Walking into Iron Rabbit’s relaxed and modish atmosphere for the first time, I instantly felt like a regular. I stood at the entrance of this Olympia, Wash., restaurant not more than a few seconds before a friendly server greeted me and showed me to my table. I was handed a menu, but found myself too distracted to thumb through its pages. My nose, roused by the aromas that filled the air, carried my gaze away from my menu and toward the restaurant’s open kitchen where skilled chefs masterfully assembled edible works of art.
Luckily, my server returned just in time to snap me out of my food trance and asked if I wanted anything to drink besides water. I had noticed Iron Rabbit’s striking bar upon entering the restaurant, but needed a moment to look over my options. The bar menu included everything from a rotating list of locally-sourced craft beers like Silver City’s Ridgetop Red, Terminal Gravity’s IPA, and their own housemade Bitter Rabbit E.S.B., to local spirits from distilleries like Captive Spirits, Wishkah River, Soft Tail Spirits, and many more. I went for the Hop Lava IPA from Double Mountain.
With my drink order placed and my appetite fully ravenous, I was ready to survey the menu. Only, when I opened it, I was a bit confused. Based on previous experience, I had grown custom to the notion that desserts were typically listed toward the back of the menu, or presented on a completely separate list all together. Not at Iron Rabbit, though. Here, their impressive dessert menu is splayed on the very front page, and with good reason.
Ginger and vanilla bean créme brulee, root beer floats prepared with homemade root beer, and Northwest berry cobbler are just a few of the sweets that may make you want to sub dessert for dinner. Resisting my new found craving for Chocolate Amarena Pot De Créme, I hastily turned the page of my menu to find a full list of entrée salads, gourmet burgers and other main course meals like fish and chips, a vegan portobello wrap and other unique house specialities.
I opted for the Iron Burger—a patty of hand-forged, grass-fed and locally-sourced Painted Hills beef comes together with Tillamook white cheddar cheese, organic greens, tomato, fresh pickled onions and cucumber, and is then cradled between a brioche bun and paired alongside lightly seasoned, crispy fries for the finishing touch. When my server presented this beast of a burger before me, I knew, even before sinking my teeth into its juicy superbness, that I had discovered a new favorite.
Iron Rabbit prides itself in offering gourmet, locally sourced food in a family friendly setting. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, next time you find yourself in Washington’s capitol city, stop by Iron Rabbit and enjoy a truly Northwest-made meal.
Iron Rabbit || 2103 Harrison Ave NW Olympia, WA || ironrabbit.net
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