The energy in the rideshare car was palpable; a mere 4 days after its grand opening we were going to be experiencing the new Ballast Point Brewery in San Francisco. Myself and my drinking/dining companions were immediately impressed by the sheer size of the space -- unusual in the city -- and pleased by its somewhat minimalistic, modern decor. We were seated at a 4-top that the staff graciously converted to a 5-top for our party.
Struck by a bout of indecisiveness, we got a bit creative with the drink orders. Several of us ordered 8 oz. glasses of the beers we most desired (for me, the Sculpin Hazy IPA) and got 4 oz. minis of a couple others to try -- I tried the Watermelon Dorado Double IPA (10% ABV!!!) and the famous Grapefruit Sculpin IPA. The Watermelon had a distinct watermelon flavor and a bitter aftertaste. This one is strong, so watch out! The Grapefruit was crisp and refreshing and the Hazy was solid. Highly recommend this "DIY flight" strategy for tasting multiple beers.
Now that drinks were out of the way, we moved on to food and we ordered in waves. My dining companions sampled a range of the Ballast Point fare -- from falafel bites to burrata to hamburgers to the fried chicken sandwich. At this point it should be noted that we had a few small snags with the ordering system -- one is to scan a QR code, set their individual orders, and pay for their own meal within the larger group order (there is also the option to pay for the whole group). While this system makes bill splitting simple, there were a couple of issues with the system. Nothing we couldn't overcome. The food also came out quite quickly but nothing was too hastily plated. From the first wave of food, I snagged myself a couple of French fries off of one companion's plate and it was incredibly crisp and flavorful. Couldn't ask for more in a fry. One dining companion called it "the best burger I've ever had" and another said the meal deserved a Michelin star. Talk about a rave! As for my meal, I enjoyed the fish tacos -- grilled -- and was very impressed by the quality. The tortilla had great texture, as did the fish. Delicious!
Now, after enjoying a meal like that, it's customary to pay your compliments to the chef. When we saw a man in a chef's coat emerge from the kitchen we knew we simply HAD to wave him over. Meeting Executive Chef Damien was a pleasure and he appreciated our positive feedback. He seems to be well-versed in both the culinary arts and astrology.
The beers were refreshing, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was electric. Plus, a meeting with chef really took this experience over the edge. The question of whether we'll be back really isn't a question at all -- and perhaps next time we'll bring more companions and some games. Offering games or decks of cards to the patrons could elevate the experience even more, but in the meantime we'll bring our own. Cheers to a bright future for Ballast Point and we'll be back soon.
**MISSED CONNECTION** gentleman roughly aged 24-28, light brown hair, blue shirt with navy over shirt, dining with 2 companions. If you see this please do get in touch. read more