BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is a fast-casual restaurant that is rapidly expanding through the Ohio market. Someone stopping in for a lunch or dinner will be pleasantly surprised about the depth of BJ’s menu, which ranges from pizzas to fish dishes, burgers to steaks and everything in between.
We started our meal with the California Club flatbread ($9.75), which included large chunks of chicken and avocado, bacon, tomatoes, and mozzarella. To add creaminess to the dish,a garlic aioli is drizzled afterwards.BJ’s is one of the few restaurants that we have seen take on more challenging grains. There are a number of dishes on the current BJ’s menu that utilize couscous and quinoa; the North Beach Mahi-Mahi and Shrimp ($14.25) is built off of pearl couscous and includes a good portion of roasted mahi mahi and shrimp. The soup tying everything together contains a wide array of flavors due to the inclusion of Kalamata olives, garlic, onions, tomatoes and other fresh herbs.
The Deep Dish Ravioli ($13.95) is chock-full with cheese-filled ravioli, which have a delightful mouthfeel. By cooking the dish in the oven, there is a crispness to the pasta that is unparalleled. A further highlighting is present when one considers the yin and yang of the brighter marinara sauce and fresh basil that top the plate.
For the craft brew connoisseur, BJs has a wide variety of different beers created specifically for their restaurant. We were lucky enough to try out the restaurant’s pumpkin ale, which had a good amount of sweetness married to the unmistakable gourd flavor. Perhaps most interesting at BJ’s was their desire to create dishes including the Pumpkin Ale as a focal part.This meant that one can pick up a Pumpkin Ale float to blend the sweet with the more substantive, malt-heavy beer. For those (young, pregnant, or otherwise not partaking in alcoholic beverages), BJ’s also crafts their own soft drinks. The orange cream soda ($2.95) has a citrus zing and a good sweetness; the bright orange color of the soda is but a cherry on top of that sundae.
We concluded our meal at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse with the Pizookie Trio ($9.95), where we chose the Cookies ‘n’ Cream, Triple Chocolate made with Ghirardelli, and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. After our meals, the three cookies and scoops of ice cream were just too much. I would heartily recommend the trio be tackled by parties of larger than 2; as any less will force the hot, soft cookies or the delectable dollops of ice cream placed on the dish to go to waste.The harmony between hot and cold on the Pizookies made this into one of the best desserts that we have ever had during the time the travel section has been open.
The Polaris location of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is open from 11 AM to 11 PM Mondays through Thursdays, 11 AM to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 AM to 10 PM Sunday. The restaurant offers curbside take out for those wanting to bring BJ’s home with them.
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse (Polaris Fashion Place, 1414 Polaris Pkwy) / http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/BJs-Restaurant-and-Brewhouse-124811707587562/ / https://www.facebook.com/BJsRestaurants