So, Dan and Dean… Monday Night Football? Nope? But, if you hear their last names, all will be revealed unto you. Dan's last name is Gordon, Dean's last name is Biersch, and together they created the Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant.
And here's good news: The newest Gordon Biersch (almost 30 others dot the country from coast to coast) recently opened at the Annapolis Towne Centre in Parole.
Doing some last-minute holiday shopping in the interesting stores at the Town Centre, a friend and I decided to take a break and try out Gordon Biersch, one of the first restaurants to open at the amazing new Towne Centre complex bordered by Route 2, Forest Drive and Riva Road. Incidentally, put your fears to rest with regard to parking availability for even though there were plenty of shoppers when we were there, there were also plenty of convenient parking spaces.
It was always our intention to relax and unwind with some wine, but it just seemed almost mandatory that one would at least try the beer in a place that boasts its own on-site brewery. Golden Export, Hefeweizen, Czech Lager, Marzen and Schwarzbier. Even though the menu contains helpful thumbnail sketches of data about each of these handcrafted beers, nothing gives information quite so thoroughly as a taste test, and here's where Gordon Biersch will start to win you over.
For $5.75, they offer samples of each of the five and they line them up on a clever little paper mat on your table. The mat has five circles, each with the name of the corresponding brew, and more complete information about the respective beers just below the corresponding circle. Very clever. Our favorite was the Marzen, and our server pointed out that it's the most popular of all the beers.
By the time we finished sampling the beer, we were ready to order wine and appetizers. The former, listed under Alternative Reds, was a Ravenswood Zinfandel for $32, and the latter was a Chef's Sampler for $15.25. The wine list, incorporated with the menu, is a touch pricey but offers more variety than many similar establishments having their primary focus on beer.
Even though the Crispy Artichoke Hearts (topped with parmesan and served with lemon aioli for $9.50) and the house-made chips (topped with crumbled bleu cheese, scallions and smoked bacon for $8) sounded intriguing, we decided to go with the sampler that offered the opportunity to try three starters at once. The sampler platter's inclusions were eggs rolls, dumplings and wings (available separately for $9.25, $10 and $9 respectively), and we liked all three.
Southwest Egg Rolls pile black beans, corn, roasted red peppers, pepper jack cheese and plenty of pulled chicken into a crisped tortilla with a roasted jalapeno ranch sauce for dipping. This was the fave until we tasted the Shrimp and Chicken Potstickers.
The potstickers, beautiful little Asian-style dumplings crammed with tasty shrimp and more of the pulled chicken, arrived with both an Asian barbecue sauce and some hot mustard for dipping. Light as air, but popping with flavor, the potstickers got very high marks.
Even though the glazed chicken wings were perfectly prepared and came with a bit of a kick as well as a sweet-hot dipping sauce made with chili and ginger, they'd be the only one of the three sampler components that I wouldn't order separately. Not because they weren't delicious, but - not being much of a wing aficionado - there are appetizers I like better at Gordon Biersch. (I look forward to trying both the Kobe sliders and the blackened ahi with Cajun remoulade on a future visit.)
In keeping with the casual feel and plan of the place, the menu offers an interesting variety of pizzas and sandwiches in addition to the selections of pasta, steak, seafood and house specialties. Speaking of pizza, we saw one (looked like it must have been the veggie pizza with sun-dried tomato-artichoke pesto, spinach, mushrooms and Roma tomatoes for $11.50) being served at a neighboring booth and heard the raves from the diners who ordered it.
Several of the house specialties at Gordon Biersch looked eminently worthy of a try. Two of them have a captivating Eastern influence: the Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry ($17.25) and the Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir Fry ($15), both with Asian veggies and jasmine rice.
One entree that sounds particularly delectable is the barbecued ribs ($22.50) basted in and slathered with homemade barbecue sauce spiked with Marzen beer. The ribs come with Asian slaw, garlic fries, and - hopefully - a stack of paper napkins.
Paper napkins - that leads to our one criticism of Gordon Biersch. Almost without exception, the foods we ordered were finger foods, but only one tiny packet of Handi-Wipe per person accompanied. There was, of course, a cloth napkin but one hardly wants to put it back in one's lap after troweling off barbecue sauce. When we asked for some paper napkins, none were forthcoming. Eventually, after the second request, someone arrived with several paper towels that had been torn from a roll somewhere. This is a tiny detail, but one the management should address.
On the other hand, maybe they figure we'll be so tempted to lick the tasty sauce off our fingers that it won't be an issue. After tasting their signature garlic fries, one can easily understand why they'd get such an idea. The fries, crispy and with a pronounced potato flavor, are sprinkled with buttery minced garlic and herbs prior to being served. You wouldn't want to go on a blind date or to a job interview after eating them - just plan accordingly, for eat them you must.
Fortunately, both our entrees came with the garlic fries and we greedily ate every single one. One diner had opted for the Marzen Barbecue Chicken Sandwich ($10) and ended up taking home half of the generously filled sandwich that boasted smoked bacon, cheddar and extra sauce in addition to the chicken.
The other member of the party chose the Beer Battered Fish and Chips ($14) and would order it again in a New York minute. As has been mentioned in this column before, it's important to know how a kitchen handles frying because proper frying is a skill not easy to master. Chef Dino deserves a tip of the hat for the flawlessly fried fish as well as the tangy Cajun remoulade sauce that accompanied it.
Dessert lovers will be delighted to know that Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant has embraced the current trend of serving mini-desserts. Even though their homemade Warm Apple Bread Pudding ($6.25) sounds incredible, it isn't available as a mini so we elected instead to try the strawberry cheesecake and the carrot cake ($2 each) and found them to be the ideal way to end a most satisfying meal. Even if you're not that much into dessert, you should order one just to see the clever way the minis are presented.
Gordon Biersch is just the kind of place that one is inclined to adopt as a neighborhood hangout or the go-to place after shopping, after work, or before or after a movie. There's so much to entice patrons - a unique garage door feature that allows bartenders (weather permitting) to serve indoor guests and outdoor guests at the same time, an outdoor fireplace for when it's cold outside but you want to be there anyway (smokers really appreciate it), and the passing of the glass boot (you'll have to join their fabulous Passport Club for that, but there are lots of perks and bennies).
When the residents of Annapolis Towne Centre begin moving into their new digs in the spring, they'll have their own "Cheers" waiting there for them. The motto of the Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant is "Every guest, every time." After you've enjoyed a visit there, you'll know exactly what they mean.
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A FINAL NOTE: If you're like most of us, the beginning of a new year heralds all kinds of plans and resolutions to lose weight, eat more healthily, up the ante on the exercise, all the things that can help one live a more energetic and vigorous life.
Keep in mind that food regimens don't have to preclude going out to eat in restaurants. Every restaurant kitchen will work with you to ensure that what you order can fit in with your program.
So, even if you're requesting no butter, no sauce or dressing on the side, just remember that a restaurant meal can still be utterly delicious and you won't have had to cook it! Nor worry about the cleanup!
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Terra Walters is a freelance writer and editor based in Annapolis.
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Not the same experience - 2009-01-04 10:04:18
My brother and I did not have quite the same experience as you. We did not order a wide array of foods as you did (we ordered burgers), but we did order the beer sampler. The beer is mediocre compared to other microbreweries but it does benefit from being the only microbrewery in Annapolis now that Rams Head no longer brews beer here. The burgers were flavorless, not cooked to specification, and the bun was soggy. I have been to four Gordon Biersch restaurants and they all have pretty much the same quality of food. I have had their Kobe Sliders, BBQ salmon, Marzen BBQ chicken, southwest chicken, and the pulled pork sandwich. All very plain and mediocre. It is to be expected, though, by a chain restaurant.
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Steve Kappy - ANNAPOLIS, MD - Karma: Neutral
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