Supergroup Brewpub
New Denton brewpub Barley & Board taps backers with star power
Denton gets a new brewpub that's stacked with big names, including rock star musicians, Austin legends, and Hollywood actors. Called Barley & Board, it'll open on the historic downtown square on August 12.
The names behind it include John "Sparky" Pearson, co-founder of LSA Burgers in Denton; Eric Pulido, from the band Midlake and co-owner of Paschall Bar, also in Denton; chef Chad Kelley, formerly of Meddlesome Moth; and Eric "Emo" Hartman, who founded Emo's in Austin and was most recently a manager for Alamo Drafthouse.
Does the star power stop there? Nope. Other team members include actor and producer Jason Lee, entrepreneur Steve Watkins, financier Earl Herrington, and brewmaster Derrick Rima.
The cuisine will be New American, with entrees and small plates, while the bar will feature 30 beers on tap, including brews made in-house.
B&B will reside in the Texas Building on the corner of Oak and Hickory, most recently a branch of Herrera's but a location steeped in history. It's the site of the former Lacy Hotel, a hotel and livery stable that employed outlaw Sam Bass as a stable boy before his train-robbing days.
The eclectic menu includes "artisan-style" appetizers, boards, salads, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, and pasta. There are blue cheese potato chips for $10, bacon-wrapped dates for $14, and bone marrow with grilled bread for $12. There's a barley soup, yay, and three salads, including a "grilled Cobb."
Out of six entree-type "large plates," two are vegetarian, which is cool: farro risotto with vegetables and spinach puree, and "Parisian" gnocchi with vegetables. There's a hanger steak with matchstick fries for $25, and blackened salmon with wilted spinach for $21.
There will also be a full bar with wine and specialty cocktails.
In a release, Pearson says that "Barley & Board has been developed to feature culinary and brewery artistry."
Kelley says that "Denton has a creative energy and sense of community that is unmatched in my opinion."
Lee, a co-owner, seems excited about Denton; he uses an exclamation point.
"The group that I'm working with, the space itself, the location, the town and its history, and what new life is being brought to that history with projects like Barley & Board, is something I'm very excited about,” Lee says. "Denton feels reawakened. And I hope to continue being a part of what's to come for this amazing little town!"
Barley & Board will feature an expansive bar area with communal and intimate seating, open kitchen, large dining room with seating for 200, and a multitiered dining area that can accommodate groups of up to 25. It'll be open for lunch and dinner daily.
If you're wondering what the driving force is behind Barley & Board, then musician Eric Pulido has the answer. "The driving force behind Barley & Board is our true love of the arts and people in this great city," he says.
