The Scene: Shallo's

Yes we like beer. Yes we like reviewing beer, but I am The Big Guy, so food is up there too. Plus I know you don't all just sit around drinking by yourself at your house. Bars are where the beers lives, so that is where we go. I like to find spots with great local beer and tasty local food. Shallo's totally hit the spot this time.

On the outside this bar looked like some generic strip mall eatery, but once you get in, there is more character than you can shake a stick at. This place is full of classic bar woods, brasses and neon signs.

This bar had old world wood paneling with tin ceilings and rustic decor. It looked like the sort of bar that the guys from Cheers would be happy to hit up. We ordered some food and some beers. There beer list is outstanding. They have plenty of local beer as well as fantastic micros from around the US etc. They have a large draft list and an even larger list of bottled beers that are available.

The food we had was also great. We started with the nachos and fried pickles. Nachos were fantastic. Very tasty and not too spicy (since the wife doesn't like it when they get too hot). The pickles however were a bit greasy leaving fluid in the bottom of the basket. The flavor was still excellent but the ones on the bottom were soggy at best.

As a good ol' Indiana boy, I had to try their pork tenderloin. This is one of the sandwiches that I like to use to benchmark for a good bar. Shallo's did not disappoint. The tenderloin was huge. The breading was crisp and spicy. The bun was fresh and soft. I had fries as my side and they were also very good. They also have a few items on the menu that have swamp sauce on them. This sauce is smokey and a bit spicy. It has an excellent flavor.

The beer list was longer than most wine lists at fancy restuarants. There are probably twenty beers on draft, which is not epic but totally acceptable. Their bottle list is so big they have it organized by type and then on the back by country. Anytime you need two methods of searching you know it is a helllova list.

I give it a 3 for the food.

All in, I give it a 4 for the beer menu.

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