Wheelies Motorcycle Cafe

Amal Clooney spotted incognito at Wheelies

There are times when, ensconced in my office, sweating under fluorescent lights, lonely as a tub of Hagen Daz in Amal Clooney’s freezer, I ruminate on the ultimate escape “Easy Rider” style. Sitting astride my hog, clad in a cool leather jacket, my Orwellian work cubicle becomes a faint memory as I tootle down the highway, wind whipping my hair, sun glinting off the chrome gas tank.

While my erstwhile fantasy may not become reality any time soon (and after all, it didn’t end well for Peter Fonda), I can still live vicariously through Wheelies.

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Wheelies is a custom motorcycle shop aimed at refurbishing, repairing, and/or rebuilding vintage bikes. As if the idea of funky bikes weren’t enough to salivate over, Wheelies also has an in house café that has been creating quite a buzz among dedicated food lovers – the kind who know that sometimes, in order to find the good stuff, you need to venture off the beaten path.

The café menu is small & meticulously crafted: five sandwiches, three sides, and one dessert

Creamy Mac’n’Cheese

On our visit we ordered the chicken sandwich, the pork sandwich, and a side of mac and cheese. As with their food offerings, Wheelies keeps the drink menu straightforward with a selection of local and import beers and three cocktails including a Chipotle Caesar, the Drive Shaft (a combination of vodka, Kahlua, Baileys and espresso), and our favorite, a lemony and deliciously grown up Maple Bourbon Sour.

Perfect Pork Sandwich

While the chicken sandwich was indeed tasty, we were most smitten with the beer braised pork. Wheelie’s pork sammie won an Eat Magazine Reader’s Choice award and tasting it ourselves, we concluded the accolades are well earned. The pork was moist and tangy, with a sweet liquorice hit from the root beer braise. The daikon carrot slaw added an addictive crunch. The chimichurri aioli lent a pleasing savory note, which kept the root beer from being too cloying. The accompanying macaroni and cheese had the requisite creaminess with just the right amount of sharpness from the peppery jack cheese and garlic.

Lick This!

Wheelies has only one dessert but, once you try it, you won’t want to have anything else. The homemade ice cream sandwich is a thing of beauty, and a perfect antidote to overheated summer afternoons. If you can bear sharing it’s a bargain at $6.00 (it is a generous size), though we won’t blame you if you’d rather keep it to yourself.

The ambiance at Wheelies makes it an ideal casual hang out. The open-air concept make the small space feel expansive yet cozy. We were smitten with the kitschy vintage motorcycle magazines lining the entrance. One could easily while away an afternoon here sampling the craft beers. On Sunday’s, Wheelies offers a skillet brunch which includes a tumble of Verde roasted potatoes, squash, chorizo, poached eggs and toast for $12. On Fridays and Saturdays, there is live music.

If like us, your day to day obligations keep you from hitting the open road, you can always do it vicariously at Wheelies. You might not even mind!

Forget those “food porn” mags at classy restaurants, Wheelies lascivious library will really wet your appetite!

Horsing Around Picks: Maple Bourbon Sour, Root-beer braised pork sandwich, ice cream sandwich.