Reporter Food: Crispy Animal Parts & More at Axle Brewing
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 22, 2017)
Ferndale, MI – Adding to the new and creative restaurants that call Ferndale Home is Axle Brewing/Livernois Tap Room at 567 Livernois in Ferndale. This quiet neighborhood location provides an alternative to the bustling downtown.
Ryan Meray of C! Tech Solutions loves beer, so he seemed the like perfect choice to bring along to give it a try. We sat outside, with each of us busy on our laptops while we also discussed some exciting website-related projects in the works. And of course we ordered a few things to get the full Livernois Tap experience.
To begin with, Ryan got a flight of beer. His two favorites were the Porter and the Alternafacts. My favorite was Alternafacts also. I didn’t actually drink them because I don’t like beer, but the name has a journalistic, fake-news-sounding kind of ring to it. So that’s why it’s my favorite.
I ordered a hard cider called Handsome Ian, which is a special twist on Handsome Dan hard cider, custom made for Livernois Tap by the folks at Cellarman’s in Hazel Park.
There were many good food choices on the menu. I was tempted by the Moules Frites, the Tartare and the Fried Bologna Corn Dog, but what I ended up getting was quite delicious. I ordered Dill Pickle Cheese Curds, which are coated with this crispy, flavorful breading that left a lingering tinge of dill that my mouth really loved.
Ryan had crispy animal parts which he felt the same way about. There were fish skins, pork rinds, bits of beef and chicken all spiced up and fried to a crisp.
For the main course he had the burger, which looked pretty tasty and was a full-sized burger, not a small fancy one. I, apparently in a cheesy mood, got the French Onion Egg Rolls. Those were great and probably will be the main reason that I go back. Smooth soupy onions and melted mozzarella, all wrapped up for easy handling and served with Jus. Mmmm.
We also got to meet the owner, Dan Riley, who spent years in the magazine business before deciding to start a business for himself combining things he loves. In addition to interesting food and quality brews, Dan loves good music. Instead of just piping in Pandora he creates customized playlists to make sure the ambiance is just right, and to make sure he gets to hear songs he likes while he works.
Working on website stuff with an expert like Ryan Meray and talking with Dan Riley about the rise and fall of magazines through the last few decades made for a wonderful evening in a nice, chill environment. I would be remiss not to add that through thoughtful planning and economic development, the City of Ferndale has helped to foster a classy and creative business community along Livernois that connects with similar growth in Detroit.
For more on Axle Brewing / Livernois Tap visit www.axlebrewing.com
Check out other Reporter Food columns at https://oaklandcounty115.com/category/food-blogs/.