chowder from the kitchen).
Boundary Bay, which I visited the next day, is a larger beer hall/restaurant located in downtown Bellingham. I ordered up a pint of Bellingham Blonde, medium bodied, very respectable. For food, I ordered the salmon, which was a gorgeous shade of deep coral. The texture was, errr, ummm, more chewy than I prefer. And although I had to send the salmon back, I consoled myself with a follow-up pint of the Blonde, after which this redhead beat a hasty retreat to the Bellwether.
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