Lululemon and I met up for brunch on Saturday. As I was already in Inglewood getting my hair lopped off, she met me at the salon, and from there, we looked for a suitable eatery for our mood. Let’s listen to “Goodbye Earl” by the Dixie Chicks for this post.
Lately, Lululemon has been a big influence on what I eat. She’s introduced me to Vegan Street, DJ’s Market, Italian Centre Shop, and a soon-to-be-sampled bean curd banh mi at Nhu Y Sub. Lululemon suggested we get hot dogs and beer at High Line Brewing. I was game because there’s nothing better than the simplicity of a dog on a bun.
High Line Brewing is larger than it appears from the outside. Once you pass the front bar section, there are several rooms to sit and sip the afternoon away. You pay at the bar, grab your beer and then find a table. We first sat inside in a nook under a large tree before moving to the patio.
We ordered a vegetarian Chicago Doggo ($11) with chips and some beer.
I sampled four beers: CLUB MATE+, Dadge, Wabi Sabi, and Heartless Romantic. What I liked about these beers was that they felt like an eclectic sampling of sodas and cocktails. The Dadge, a cucumber ale, had a fresh, mild melon taste that reminded me of the refreshing cucumber water you get after an Eucalyptus steam.
The Club Mate+ reminded me of a cherry cola but sweeter. The hard tea and yerba mate were so mild that I could hardly detect them, though I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have a sensitive palate.
The Wabi Sabi was my favourite of the flight. It reminded me of all the sparkling lemon sours I consumed in Tokyo. The sour tasted like bright, tart lemon and tea. The Wabi Sabi was also noticeably bubbly, which I prefer over the more softly carbonated beers.
The Heartless Romantic was another cherry sour but more tart and less sweet than Club Mate+. I would order this one again, but I preferred the Wabi Sabi.
The outside of the bun was grilled and crunchy, while the interior was soft and fluffy. The temperature of all the ingredients was perfect. Warm bun, steaming hot dog and cold, crisp condiments. The vegetarian weiner tasted like a regular hot dog but lacked that elastic snap. Proportionally, the ratios were perfect. Each bite has some sausage, bun, and a delicious hit of mustard, pickles, onion, and banana pepper. The tomato was fresh and juicy, the sweet flavour highlighted by the hit of celery salt and the heat and crunch from the banana peppers. Oh, this dog just hit right.
Though I was full, I insisted on getting the next round of drinks and some chips and salsa ($9) because I know Lululemon likes to snack while she drinks. The corn tortilla chips were gluten-free, cut thick, and crunchy. Salty and well-seasoned, the corn chips paired wonderfully with the tangy pineapple salsa. There were way more chips to dip, so next time, I’ll request more salsa and sour cream so we don’t run out. I also made a mental note of the selection of gluten-friendly beers for my celiac friends.
Lululemon sipped on Zing, a ginger beer infused with lemongrass, lemon, and lime. The lemongrass flavour was particularly noticeable. I tried Honeybush ($7) from Ol’ Beautiful, and it was one of the best hard teas I’ve ever tasted. I loved the dry, rich notes from the black tea.
Thank you, Lululemon, for lunch and your excellent company. I look forward to our next vegetarian and gluten-friendly adventure.
Hitting the Sauce 