Great Pub Food with Man's Best Friend

Getting into this casual, rainy Autumn vibe that is Seattle is agreeing with me. Last night, my hubbie and I did the nice little 10 minute walk to Fremont so he could show me Norm's Eatery and Alehouse. We were greeted by a friendly barman, and guests drinking and chatting with their dogs in tow. Yes, Norm's allows you to bring your dogs which is a plus for this neighborhood. I'm sure we will appreciate this much more after we get a dog (still contemplating which breed but leaning heavily toward a rescue mutt for kindness reasons) but really, people were very disciplined with their little friends. No running around barking, no snatching of food dropping off other people's tables. It was quite amusing- as I looked around, it was like being in a coffee shop with a bunch of moms and newborns. Some were holding their dogs on their laps, others were fussing with their dogs on the floor, while others cooed over their friends companions. And the dogs were a lot less tantrum-prone than babies so I say, "Bring 'em on!"

The decor was funky, full of canine inspired art - of every breed. Everything from vintage posters, to cartoons, to lifelike statues of Golden Retrievers filling every wall and crevice. I assumed Norm was the name of the founder's dog and I think an Internet search has confirmed this.

Our casual Tuesday night meal was just delicious for bar food. We split the side Ale House Salad, topped with hazelnuts, gorgonzola, crispy onions and a Sherry vinaigrette. Just lovely. I'm very picky about pub salads, as sometimes they contain waxy bagged lettuce but this was fresh, crisp and sophisticated. I then dove into the Panko-crusted fish and chips with some of the most perfect fries I've ever had. Exactly the right crispness and seasoned with something wonderful. Mmmmm.

My husband had an avocado burger and said it was really good. I tend to judge pub food by the burger standard and he said it fit the bill. The Oktoberfest I washed everything down with was smooth and not too heavy - a nice compliment to the fish. Coming from someone who does not normally drink beer, this is high praise.

The place was not that full, which was nice and it didn't seem too cold because of it. I've read posts on Yelp that said it is a pain when crowded. But for us, it was the perfect weeknight respite and I found the staff to be very friendly. Overall, when we do finally get a dog, I think we'll be stopping into Norm's more often.