One of the most eclectic and eccentric collections of restaurants to be found anywhere is located on Route One, north of Boston. From an ancient Chinese palace, to a fifty-foot tall neon cactus, to the leaning tower of Pisa, to a herd of plastic cattle, to a tall masted ship, there is no place quite like Route One.

Amid this cornucopia of restaurants is The Brew Moon Restaurant and Microbrewery. Brew Moon is located on the northbound side of the road, past Onions Cafe and Karl's Sausage Kitchen and next door to the Visone Corvette Center (the largest Corvette-only dealership on the North Shore and worth a short side trip; it's like visiting a museum).

Brew Moon's design is reminiscent of a California new-age castle -- all stucco and metal with magical symbols covering the walls indoors and out. You enter through beautiful metal and wood doors into a spacious interior with a unique atmosphere. The stucco walls have symbols representing local scenes as well as brewery lore painted and carved into them. A free-verse poem dedicated to the love of moon and ale adorns one wall. Throughout the restaurant, copper, steel and blond wood combine with glass and lights representing the phases of the moon.

The bar is straight ahead as you enter. Plan on spending some time there if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, since there can be a wait. The bar is set up to handle a crowd, however, and is a good starting point to learn more about the brews born and offered here.

What's on Tap
Brew Moon has five ales available year-round as well as special offerings which change to suit the mood of Brew Master. Currently offered are:

Year-Round

• Mayberry Wheat R.F.D. -- crisp American wheat, fruity with hints of summer berries
• Moonlight -- light bodied yet full flavored ale, perfect alternative to Bud
• Boston Special Reserve -- slightly darker pilsner with a nice hop bitterness
• Iron Works Ale -- medium bodied amber with a sweet malt smoothness
• Eclipse Extra Stout -- dark, rich, creamy and distinctive, better than Guinness

Seasonal

• Blueberry Pilsner -- dry, clear, crisp ale with a blueberry aroma and taste
• Orion Red -- good color and high hops; we wish this were a year-rounder

We recommend ordering a Lunar Sampler, which includes five 4-oz servings of different Brew Moon beers. If you want to try one of the specials, just ask, and they will substitute it for you. The beers here are excellent and we recommend them all.

Appetizers
In keeping with the moon theme, appetizers are called Liftoffs. One of our favorites, served both in the bar and dining room, is the Southern fried chicken tenderloins. The tenderloins are moist and meaty, and served with both barbecue and Texas ranch dipping sauces; we can never pass them up! Also high on our must-order list are the seven-spice Oriental wings, quesadillas and ginger sea scallops. If soup is your thing, don't pass up the jalapeno corn chowder, which combines shrimp, cilantro, and red peppers in a rich and spicy corn base.

Meals on the Moon
The Moon offers hearty yet imaginative entrees (AKA Meals on the Moon) to complement their fine beverages. Grilled pizzas are a tasty twist on an old favorite; try the pie with grilled sausage and scallions. The salads are bountiful and fresh -- we especially like the Roquefort salad with grilled shrimp. Brew Moon's beer-batter flounder is English-pub perfect and roast rosemary chicken breast with garlic mashed potatoes (yum!) is another hit. The pork tenderloin served with serrano and cilantro salsa and shittake mushrooms has an unusual combination of spices and flavorings that we enjoy.

The Finale
Splashdowns (desserts) at the Moon are delightful concoctions and are elegantly presented. One of our favorites is the Brew Moon pudding steamed in pale ale with caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. The peanut butter chocolate crunch, which is peanut butter mousse over chocolate cake, is also a good choice. For those needing a caffeine boost, espresso, latte, and cappuccino are available.

And for you cigar lovers, the Moon is cigar-friendly and has its own humidor stocked with a changing array of fine hand-rolled cigars (available at the bar or from your server).

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