The first patrons of The Silo at RJ Rockers left with bellies full of southern-inspired food and home-brewed beer.
On Monday, the brains behind The Silo - Founder, Brewer and Owner Mark Johnsen, Owner John Bauknight, President and Owner Henry Depew and "Food Guy" Clay McDonough - welcomed a small group in to see the finished space and taste a few items off the menu ahead of Wednesday's 3 p.m. opening.
McDonough, a Mississippi native whose dishes are infused with the flavors of RJ Rockers beers and his Cajun roots, said patrons can expect dishes like smoked trout terrine, catfish n' chips and shrimp and sweet potatoes. McDonough said creating the perfect menu was no easy task.
"I’m hoping that customers will come enjoy that same RJ Rockers that they’ve always enjoyed, but now they’ll have that amazing food element with it," he said. "My job has been to make food as great as our beer, which has been been fun and challenging. If you know how good our beer is, you know how hard it is to make food that props up against that."
McDonough said he can't choose a favorite dish, but one of the most fun for him to create was the shrimp and sweet potatoes over risotto. As it is in many restaurants, he expects the Cajun crab cakes to be popular. But the Chicken Not Pie, which McDonough described as pot pie innards over a split cathead biscuit, might become a surprise favorite.
"It sounds tame, but it's also just unassuming comfort food," he said, "I expect people will try it, and it'll just take off."
Taylor White, head brewer, said The Silo's menu will give his brew team the opportunity to unleash their creative sides. White said they'll use a small-batch system to brew beers special to The Silo, such as a collection of sours that will be aged in Pinot Noir barrels.
"The restaurant side lets us brew something to more of a theme and play off the food, as well," he said.
Inside, The Silo has a modern, industrial feel. Bauknight said they used re-purposed wood on the tables and wall detailing. The brick detail on the wall behind the bar was re-purposed from brick removed when doors and windows were cut into the building, he said. They even gave a nod to the old Dodge dealership that was housed in the building years ago with a garage-style door painted red and white with the Dodge logo.
"The interior has been a lot of fun," Bauknight said.
Jansen Tidmore, of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, was one of about 30 guests able to attend the pre-opening on Monday.
"What's really unique is how much time was spent blending the brewery and the restaurant, and that was done through the physical space and the menu," he said. "It adds another element for people to get out and socialize... And become a draw for people who want to be a part of an authentic experience in Spartanburg."