A Perfect Lunch

Usually, I take my lunch breaks at my desk. I grab a sandwich and a soda and eat it while reading emails and taking phone calls. However, yesterday, Carlos and I decided to take advantage of our company-granted one hour lunch break. We ended up at the arcade in North Beach, about 10 minutes away from the office. Twelve quarters worth of Soul Edge and Tekken 3 later, we decided that we were ready for something to eat.

On the way to the arcade, we walked past Great Water a Thai restaurant that replaced the Bierhouse on Broadway. Though the Bierhouse was never my favorite bar, it had the best beer selection by my office, so I would make the occasional stop there after work.

Anyway, Carlos and I decided to go in for a quick lunch. As we walked in, we noticed the bar. Thirty taps of interesting Toronado-Caliber beers, and they have a good selection of liquors… including Old Potrero, the San Francisco-made rye whiskey. As we bellied up to the bar the owner came by with the menus. He talked about how when he bought the place, he decided that the beer should be as much as a focus as the food, so he kept the taps, he re-hired the bar manager, and decided to let the bar-manager pick the beers. I decided to get an Arrogant Bastard. Carlos had a Boney Fingers.

Even if the beers didn't impress me, the food certainly did! The Gai Grapao (chicken with basil&#41 was the best I have ever had., and Carlos' red curry beef was exceptional. While eating our delicious lunches, the bar-manager came in with another bartender. The bar manager and I both vaguely recognized each other, but couldn't figure out from where. It turns out that he is a regular at the Toronado.

So, as we finished our lunches, they plied us with samples of a number of beers… including the Brains Bitter and the Marin Christmas Beer. We talked about new beers coming up, the bar scene, and the Toronado, which they affectionately call "the Office." We enjoyed our stay at Great Water, and will certainly go there again… and again… and again.