ALONG COMES MARY

Last Saturday, I was able to check out  Gordon Biersch Brewery in Burbank for a fantastic evening put on by Combat Radio and DJ Ethan Dettenmaier to meet Disney Legend, Bob Gurr and Tinker Bell model herself, Margaret Kelly. It was such an amazing experience to be in the same room as the man who designed Disneyland’s Monorail and The Matterhorn bobsleds, as well as the woman responsible for all of the nuances and mannerisms of our beloved Tinker Bell. You can read all about that over on my friend Kimberly’s blog, Frontierland Station. So fun!

Aside from the legends before me, I also discovered a great new eatery in nearby Burbank, California. Gordon Biersch Brewery is nestled on the corner of San Fernando Road and Olive Avenue right in the heart of Burbank’s chic meets chill boulevard of restaurants, bars, shops and theatres. With an immediate welcoming atmosphere and spacious patio, Gordon Biersch manages to have intimate vibes yet ample enough to host a good size event or soiree.

I started out with a House Margarita which hit the spot as we awaited our Imagineer legend and Tink, er, Margaret. Their menu is HUGE and, if you’re like us, you might just end up ordering more than one plate. Offering the usual suspects of a brewery (burgers, sandwiches), we saw several plates of their NACHOS go by….and, not your traditional nachos! I am talking a massive plate of Southwest Wonton Nachos (Crisp wonton chips with black beans, cheddar & pepper jack cheeses, pico de gallo, red onions and cilantro, topped with smoked paprika and a drizzle of jalapeño ranch) and their Poke Wonton Nachos (tuna diced and tossed in teriyaki sauce over crisp wonton chips, with grilled pineapple, pickled ginger, green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzled with cucumber wasabi sauce and sriracha cream–whoa.)

Despite the mouth-watering offerings (and several gluten-free dishes, too!) I was pleased they also had several lighter options. While Mike decided on their Pan-Roasted Citrus Chicken. I’d originially had my eye on the Spinach, Fruit and Nut Salad; after consulting with the server, he confirmed my suspicions that it is not too hearty unless you add a protein.  I decided to play copycat and also selected Mike’s order, but, varied it up with the salmon. The meats are roasted and served with lemon balsamic sauce and a choice of two sides. I pretended to be on good behavior and tried the Kale and Quinoa side salad and grilled veggies.

The fish was flaky, but lacked a bit of that citrus flavor I had hoped for. Mike really liked the chicken, as well as the kale and quinoa, which I thought was a little too wet in dressing. With the evening just getting started, we decided on another round of margaritas and an order of their ‘legendary’ garlic french fries, which WERE very delicious….and we just may need the large order next time 😉

I will definitely return to Gordon Biersch as it’s in such a great location, there’s a free parking lot right across the street and the environment was so fun and laid back. Happy hour on the weekday, too! Whether you are having a night with the girls, date night or an evening with the whole family, Gordon Biersch is perfect for everybody. Check out their web-site HERE and make sure to pay some love to Kimberly and my guest post HERE! xo