Ain’t no eatin’ blues at House of Brews

John Volo

Exhilarated! That’s how I felt one recent Thursday at the House of

Brews in Huntington Harbour.

It was shortly after noon as I stood with a beer in one hand, a

pool stick in the other, watching sports on the big screens (albeit

only Formula One racing and English league soccer) as I noshed on a

quartet of tasty foods with my buddy Eric.

For those of you who don’t work from home, or have a flexible

schedule like Eric does, there’s a certain wickedness factor involved

when imbibing in mid-day libations and games. Couple that feeling

with some of House of Brews innovative dishes and you’re guaranteed a

great lunch.

Eric suggested we try the grilled artichoke ($7.95) and the seared

ahi ($9.95), while I pointed us in the direction of the Thai chicken

pizza ($8.95) and a turkey burger ($6.95).

The grilled artichoke plate was two halved artichokes that were

basted with garlic butter and then grilled. They come with a honey

aioli perfect for dipping. As with any artichoke, there’s a lot of

work involved for just a little substance. Fortunately, they’re

flavorful enough to make the effort worthwhile.

The seared ahi sashimi plate consisted of domino-shaped pieces of

Cajun ahi, seared rare, encircling a mound of cucumber salad. Wasabi

and a teriyaki-like dipping sauce are also included. The ahi has an

enjoyable flavor whether eaten straight from the plate, sweetened by

the sauce or spiced up by the wasabi (a real sinus clearer). Ginger

peels bring out the best of the cucumber salad. I see why this is one

of Eric’s favorites.

A couple of bad experiences with turkey burgers (think: warehouse

store frozen turkey burgers and, at another eatery, a turkey burger

that was actually thinner than the tomato slice) made me hesitant to

try another turkey burger. The allure of pesto and goat cheese

toppings, however, proved too enticing to resist.

This burger had a robust char-grilled flavor that was able to

remain prominent, even in the presence of a strong pesto/goat cheese

spread that covered both sides of the burger. It comes with steak

fries and a cup of honey mustard. This was one of the better burgers

I’ve had in a while.

Many restaurants seem to think a “gourmet” pizza should be served

on a cracker-like crust, covered with an abundance of some exotic

sauce and only a small ration of cheese. Refreshingly, the House of

Brews Thai chicken pizza is a hand tossed, thin crust (but soft)

pizza topped with just enough peanut sauce, plenty of cheese, a few

carrot strings, a sprinkling of cilantro and, oh yes, several chunks

of white meat chicken per slice. Both Eric and I thoroughly enjoyed

this Asian-influenced pizza.

Several menu items I’m eyeing for future visits include: the

golden armadillo eggs (deep fried, cream cheese-stuffed chiles), the

parmesan chicken sandwich, the black forest burger (cured ham, Swiss

cheese and sauteed wild mushrooms) and the 100-mph chili made with

sirloin steak tips.

According to my count, the House of Brews offers 72 varieties of

beer from 15 different countries -- the bartender said it’s 101 and

the manager said it’s 85, but hey, who’s counting? I opted for one

from Czechoslovakia. My Staropramen was a thirst quenching, pale

lager with a natural bite. I so enjoyed this beer that I scurried

over to Trader Joe’s in search of more Staropramen.

Other uncommon beer offerings include: Samuel Smith oatmeal stout

(from England), Ayinger brau weisse (a cloudy wheat beer from

Germany) and Wyder’s pear cider.

With a separate dining room, ample bar seating, seven TVs, three

big screens, five pool tables and the aforementioned food and drink,

the House of Brews should be a fun place to watch the big game this

Sunday. I’m hoping the Patriots are victorious, just as I was

victorious in our games of pool.

* JOHN VOLO is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected]