Beaver's Ice House

Growing up near Chicago, it's common place for dingy bars to exist with no name or symbol on the outside, save for a battered sign with an Old Style or Budweiser logo to denote this as a bar. Immigrant children tell stories of walking down to the corner bar on Saturdays to fetch a pail of beer for a nickel for mom & pop back home.

Ah Sweet Home Chicago!


The evolution of the bar scene in Houston is similar, but albeit different, due largely to the climate.  Back in the day before refrigerators capable of producing cold air, iceboxes were used to keep food fresh, and as such, "ran" on ice blocks, available for purchase at the neighborhood "ice house."  Seeing an opportunity, many of these ice houses also sold beer and as technology advanced, quit selling ice & sold only beer, evolving into a modern day bar, or fell by the wayside and closed.

Beaver's Ice House, located in a former ice house named Doodie's) is owned by our favorite Houston chef Monica Pope (of Tafia fame), and does interesting takes on Southern classics & Texas BBQ (they even go so far as to put whisky in their smoker to create speciality cocktails).  So with a Friday off work, we couldn't think of a better lunch plan!

We started out with the "Bar Bar," a dip consisting of smoked brisket, jalapenos, onion, and BBQ sauce, served with a side of warm, homemade tortilla chips.  The dip was outstanding!  Warm yet not spicy, tangy & meaty, it was the perfect way to kick off an alfresco lunch!

Elizabeth elected to go with the smoked pork shoulder sandwich and a side of coleslaw for entree, and true to form, it was everything a quality, smoked pork sandwich should be (and held up well a couple of days later for Drew's breakfast).  The meat was tender and had a subtle smokey flavor.

I felt a little like Forrest Gump & Bubba when ordered I ordered the Shrimp Burger, but I was glad I did!  

Served on a lightly toasted bun with poblano peppers and spicy chipotle aioli, the shrimp burger was composed of shredded shrimp and fried to golden brown perfection.  Accompanied with house potato chips, I was in Forrest Gump heaven!

As the month of October kicks off, here's to hoping for cooler weather & more alfresco lunches!