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What are you doing from 3:00-7:00 pm? If you're smart, you're getting in your car and heading to Gordon Biersch restaurant and brewery in Summerlin.
Gordon Biersch, one of few breweries in Vegas, is the Friends version of Cheers. Each night, Gordon Biersch is flooded with workers, many within five-to-ten years out of college, who are looking to relax, unwind, muse and reminisce about their passing twenties in the grown up version of a college campus bar.
The happy hour menu has two different sections: Gordon Drink Specials, which showcases lagers, wines and specialty drinks for $3.00 to $5.00 and The Food Menu, which offers a variety of foods for $5.00 to $8.00 each.
First, the lager. I like lager. (Sorry, mom). I really like lager. I like the complexities of flavors that swirl in each glass of a good lager. And, few things truly are as refreshing as a cold glass of lager with a chicken wing and a football game.
Having said that, I find that I really don't like commercialized beer. You won't find me holding a can of Miller, or tossing back a Bud-Lite.
You will, however, find me sampling any of the fresh lagers Gordon Biersch will let me sample for free before I commit to one. Gordon Biersch has six seasonal handcrafted beers ranging from a light, smooth Golden Export to a dark Schwarzbier. After sampling the Czech Pilsner, the Marzen and the Seasonal lagers, I chose the Seasonal lager. Seasonal lagers change each season and the Spring Seasonal lager is absolutely wonderful. For any female beer drinker who is as selective as I, but wants more than golden water, try the Seasonal lager. Its dark chocolate color presents an interesting paradox to the smooth, heady flavor. Result: Don't always judge a lager by its color. Earthy and heavy, but definitely not overwhelming, the Seasonal lager leaves one thinking of dark chocolate on a cold winter night.
The lager is good, but what really makes a lager stand out is how well it pairs with food. The Happy Hour menu offers a wide range of entrees, including garlic fries, individual pizzas, salads, Kobe beef sliders, pulled pork sliders, shrimp and chicken potstickers, glazed chicken wings.
We selected the tapas, pulled pork sliders, shrimp and chicken potstickers, and glazed chicken wings. Tapas, a plate with roasted garlic, bruschetta, olive tapenade, hummus served with herbed flatbread, can best be described as savory. Having never eaten individual garlic cloves before, I was hesitant but pleasantly surprised. Garlic cloves, marinated and roasted, were soft and sweet. Popular in the Mediterranean, olive tapenade consists of Kalamity olives, capers, and olive oil mashed into a paste. Hummus, a Middle Eastern dish made with crushed garbanzo beans, tahini and olive oil, was smooth and creamy. Each of the three toppings paired well with herbed, grilled flatbread that was soft and warm.
Pulled pork sliders--three little piggies that went to market, and came back to three little toasted buns--were perfect in size and texture. Three tender pork sandwiches slathered in sweet bbq sauce were served with cole slaw and on tiny, toasted buns. Arranged in a triangle, the pork sliders protected a mountain of thinly sliced onion rings from falling off the plate. The onion rings were unlike any I'd had before: they were not thick and bulky, but thin, like shoestring potatoes.
The shrimp and chicken potstickers taste steamed then pan fried in sesame oil. Firm on the outside and dough on the inside, they are served with a teriyaki bbq sauce. The potstickers leave much to be desired. Skip these--especially if you enjoy potstickers.
Chicken wings are the real food test for any brewery. Gordon Biersch passes with flying colors. The glazed chicken wings are fried, but not hard, tender but not raw and sweet but not syrupy. Dusted with sesame seeds, the wings are meaty and thick. The chicken falls easily from the bone and the glaze is smoky in taste. This is the perfect dish for anyone in December wishing for a summertime cookout. The real surprise does not come when you first bite into the wing, but when it is on your back palate, on its way to your throat. There is a slight,but definite, spice that hits your mouth just as you are about to swallow, making this dish perfect for anyone who wants to start trying hot wings but is too afraid to try.
In addition to Happy Hour, Gordon Biersch offers a full lunch and dinner menu. Also, there is a reverse Happy Hour every day from 9:00 pm until close, that offers the same specials.
If you visit the Gordon Biersch in Boca Park, make sure to first visit Eccoci for 10% or 40% off coupons on the counter.
If you're new to Vegas and looking for a spot where everyone will get to know your name, try Gordon Biersch.
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