BJ’s Brewhouse

dave — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:42:06 +0000

For dinner, needed something light. Found BJ’s Brewery website, I had seen it in the Marriott list, and considered it. It is a chain, so I was not real hopeful. Tonite, it was raining, don’t want to go far. They have “PIRANHA® PALE ALE CHILI”. Sold.

So I drive the 0.1 mile, and go in. The parking lot is insane at 6PM. Don’t know why. Basic brewpub decor, ask at the desk – they have food at the bar. Pretty busy for a Monday night.

Finally muscle into the bar in front of the four TVs. Three basketball games and a “classic” NFL game from 1985 – Bears vs. Green Bay. Whoopee. Read my book a bit – “Digital Fortress” by Dan Brown.

Takes a while before the bartender notices me. The dude to my left comes in after, gets called first. Orders house vodka tonic. Likes it. I order a Russian stout. Also the Chili + house salad with balsamic.

Chili? Good, not great – a little too mushy. Not hot, but warm. Eh.

Stout? Good.

Then I asked for a half a HARVEST HEFEWEIZEN®. He said he didn’t have halfs – but brought me a “tasting” glass – 3/4 a pint. Boy, he got a good tip.

Oh, my. Exploded with flavor. Wonderful. Sweetish, but a hint of bitter. As they say, no lemon required. Tastes like it is already living in the glass. Gotta get Art here to try it.

JavaOne 2008 San Francisco CA – Monday

dave — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:30:46 +0000

JavaOne is the big Java technology show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. FSC sent me there with two guys from work, John and Joe to scope things out. We caught a limo from work at 9:30A and had an uneventful ride to SF. A gentleman and his (adopted??) son were next to me in the aisle seats, and the 2-year-old boy was fun. He crawled, pulled everything out of the seat pockets, fell asleep on me a couple times, and was a doll. His big sister in the row ahead would poke her head up occasionally to say hi to Daddy.

We arrived about 3:00, cabbed in, chatting with the driver, and checked in at the InterContinental Hotel. Nice place. Expensive. Rooms with the discounted rate were $260/nite. It is very close to the Moscone Center (a short 5 minute walk down Howard St.) The good thing about staying here is we just stayed at the Buckhead IC — so I knew where to go for boarding passes, and a few other details. The bad thing — a draft beer is $10.

I was in 819, a great room just above the fitness center balcony. Big windows, lots of light. At night too, but there are sheet and dark drapes. I kind of like the light at night — you feel like you are in a big city.

We hopped the F train, an old-time electric light rail cars to Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 47 to Scoma’s, which both George at the office and the concierge recommended. I like to eat at places George recommends in case we get grief for prices on the expense account.

Yum. We had some local brews to start off at the bar while we were waiting, and the personable bartender let John try a sample of one before buying. I had the Dunkle Weiss.

We sat, and waited a while for the waitress to show up. It was just starting to get busy.

Calamari A
ppetizer $15
PETRALE DORE $29
Prawn Annuzzi $28
I had the Seared Ahi ($31) which was nicely rare and very good, with wasabi and a nice vegetable.

Dave Page » san francisco

BJ’s Brewhouse

JavaOne 2008 San Francisco CA – Monday