Travelers Alehouse
Located at 111 Huttleston Avenue (Rt. 6) Travelers Alehouse formally known as Cleary’s Pub (different owners) is a relatively new addition to the Fairhaven restaurant scene.
Upon entering, I immediately noticed that the interior of the restaurant had been given a facelift. The orange booths and bright lights of old have been replaced with warmer tones that give off a relaxing and welcome vibe.
We were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess that showed us to our high- top table in the bar area. The bar area offers a more lively, bright atmosphere with several large screen TV’s which is a nice contrast from the main dining area. I would be remiss if I didn’t add that Travelers is taking all precautions with regard to social distancing and following state restaurant guidelines.
Travelers offers a relatively small but diverse menu with something for everyone. We were joined for dinner by two friends so we were able to sample more dishes which was exciting.
We started with an order of Fried Pickles (a special) and Jerry ordered a cup of chili ($6). The fried pickles were evenly coated with a flavorful breading and there were plenty for the table to share. According to Jerry the chili was just ok, in his opinion. He felt that it had a little too much of a ketchup base and was a little greasy. He did however, enjoy the cornbread that came on the side. Maybe it was just a off night for the maker of the chili.
For entrée’s Jessica went with the Pho ($12) The bowl is made up of beef broth with rice noodles, thin sliced beef as well as onions, bean sprouts, cilantro, Thai basil and jalapenos. It also came with two sauces…sweet and spicy. Pho is something that Jessica has always wanted to try and she loved it! She asked if she could have the onions, sprouts, basil and jalapenos on the side and the waitress was happy to accommodate. Adding the spicy sauce to her bowl topped off a great meal for Jessica…she loved it!!
Jerry ordered the Bourbon BBQ Brisket ($15). It comes with coleslaw, French fries and a side of cornbread. Jerry was more than happy to enjoy another piece of cornbread. The dinner came with 3 good size pieces of meat with extra sauce on the side. Overall the meat was tender and had a nice tangy flavor with the addition of the BBQ sauce. One piece of meat had quite a bit of fat on but that was just fine with Jerry! The Brisket would be a good choice for BBQ lovers.
Laurie had the BBQ chicken pizza ($12) I had heard good things about the Pizza at Travelers so I was curious to know if it lived up to the love. The pizza was loaded with good size pieces of grilled chicken and lots of onions and cheese drizzled with a tangy BBQ sauce. It smelled great and being that I’m lactose intolerant I took Laurie’s word for it when she said it was very good.
I opted for the Bourbon Steak tips ($18) which are also Gluten Free for those with allergies. They came with mashed potatoes and a choice of carrots or mixed vegetables. You can also have them smothered for an extra $2. The tips were made to a perfect medium well and had a nice Bourbon flavor. I have to say these are some of the tastiest tips that I have had in a long time! The mashed potatoes were creamy and definitely from scratch as the skins were evident throughout. Just how I like them!! The vegetables were made up of carrots, onions, red peppers and snap peas. It was the only part of the meal that I didn’t enjoy. I felt that they had an overwhelming amount of spices. I appreciate spices but not when they take over the dish. All in all, a solid meal, and one that I wouldn’t hesitate to get it again.
At this point in the night we were all stuffed but it’s hard to resist dessert. I will say that this is one area of the menu that we all agreed could be improved upon. Our waitress gave us only two options for dessert… A slice of cheesecake or a slice of Oreo cookie ice cream sandwich cake. We decided to get two slices of the Oreo cake and split them amongst the couples.
As the waitress was walking toward us, I was already drooling. I popped in a couple of Lactaid pills and my spoon was ready to go to town! The large slice of pure heaven was drizzled with chocolate sauce, crumbled Oreos and whipped cream on the side. It was more than enough for two people and a great way to end a meal!! I could honestly just go back and have a slice of that and I would be happy.
Travelers Alehouse is a nice addition to the local restaurant scene. With a great atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices, the Alehouse is a perfect place for a night out with friends or a date night with someone special. Get out, support our local restaurants and tell them Two Girls Spooning sent you!
Happy Spooning ! Sara and Jess