Structures Brewing opened its doors for business in early December and has quickly become a go-to spot, already catering to a steady group of regulars and a stream of visiting beer aficionados.

Their location at 1420 N. State St. will thrill bar hoppers and rock climbers alike, as it is conveniently settled between Wander Brewing and Aslan, and directly across from Vital Climbing Gym.

The small taproom provides a cozy, intimate feel, though seating is limited. Exposed brick and garage door walls create a hip vibe, and a windowed wall separates the bar from the back of the building where the magic (brewing) happens.

Owners James Alexander and Max Randall are the men behind the magic, and we’re pretty sure they must actually have some sort of magical powers to pull of what they do. These two minds came together and put their four hands to work renovating the space, setting up the entire 10 barrel brew-house (the same size as Chuckanut’s), creating all the beer, and to top it all of , you’ll find them behind the bar serving it as well.

Opening up his own brewery was always the dream for James. With a background in agriculture, he was drawn to its parallels to beer. “Just like a farmer, a brewer must tend to his product. When a beer is ready to move, it has to move. That husbandry with beer was very romantic.”

Structures Brewing’s mission is, “to design quality, vibrant and balanced beer on a daily basis, while working with mixed fermentations to create innovative beer for the future. Quality is what motivates us, and creativity inspires us. Staying true to our passion of making small, artisinal and authentic batches of beer for our community, friends and family will forever be our goal.”

The focus is on mixed fermentation saisons. Using different bacteria and yeasts, the pair create, “subtle nuance balanced beer developed through fermentation.” These high quality, mostly barrel aged beers move fast, and are always fresh. This means you’ll have to act quick to get a taste of some of their more popular batches, which is a great reason to stop by regularly and check out what’s on tap. At the time, the team had 28 different brews in the works.

Take your pick from six rotating taps, which commonly include multiple IPA’s along with a mixture of stouts and pale ales. Most recently I tried a delicious barrel fermented Saison, and my favorite so far has been the Satsuma table beer. A single keg of this creation was, “conditioned atop a heap of Satsuma oranges,” and the outcome was incredible.

Most options are available in either 4, 10, 16, or 32oz glasses, and with prices like these, you might as well go ahead and try a few!

As a new brewery, James and Max are still in the process of fine-tuning. When they opened, there were only simple barrels and a couple of small tables to stand around. Now there are stools, and I hear benches and more tables are still to come.

When I went in for our interview, the pair were troubleshooting how to get their black paint sprayer working, the ceiling still being half white and half black. From this writer’s standpoint, it’s fun watching the taproom’s progression, and with a beer in hand too! They’re continuing to polish up the final touches, and James puts it best, “In the meantime, whatever, all we care about is the beer.”

When asked what the number one thing that the community should know about the brewery, James responded that, “Our beer is literally as fresh of a product as you can get anywhere.” There you have it.

This is one brewery you definitely don’t want to miss out on – but make sure to bring some green, it’s cash only!!

Permanently Closed – Sorry

After a soft opening in early February, the Eat Restaurant and Bar is now in full operation, offering lunch five days and dinner six days a week, on the corner of Holly St. and Cornwall Ave., in downtown Bellingham. They also feature a weekend brunch from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM every Saturday and Sunday.

With extensive French culinary training under their belts, it seemed natural that the new owners design the space with a French bistro feel. The menu features American comfort foods with a French twist, as well as some classic French dishes. The Eat team describes it as “American Farm to Table with a French Twist”.

Lunch option include various soups and salads, as well as mouthwatering sandwiches such as the Grass-fed, All Beef Hamburger or the Croque Madame sandwich with warm gruyere cheese, ham, béchamel sauce, and an over-easy egg. Other lunch options include the Black Cod Tartine and a cast-iron Baked Ziti Lamb Bolognaise.

Start off dinner with an appetizer such as Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Terrine or the organic Egg Meurette, (eggs poached in red wine, onions and mushrooms with artisan toast). Main entrees include options from both land and sea.

From the land, try the Cassoulet Duck Confit with cannettini beans, pork shoulder, duck confit and Toulouse sausage. Or, choose a smoked BBQ Farm-Raised Beer Chicken with local braised ratatouille and caberbet jus.

Their deluxe seafood offerings include the Brioche-Pesto-Parmesan Crusted Cod with a veggie puree and cabernet jus, or the Cioppino, featuring mussels, clams, prawns, and cod, served with seasonal vegetables and saffron rouille.

Eat is backed by the team of Eric A Truglas, Dominique Faury, Amberleigh Brownson, and Jeff Kahn, who combine experience from top restaurants around the world, including in Paris, New York, California, Boston, England, and Florida. With extensive experience in the hospitality, food, and beverage industry, these folks really know their stuff.

You can expect your dining experience to include a top-notch wine selection, especially considering that partner Brownson is a Court of Master Sommelier’s graduate.  She used this knowledge and her experience to create a wine menu featuring a nice mixture of quality Washington and imported wines alike.

For wine aficionados and those who would like to connect with the restaurant, Eat is forming a wine club. Cooking and handcrafted cocktail classes are all in the works and will be offered in the near future as well, so stay tuned!

Eat features a full service bar – Happy Hour runs from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM daily, with the bar staying open late (11:00 PM) on Friday and Saturdays. Their Happy Hour menu is unique in that it is designed to accommodate different-sized groups. It boasts nine incredible dishes, each available in single, double, four, or eight-person portions.

Keeping with popular trend in Bellingham, the restaurant has a primary focus on farm-to-table fare. You can eat happy knowing that your ingredients have been consciously chosen to support the local community, with a “back to roots” concept in mind. The outcome is a constantly revolving menu, highlighting fresh, locally-sourced products.

Eat was created as a place to bring people together, to bond in shared experiences and, of course, share good food. Its proof there’s nothing better than an evening out in a welcoming environment, a good meal, and glasses of a fine beverage raised in friendship. Sound good? Then Eat is the place for you.

Eat Restaurant, 1200 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA, 98225

Phone: (360)-306-3917

Operating Hours:

Lunch: Mon – Fri. 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Dinner: Mon – Sat 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Later Friday and Saturday Nights)

Brunch: Sat. & Sun. 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

For more information about Eat Restaurant and Bar, and full menu see their website, http://www.4u2eat.com.

Having trouble keeping up with the increasing variety of mobile food vendors in the area? Not to worry, we at DDB will do our best to keep you informed. Check out our “Food Truck Finder” Twitter Feed found in the right sidebar of the Homepage about halfway down, or follow @FoodTruckBham.

A recent article from The Northern Light, describes new a new food truck that has opened in the area, the Bordertown Grill. According to the article, owner Ken Jensen has been in the restaurant business for years, with previous experience as the chef at the Semiahmoo Resort and the Silver Reef Casino, among others.

Read the full article at: Bordertown Grill food truck brings classic American diner food to Blaine | The Northern Light