artdirector@sfreporter.com
Fish and chips, good and crispy—just like I like ‘em. The apple coleslaw was also a delight.
“Been to Loyal Hound lately?” I texted my buddy Ryan the other day. We’ve been trying to spend more time together when possible—y’know, maintaining friendships and all that in this crazy, workaday world.
“Not for a minute,” he responded, “but that place is great.”
I heeded his words, and by the following evening, we did indeed find ourselves in the Midtown eatery as he sipped a reportedly delicious Perle Haggard pilsner from the Ex Novo Brewing Company and I watched. Loyal Hound (730 St. Michael’s Drive (505) 471-0440) had been a mainstay of the early pandemic lockdowns for my friend, but I hadn’t eaten there since before its original owners sold the joint to the folks behind the Pajarito Brewpub in Los Alamos in 2019. I am glad to report that things seem better than ever at the pub-like eatery. Much better.
First off, our service was flawless, not just from an immediacy standpoint, but in the cut of our server’s jib. My companion noted that she seemed the type who’d come up in restaurants and thus had the touch, the power. I had to agree, particularly in how she carried herself in our interactions. I’m the type of diner who cannot stand faux-polite declarations like “Now, can I go ahead and refill your beverages?” said in robotic form. I wish to be addressed like a human person, and our server at Loyal Hound picked up on that with ease. In fact, she gave just the right amount of sass, which was fun, and she kept our waters full without ever uttering the word “beverage.” Seriously, who talks like that? Ugh. I’ll let it go.
We began our meal with BBQ pork sliders ($11) from the so-called Snacks menu. These might read like appetizers, but at Loyal Hound, we learned, they’re meals unto themselves. This dish came with three sliders, and someplace between the flavorful and tender pork, the cucumber slice (a brilliant touch of crispiness and unexpected flavor) and the mountains of coleslaw and jalapeño relish on the side, we found a new local favorite. As a combination of textures ranging from soft to crisp, it was an absolute triumph, particularly in how the oddly satisfying coolness of the slaw meshed with the mild kick of the relish. We’re professionals, of course, so we can eat a metric ton of food, sliders included. Note, however, this one and other starters come in portions generous enough to spoil lighter appetites.
For our mains, I selected the fish and chips ($17), a beer battered bit of rockfish with green chile thrown into the mix and served with apple coleslaw and house cut fries. I made this selection based on countless recommendations and declarations from food fans I trust. “They’re the best in town,” is a common refrain in my little world, and Loyal Hound once again did not disappoint. The fish was ever so subtly sweet in just the right places, but remained firm and tasty; the batter was cooked through, which seems to vex lesser kitchens. If I must nit-pick, the fish might have been fried a tad too long. Even so, I like ‘em crispy for one thing, and I appreciate slight deviations that remind me a human made my food for another.
My companion sampled a dish our server explained was new, the chicken shortcake ($17), a sort of play on the chicken pot pie formula made with the familiar combo of carrots, peas and celery, but swimming also in green chile and served with a fresh-baked cheddar biscuit. At no fewer than three points during the meal, he said somethingto the effect of, “Oh, dude, this is actually amazing.” And he cleared that plate, no problem.
I, however, couldn’t make it through all of my chips, but it was less about not wanting them and more about saving myself for dessert. At Loyal Hound, sweet options are few, but certainly enticing, from the red chile chocolate mousse ($9) to the famous Doggy Bag ($7), a lunch sack stuffed with cinnamon and sugar beignets and offered up with hot fudge and/or salted caramel. Last time I visited Loyal Hound, it was literally just for those, and they calmed my sweet tooth. This time, however, we zeroed in on the banana cream pie ($9), but the menu description of “house made banana custard on our flaky crust,” left out one very important part: marshmallow merengue. Whoever at Loyal Hound devised this dessert needs a raise immediately. Marshmallow merengue is among the most flavorful and pleasantly textured dessert elements I’ve ever encountered, particularly in how its slightly bruleed peaks offered the faintest hint of crisp. In contrast to the banana custard and flaky crust, it was just plain phenomenal.
Actually, come to think of it, there’s a lot left on that Loyal Hound menu I need to sample, so it looks like owner Patrick Mockler-Wood and his wife Emily have made some pretty smart moves. Outside of its only so-so atmosphere, which was improved once the lights went low, the experience was excellent all-around. Think of how many years I wasted eating subpar banana cream pies that didn’t even bother with marshmallow merengue, though...
We took a bowl of chicken soup with rice to go ($8) for a sick friend, who later said it was delicious, and though we wound up spending a little more than we’d hoped (which was more about the number of dishes we ordered than Loyal Hound’s prices—even at this point in time with inflation, they’re fair), I know the truth now: Loyal Hound deserves way more love than it gets.
