Bánh mì-style brats, hefty Italian subs and more on new menu at Tacoma brewery

When father-and-son Gary and Nathan Wescott rescued Odd Otter Brewing Co. from near demise last year, they teased the addition of an in-house restaurant.
After more than a year of paperwork and some plumbing, the food has come to fruition.
From a food truck permanently parked on the other side of the brewery's wall — in another long, narrow space that the brewery has primarily used for storage — guests can now order hot and cold sandwiches ($12-$16), brats on buns, plus a charcuterie board, potato salad and grilled-cheese 'dunkers.'
The owners tapped Sean Guay to lead the truck. Guay and his wife, Corie Cameron, closed their cafe and meal-planning business, Grit City Greens (originally Crisp Greens), last year after almost a decade in Tacoma.
Gary Wescott, who by day works in economic development for Pierce County, saw the news, recalled Guay. At that point, the truck itself had been in their possession for nine months.
It's a somewhat unusual food truck setup in the county, since the vehicle won't move. In most cases, mobile food vendors in Pierce County are required to physically return to their permitted commissary kitchen after service. Guay and the Wescotts were able to create a menu that allows them to do everything within the confines of the truck itself.
A hefty Italian sub, currently served on a torta roll, combines salami, ham, turkey and provolone with chopped lettuce, tomato, pickled onions and a creamy mustard. Other cold sandwiches include a BLT on rustic white slices, chicken salad and a club.
Panini-pressed options range from a Reuben and Cuban to the Squealin' Otter with ham, provolone, tomato and 'hOtter sauce' on ciabatta, and tuna salad, a favorite of the Wescotts.
'We're not reinventing the wheel, but our focus has been on easy, fast, accessible, family-friendly and just good food, big portions,' said Guay in a phone call last week. 'Those little extra things,' like quick-pickling and house sauces, enhance the offerings, he added.
The Brat and Mi, a sausage style like a banh mi with pickled carrot, daikon and cilantro, is one of a few new items. There's also a classic grilled cheese and those dunkers — slices of the sandwich with hOtter sauce on the side.
Every sandwich comes with a pile of chips.
'A brewery without food is not complete,' said Nathan Wescott in a phone call.
He and his dad wanted to provide downtown with a casual lunch or dinner option, preferably with a pint. Prior to their ownership, Odd Otter had partnered with neighbor Wooden City on pizzas — brewery customers could order a pie at the brewery, and the restaurant's staff would deliver it next door. That arrangement became untenable for various reasons.
Food truck hours will match the brewery's, which currently are late-afternoon to evening Wednesday-Sunday. After hiring a couple folks who will help behind the bar and on the truck, they anticipate opening earlier and adding Monday and Tuesday to the schedule. They also hope to tidy up the area around the food truck to accommodate additional seating — at least in nice weather, as the garage door must be open to meet fire code safety, explained Wescott.
'Bring your kids, bring your dog,' said Guay. 'It's not about power-drinking — it's about having somewhere to just enjoy yourselves.'
Beers change often, but the draft list currently features the Cinco de Mayo-timed Ottcho Borracho (a crushable Mexican-style lager with lime), a few IPAs and a seasonal seltzer. Check the brewery's calendar for regular events including trivia, open mics and cribbage, plus one-offs such as the 'awkward book release' party with local author Andy Vargo on May 29.
▪ 716 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1680, oddotterbrewing.com
▪ Current hours: Wednesday-Friday 3-9 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 1-9 p.m.
▪ Details: new food truck with cold and grilled sandwiches inside downtown brewery; order and pay for everything at the bar
Tacoma brewery closed unexpectedly. A local father and son swooped in to save it

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