Tuesday 3rd of May 2011 10:18:47 AM
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On the way to Santa Fe, passed thru Gallup and had to spend the night after too many hours "in the saddle."
Looking for the El Rancho - the "Motel to the Stars" (or so the sign-boards proclaimed 100 miles out in the desert) - just to see what kind of establlishment Hollywood stars would have called "home" while shooting a movie (and wondering too what movie{s} were shot in and around Gallup) we came across the Coat Street Pub.
Finding the El Rancho and still wondering "Who would have stayed here?", the bartender explained she had no beers on tap, only what was in the fridge; Coors, Coors Lite, Miller, Miller Lite, Bud, Bud Lite, Tecate, Negro Mondelo and Stella.
Wanting a beer, we asked if there was a brewpub in town.
"Oh Yes," she replied, "the Coat St. Tavern. You'll love it."
Well, we didn't "love" it but it was a welcome chuck wagon at the end of a long drive.
Small with capacity for perhaps 50 seated it had several craft beers on tap including Widmer Brothers Imperial Stout.
"Really?" I thought. "Way out here, guys from my beer-vana neighborhood are in New Mexico?" - but then remembered Widmer is now owned by Budweiser for lots of national distribution.
The beer was surprisingly good, the salsa thick and delicious with chunks of tomato and jalapeno taunting you to try more - the menu "cowboy" food but what else would you expect? The place has character - a definite personality and I liked it.
They're set up for live music, I presume on the weekend (this was a Thursday) and when a grizzled old hand wearing his sweat-stained 10-gallon, vest, chaps and stomping the dust off his boots, I knew the kind of music that would thunder out the doors.
Still, if you find yourself in Gallup, this is the place. In fact, this is the ONLY place for a brew.
Selection: 2 |
Atmosphere: 3.25 |
Service: 3.5 |
Food: 2.5