Brussels and blue cheese 

I don't normally eat at Sidecar Cocktail Co. If I go, it's usually during happy hour and I'm only there for a cocktail. But on a recent Saturday, my friend and I were hungry, so we stopped in to check out the menu. I realize that this might be old news to some, but it's new to me, so I'm going to tell you about it anyway! The Brussels sprouts ($10) might be the best thing on the menu. Flash fried and crispy sprouts served with a balsamic reduction, blue cheese, thyme, and garlic aioli made my stomach very happy. Something about the soft stinky smoosh of blue cheese smeared onto the side of a crunchy green thing with a touch of balsamic covering it just put a smile on my face. Follow that with the satisfaction of using a fork-stabbed sprout to clean up the balsamic and creamy aioli. Really, there's nothing better. Well, OK, except for a delicious and nutritious cocktail. This time I went for the Bikini Girls with Machine Guns, Rittenhouse Rye, Aperol, sesame orgeat syrup, passionfruit, lemon, and Lefty Bitters Mayan Chocolate Bitters served with a nicely dried round of citrus and a healthy sprig of mint (there's that nutrition!).

Sidecar hasn't moved yet, so it's still at the same bat place on the same bat channel, 1127 Broad St. in San Luis Obispo. Δ

Editor Camillia Lanham is crunchy and sweet. Send your favorite spots to dine and dish to [email protected].