I had a great lunch at ABV Public House in Hillsboro with a great friend and mentor the other day. As I usually do I tried a seasonal special rather than eating from the standard menu.

Thai Red Curry Mac'n'Cheese is one of the stars on ABV's Winter specials menu

This month red curry is prominently featured, and the star is Thai Red Curry Mac'n'Cheese. The menu described it as "Cavatappi Pasta and Steamed Broccoli Smothered in a Red Curry-Infused Melted Cheese Sauce. Served with House Bread, diced coconut chicken thigh optional". As with almost every meal I have had at ABV this didn't disappoint. The curry was forward and impossible to miss, and the pasta was perfectly al dente.

If you like curry and aren't afraid to try it in new and surprising ways you will want to make it in before the menu rotates again in a week or so.

ABV is first and foremost a tap house, and finding a beer to pair with any meal is a simple chore. I don't know what other people do, but when I eat spicy food I prefer a brew with some decent body but without too much carbonation which tends to intensify the burn to me.

Ex Novo's Papa's Got A Brand New Brown is on nitrogen fed tap this month

Ex Novo's Papa's Got A Brand New Brown (Nitro) (@ExNovoBrew) is on tap right now, and at 7.0%ABV this brown ale from the nitrogen tap fit my needs perfectly. It is nice and smooth, with decent body and full nutty flavor that matched the curry very well.

Once again, ABV Public House lived up to my expectations, with the perfect beer to match my meal and an amazing meal. If you are in Hillsboro and looking for a lunch spot I'd love to send you somewhere else because it's getting crowded at ABV all the time now, but you can't go wrong if you pay them a visit.