Normally after a Timbers game we have few pitchers of No Pity Pale at the Bullpen Tavern.

But after Thursday’s 0-0 draw against last place Minnesota, we decided rather than try to drown our sorrows (which were pretty sufficiently Thirsty-Thursday drowned already) we’d clog our arteries. And Clyde Common was rumored to have my holy grail, poutine.

Alas, no poutine on the menu that night 🙁

But since we were already there and the service had already impressed (on our poutine-craving behalf, the waiter made a valiant, but ultimately fruitless, foray into the kitchen) we did order a Pilsner Urqell and we did try a few appetizers.

We started with the chicken fried chicken livers and the deep fried blue cheese stuffed green olives. I’d never enjoyed chicken livers before, but these were crisp and delicious. The olives were great with the beer, but the blue cheese was difficult to discern over the powerful green olive (a milder-flavored olive would have worked better for me).

We were still hungry, and I suddenly found a Gösser Pilsner in front of me, so we also ordered the fennel sausage, calamari, and deep fried potato cubes dressed with oil and squid ink. This was my favorite; every part was perfect and with the frisée and a few pieces of bread we cleaned our plate.

And then, who should come through the door but two fellow Timbers fans. They joined us at the bar and we shared, with a little help from another Gösser, two orders of french fries with harissa and crème fraîche for dipping.

So even though the Timbers drew with the last place team, and Clyde Common was not serving poutine that night, we had a memorable and pleasurable evening. It was my first visit to Clyde Common, and I will definitely go back. Maybe I’ll get lucky on the poutine-front next time . . .