by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Board Member of City Garage Theatre

Whenever I get hungry in a strange city, I hunt out brewery restaurants. My belief: anyone who cares about the taste of beer is going to make pretty good food — or at least a decent burger. And so far, my belief has not failed me.

Throughout Oregon, I dug on the McMenamin’s chain. In Austin, I enjoyed Opal Divine’s. And close to home, my favorite joint is the Library Alehouse in Santa Monica. Although the Library Alehouse doesn’t brew their own beer, they do carry dozens of artisan brews, from imported Belgian lambics to my fave, Arrogant Bastard of Escondico. Their burgers are wholly unpretentious (hold the blue cheese and arugula) and consist of primo quality beef. And their Grilled Chipotle Shrimp Salad makes me grateful for every single tastebud.

Now take note, all ye who work for non-profit organizations: Library Alehouse also regularly hosts charity fundraisers. During these public events, they donate 15% of their day’s revenues to a local charity, such as the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition and the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Why doesn’t the charity just ask people to donate 100% of the money and skip all the wining and dining? Because like a good microbrew, there’s much more to such an event than meets the eye…

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