Local Pubs Vol. 3 – BJ’s Brewhouse & Restaurant
Posted by disneyholidaytownhome on June 11, 2009
I need to start off by saying this is WAY more than a pub. However, after a quick review of the food, I’ll switch my focus to the beer.
BJ’s Brewhouse & Restaurant
We were up at Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT) for a long weekend to re-supply and do some deep cleaning. It was the Saturday evening before Mother’s Day (our traditional night out for Mom), and we were having a bit of a problem deciding where to go for dinner. We were already at The Loop mall, so my wife suggested we try BJ’s Brewhouse. Knowing that is was also a micro-brewery, I had no problem with her decision!
Wow! What a pleasant surprise! Located in the 2nd phase of The Loop mall on the Osceola Parkway, BJ’s has something for everyone. Sure, they had the microbrews, but they also had a great selection of wines and mixed drinks. They even had microbrewed rootbeer!! (BTW, if you are even a modest fan of rootbeer, you must try BJ’s – great stuff!)
Food
BJ’s menu is very wide-ranging. From pizza and pasta, to soups and salads. From burgers and sandwiches, to full blown entrees. Knowing that I would be ordering the beer sampler and we’d be getting salads, we decided to forego the appetizers.
My daughter had the classic stuffed baked potato, which she loved. It was so big she actually had to take it home! My son surpised me with a selection of the New Orleans Jamalaya. It was a perfect selection for him – spicy (he’s had a cast-iron stomach since he was 10!), a variety of meats, and good mix of peppers, sauteed onions, and tomatoes.
My wife and I went with a couple of entrees. My wife decided on the blackened fresh Atlantic salmon. We both seem to be a bit picky when it comes to blackened anything. We feel that term gets thrown around way too much to describe items that are NOT blackened, but merely seasoned with Cajun-type spices. However, she was duly satisfied with her choice to go with the blackened instead of the broiled salmon.
I had the New York strip, which was perfect. Cooked precisely as I had requested (medium-well), the steak had great flavor. Not a bad piece of meat on the entire strip!
Beer!
If you’re a first-timer to BJ’s like I was (and you like beer), I’d go with the sampler, which features all of the beers brewed by BJ’s. I’m guessing here, but I believe you get 5 ounce servings.
BJ’s Brewhouse Blonde – a light Kolsch style beer. I’m not a fan of wheat beers, and there IS a hint of wheat flavor. In spite of this, I would still rate this a good beer.
Harvest Hefeweizen – again, I’m not a fan of wheat beers. I tried 2 big swigs, but finally had to pass on this one. I’m sure a fan of wheat beers would like this one.
Piranha Pale Ale – OK, I started seeing a pattern with the light beers. Even this one had a slight hint of wheat. I guess this would be my only complaint about the BJ’s beers. Fellas – you can make a light beer without wheat!! Seriously! Once again, however, in spite of this, I would rate this a very drinkable beer.
BJ’s Jeremiah Red – maybe it’s just because the next few beers are in my wheelhouse of preference, but I think the darker beers are where the BJ’s brewmeisters really excel. Fruity, as you would expect in a “red”, but also very malty. This beer had great flavor. Watch out – this one packs a punch at 7.3%. I would rate this beer as very good to excellent.
Nutty Brewnette – this one was a bit of a surprise. I expected a more traditional British brown ale. However, this one has a very hoppy bite that I’m use to in a lighter beer. I would rate this beer as very good.
Tatonka Stout – I ate the majority of my steak with this beer. I have to say, the pairing was perfect! Awesome flavor. Very rich. Yet another suprise – topping out at 8.5%, this represents BJ’s strongest brew. If you’re a Guinness drinker you know that Guinness is nowhere near this for alcoholic content, which is around 4%! I would rate this beer as excellent.
BJ’s P.M. Porter – I finished off my steak with this beer, and then just sat back and enjoyed the rest of this fine porter. Thick, rich, and slightly sweet, it is the perfect after dinner beer. Who needs coffee when you have a porter? I would rate this beer as excellent.
For a more in-depth (and professional!) description of the beers, check out the beer page on BJ’s website.
Prices
Prices are very reasonable for this type of restaurant. It’s not Wolfgang Puck’s, but it’s no Olive Garden either. Even with my wife’s cocktail, my beer sampler, a couple of fairly high-end entrees, and a couple of desserts, we paid around $80, including the 20% tip. Not bad for a family of four!
Summary
Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant. Great food, great beer, wide selection. Oh! And the service was excellent! That may be the most high-end part of this restaurant. My family will definitely be back! In fact, we may have to do it for Father’s Day. (Hey, Mom got to choose the last time!)
Up Next
Maybe some minor attractions and/or a restaurant. We don’t have annual passes to Disney this year, so we’ll have some time to check out all of the many non-Disney activities. It should be an adventure – stay tuned!
