Food

Feast Fix

A St. Patrick’s Day takeaway

By Amy Kepferle

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Throughout the pandemic, Bellingham’s Boundary Bay Brewery has proven itself to be lightning-quick when it comes to adapting to the changing times.

In fact, it was around this date last year that the longtime brewery and restaurant made its first real pivot of 2020 by hosting a safety-conscious St. Patrick’s Day Drive-Thru in the alley behind their Railroad Avenue headquarters. The world may have suddenly gone topsy-turvy, but that wasn’t about to stop owner Ed Bennett and general manager Janet Lightner from supplying patrons with platters of corned beef and cabbage to-go, as well as specialty beer crafted with the Irish holiday in mind.

Even without having access to their bar, dining room or beer garden—places where St. Patrick’s Day is typically celebrated over the course of at least a few days with live music by local musicians, step dancing performances and storytelling events—Boundary Bay’s customers took advantage of the offering in droves. They also attended drive-thru Friday Fish Fry events throughout the summer, preordered Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve feasts, and continued to support the community-focused brewery with their dollars and, when it was safe to do so, their presence.

Since reluctantly but resolutely announcing the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Lightner helped spearhead in downtown Bellingham nearly a decade ago had been canceled for the second year due to continued concerns over social distancing and other COVID-related safety protocols, Boundary Bay has proven it hasn’t given up on the green-themed festivities altogether.

To that end, they’re offering three ways to secure corned beef and cabbage meals on Weds., March 17—St. Patrick’s Day proper. Diners can preorder dinner on the day of the event, then arrive at the drive-thru at their chosen pickup time to grab the goods. Another option is to “keep your fingers crossed and your four-leaf clovers close” as you drop by the drive-thru anytime between 12pm-7pm to get served. The earlier you come, the better the chances are you’ll get lucky where mealtime is concerned.

The third way to enjoy the festive feast is to order while dining in at one of Boundary’s outdoor seating areas. Just let your server know you’re keen to make a selection from the St. Pat’s Day menu, and be sure the visit coincides with the aforementioned time frame.

To keep the spirit of the season alive, think outside the box. There’s nothing stopping you from decorating your vehicle for St. Patrick’s Day and pretending your “float” is part of a parade as you enter the alley from E. Maple Street to make your way to your meal. If everyone else gives a parade wave from their car windows, it won’t be as weird.

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