I had heard the Cary Ale House and Brewing Company was a hidden gem, not far from Tracks and the train station.
And our readers agreed as it won several categories in Best of the Fox, including best spot for a first date.
My trip wasn't that but it was a trip out with a friend who was from the area and also hadn't tried the place.
It's unassuming in the front and an intimate atmosphere inside, with a bar to the left and tables along the wall on the right. There's also outdoor seating out the back, past the dart board and shuffleboard setup.
We were here for the food and brews, though, and we started with the weekly flatbread special, El Pollo Loco ($9.95). It had sun-dried tomato-chipotle sauce, black beans, corn, green pepper, chicken, cheddar, Gouda cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalepeño crema and tortilla strips.
We also ordered a beer. My friend had a can of Misfit IPA ($4, on special) from Wild Onion Brewing in Lake Barrington while I tried one of the Cary Ale House brews called Scotty Smokes, Just Say'n ($5).
I love me a good Scottish Ale and this one was pretty top-notch.
As for the flatbread, we couldn't get enough. It was a little spicy and a whole lot of tasty. We ate it so fast it was almost a race to see who could get the last bite. Next was the main course.
The Cary Ale House has a wide variety of specials and options on the regular menu.
Another diner, who my friend happened to know, said both the cheese curds and poutine appetizers were outstanding. The poutine is fries topped with rosemary-pepper gravy with duck confit and cheese curds. It's a Canadian thing, but pretty darn good if done right.
They also offer plenty of sandwiches, salads, sliders and burgers, plus a flatbread and entrée menu after 5 p.m.
My friend ordered the Smokehouse ($10.95) pork sandwich while I went with the mac and cheese ($10.95) off the entrée menu with the $5 short rib upgrade.
I'm told the pork sandwich, on a pretzel bun, was something special. My mac and cheese was something I would definitely order again.
It wasn't macaroni, really, it was a homemade cheese sauce with campanelle pasta along with peppers and that tender short rib on the top. And it was quite the helping, enough that I had to stop to order another of Cary Brewing's beers, No Stout About it ($5), midway through.
I was able to tackle it all, but my friend slowed down and took half of his sandwich home. Meanwhile, our server (Curtis, who was really friendly and helpful) stopped by and made a mention of how good the peach cobbler ($7) was.
I probably surprised him the next time he stopped by when I ordered it, but I have no regrets. It was a soft, flaky puff pastry topped with a pile of peach with vanilla ice cream on the side, starting to melt as I devoured the warm masterpiece.
Yes, I was full. But I also was happy.
• The Mystery Diner is an employee at the Northwest Herald. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.
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IF YOU GO
WHAT: Cary Ale House and Brewing Company
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: 208 W Main Street, Cary
INFORMATION: Call 847-639-7244 or visit caryalehousebrewing.com/