BJ's Restaurants and Brewhouse Valley Stream, NY
Restaurant Vibe: 3.5 / 5.0
As you enter this cavernous space, you are reminded of a Midwest brewery run for generations by a family loyal to a certain hop - to - malt ratio and choice for starters, none of which applies to this place. It's a loud place with nondescript tables, chairs, and booths. The silverware is wrapped vacuously, waiters are a tad bit too frivolous, and monitors flicker jarring sports commentary all around. In the middle of this fair what catches you unaware is a massive blackboard with an impressive list of drafts (whether they have it all or not is left to be found out) classified by their styles - from pale ales to stouts. The fact that all this produces a combined effect of transporting one into some inner city of Michigan while being in NY suburb next to Queens deserves some credit.
Kona Big Wave Golden Ale 2.0 / 5.0
This is coming from an amateur in the esoteric world of beer, this golden ale is pretty to look at with its rich blond color and a thick head. However, the taste is so plain (or so blonde) that it leaves no footprint whatsoever.
New Orleans Jambalaya 1.0 / 5.0
There's bad recipes and then there's this monstrosity. Jambalaya traces its roots to French quarters in New Orleans with disputed origins. It was either a failed attempt at paella or at jumbling leftovers together with added seasonings to make the sum total more palatable than its individual ingredients. From the look and taste of this specific Jambalaya, it was perhaps a failed attempt at everything. The meats and the underlying bedding of rice were absolutely dissociated from each other, exceptionally bland, and simply put, aesthetically unappealing. What added insult to the injury was the careless sprinkle of paprika (or criminally mild chili powder) with its raw bitterness intact. If this recipe is any indication of rest of the dishes on the menu, this place is in big trouble.
Restaurant Vibe: 3.5 / 5.0
As you enter this cavernous space, you are reminded of a Midwest brewery run for generations by a family loyal to a certain hop - to - malt ratio and choice for starters, none of which applies to this place. It's a loud place with nondescript tables, chairs, and booths. The silverware is wrapped vacuously, waiters are a tad bit too frivolous, and monitors flicker jarring sports commentary all around. In the middle of this fair what catches you unaware is a massive blackboard with an impressive list of drafts (whether they have it all or not is left to be found out) classified by their styles - from pale ales to stouts. The fact that all this produces a combined effect of transporting one into some inner city of Michigan while being in NY suburb next to Queens deserves some credit.
Kona Big Wave Golden Ale 2.0 / 5.0
This is coming from an amateur in the esoteric world of beer, this golden ale is pretty to look at with its rich blond color and a thick head. However, the taste is so plain (or so blonde) that it leaves no footprint whatsoever.
New Orleans Jambalaya 1.0 / 5.0
There's bad recipes and then there's this monstrosity. Jambalaya traces its roots to French quarters in New Orleans with disputed origins. It was either a failed attempt at paella or at jumbling leftovers together with added seasonings to make the sum total more palatable than its individual ingredients. From the look and taste of this specific Jambalaya, it was perhaps a failed attempt at everything. The meats and the underlying bedding of rice were absolutely dissociated from each other, exceptionally bland, and simply put, aesthetically unappealing. What added insult to the injury was the careless sprinkle of paprika (or criminally mild chili powder) with its raw bitterness intact. If this recipe is any indication of rest of the dishes on the menu, this place is in big trouble.
