By Dr. Ink 
“If you live in this neighborhood, you have to be into beer,” says Nick Thanasith of North Park, who co-owns The Foundry with fellow neighborhood resident Eddy Phanichkul. The guys took over the property last year from Rosaria’s Pizza, keeping its ovens and pie recipes intact and then doing what every new bar owner in North Park seems committed to these days – flood the coolers and taps with craft beers.
Is it any wonder that the New York Times Travel Section this month listed San Diego among the top 45 places to visit in 2012 based on our flourishing beer culture? Finally, it’s the esteemed local brewers and citizens who love them that are grabbing national recognition instead of just zoo critters and burritos.
The Foundry’s beer selection isn’t quite as monumental as Hamiltons in South Park, but with 60 bottled brands and 24 drafts on hand you can luxuriate in an extended suds bath and come out smelling strongly of hops. During happy hour, all beers that are priced at $5 or less come with a slice of pizza topped with an ingredient of choice. In addition, bottled brews and appetizers are $1 off. And if you’re a fan of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Kokanee, those are $3 all day long.
We chose the pizza deal, combining our slices with Lagunitas IPA from Petaluma and Modelo Victoria Lager hailing from one of Mexico’s largest brewers. Given our previous treks along the local beer trail, we felt that a geographic flavor diversion would be fun.
The IPA was well balanced, light on the malts and not overly hoppy. I detected a refreshing grapefruit finish, which registered as vague on my companion’s palate. In comparison, the Victoria Lager was expectedly smooth, leaving an aftertaste of sweet egg bread. I’m not sure if my drinking cohort made sense of that flowery description either.
The pizza was mediocre due to a lack of herbs in the sauce, although the Tater Tots we accidentally received instead of garlic-truffle fries were fried to a golden crisp and no less beer-friendly than a warm, salted pretzel. The accompanying aioli was also addicting.
Despite table seating throughout the smallish layout, drinks and food must be ordered at the bar. But don’t approach it until you’ve thoroughly looked over the enormous beer menu printed on oversized stock. The list provides organized columns showing beer styles, alcohol contents and brewer names while matching them to the various types of beer drinkers that they’re best suited for – rookie, crafty, hipster, beer snob, et al. Just as the menu states at the bottom, “it’s a club for everyone, from beer lovers to the beer-curious.” And at decent prices to boot.
RATINGS:
Drinks: 5/5
Regional craft beers dominate the scene here, ranging from familiar labels to a strawberry ale and coconut porter.
Food: 3/5
We enjoyed the golden-brown Tater Tots with aioli more than the pizza, both available as deals during happy hour. The regular menu, however, tempts with authentic pho, crafty Báhn Mì sandwiches and “cakeballs” sourced from a local baker.
Value: 4/5
A good number of beers are priced at $5, which qualifies you for a free slice of pizza.
Service: 4/5
Bartenders and kitchen staff double as servers within a relaxed system that can mean occasional delays in receiving your food when the place gets busy.
Duration: 4/5
Beers that you didn’t get to taste on bargain prices during the week await your review for two hours on both Saturdays and Sundays as well.
The Foundry
2859 University Ave. (North Park)
619-293-3332
Happy Hour: 5 to 7 p.m., daily
