Still, that's a lot of beer with potential, so let's get started.
Arriving: BJ's Brewhouse is one of those fashionably noisy places with high ceilings and eccentric wall decoration that mercifully stops short of T.G.I. Friday's. My dinner date was a big fan of the gilt molding that frames most of the doorways like portraits. Sports fans will appreciate the big screen over the bar. It's actually six big screens all pushed together.
Scoping: The place is a mix of couples, families and after-work clusters. BJ's would be a good first-date spot; not romantic exactly, but fancy enough to show you actually thought about it. Let's call it the equivalent of tucking in your shirt.
Drinking: As much as I'd like to attempt it, downing a pint each of BJ's seven main custom brews would bust your bladder and wallet. Better to go with the $8.50 sampler set seven little pilsner glasses placed on a laminated card so you can tell your Brewhouse Blonde from your Nutty Brewnette. I say "little" glasses, but if you drain all seven, you're well on your way, my friend.
If you want to try a beer without springing for a full sampler, ask for a "skosh." Your server will bring you one of the sampler glasses with maybe an inch of free beer in the bottom.
My favorite brew would be the Harvest Hefeweizen ($4.25 for a pint), but I'm already a fan of unfiltered wheat beers. It's bright and spicy enough that I didn't miss the orange slice some other bars toss on top. The Piranha Pale Ale also gets a thumbs-up. Pale ales are usually too hoppy or "green" for me, but this one was bright with a hint of apricot and it didn't feel like it was stripping the enamel from my teeth.
One disappointment was BJ's Guinness clone called PM Porter. It's dark and bubbled with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide, but the roasted flavor was "off." The smokiness reminded me more of candle wax than coffee or chocolate.
Chewing: Southwestern egg rolls are a pretty cool, new appetizer in 1999. That's why I was glad to see BJ's try yet another spin on the classic. The avocado egg rolls ($8.95) are stuffed with nice big chunks of avocado (duh), cream cheese, chipotle pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, pine nuts and cilantro. The smoky chipotle cuts through the rich avocado without overpowering. I can do without the side of sweet tamarind sauce, which does drown the subtle flavors.
When BJ's started in the late '70s, the menu's focus was Chicago-style deep dish pizza and they still make a quality pie. A medium pepperoni and meatball deep dish will run you $15.75. The crust is lighter than I expected; crispy outside and airy inside. Even the meats are a notch above what you usually get from a chain. You can also get a couple appetizer-size thin crust pizzas. The fresh basil with Italian sausage ($8.95) is decent, but seems a little light on the meat. Maybe I was just spoiled by the deep dish.
I also tried the chili cheeseburger ($9.25), which actually isn't listed under "burgers" on the menu, but "knife & fork sandwiches." Made with Angus beef, it's served open-face and covered in enough Piranha Pale Ale chili that you must use a knife and fork. If that's not enough, it's then topped with cheese and onion strings. It's a belly buster of a plate and even under all that stuff, the burger patty itself was tasty and cooked as ordered.
Going: The place is brand-new, so nothing's had a chance to get funky. The men's room has photos of pin-up girls, while the ladies get snapshots of oiled male models. Oddly, the men's room only has three "positions," but four sinks. Are we allowed to switch that ratio in a pinch?
Departing: I'm still smarting a little that this location of BJ's Brewhouse doesn't actually brew beer, but after trying the food and downing a couple pints of attitude adjustment, I can let it slide.
