Donuts and......beer? What's not to like? Well, that's what the folks behind the Gourdough's Donut trailer have come up with in their new brick and mortar venture, Gourdough's Public House, in the old Kerbey Lane spot on South Lamar. But don't fret, the big, fat, donut trailer is still alive and well on South First Street and Monroe!
Some friends and I met for happy hour on a recent weeknight. Public House has daily specials, which so far, they seem to be very good at publicizing on their Facebook page. Drinks in hand, we sampled a number of items from the menu, most of which have highly entertaining names.
The Big Cheese -- mozzarella wrapped in donut dough and fried. They were good, but a bit too doughy for my taste, but the garlic sauce with it was yummy!
Dizzy Porker -- fried pork ribs with a hard cider bbq sauce that I really liked. On the greasy side (shocking, I know), but decent flavor, and fairly tender. Good reheated (and blotted) the following day.
Popeye's Roids -- a spinach salad with cranberries, walnuts, roasted red peppers, blue cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette. With a garlic donut, that was delicious! You know the (faux) butter dipping sauce that comes (or used to) with Papa John's pizzas? The donuts taste like that! AND, the donut was great the next day reheated in the toaster oven, because it got kind of crispy on the outside.
Even the Public House Salad, at $5 is a great deal! (This is probably the one item on the menu that does not have a catchy name!)
Three Little Guidos -- think caprese salad with balsamic on a donut, topped with potato chips. I did not try this one, but the person who ordered it was quite pleased.
The Country Clucker -- not for the faint of heart! Bring your appetite! A donut, topped with a potato pancake, fried chicken breast, cream corn, and candied jalapenos. As gorgeous as it was tasty! I had a couple bites of this, and it was FINE! The potato pancake kind of gets lost in the mix, but at $11, it's a great value, because it's pretty much two meals. And probably a hangover cure for some.
Salty Balls -- donut holes with cream cheese frosting, salted caramel sauce and peanuts. I had heard about these from someone else, and finally got a chance to try! I love sweet and salty mixes, so this was perfect, and the ideal dish to share with others. Generous on the peanuts, love it!
The Southern Belle -- a donut topped with pecan pie filling, cream cheese frosting, and candied pecans. While I originally cringed at the thought, this was actually quite tasty! Most of the donuts even from the Gourdough's trailer are waaay too much, especially for one person to handle. This belle wasn't too sweet, though it was a sticky mess.
The interior of Public House is fairly rustic, and not long after we got there, they dimmed the lights even more. It's sort of a contrast to the restroom, which was very modern and light-filled. Our waiter was very attentive, good at answering questions, and the food came out fast. Overall, I thought prices were quite reasonable, and again, a variety of happy hour specials each night, both on drinks and some food picks. While I don't know if I would dine here frequently, I would certainly go back. Actually the Popeye's Roids had me fairly excited! They didn't skimp on the salad toppings. But apart from the salads, Public House is a place to go to have a drink and SHARE some food!
