Gordon Biersch is a great place to eat at Westgate. Photo by Jed Strahm

Try the fries (and everything else) at Gordon Biersch

By Lea Soto
Special to West Times

With so many dining options to choose from at Westgate, it’s impossible not to make a visit to Gordon Biersch. The restaurant practically stands as a gateway into Westgate City Center. I visited the restaurant one evening to check out for myself just what they had to offer.

Even though Gordon Biersch is technically based around brewing beer, I focused more on what the food was like than what suds they had to offer. I visited the restaurant on a Sunday evening, and it really wasn’t crowded at all.

The menu at Gordon Biersch is quite extensive. Each of the different categories of food has lots of offerings. There are salads, pizzas, steaks, pasta, seafood, and other house specialties. This is a good place to go with a large group of people. Portion sizes are large and you may get the chance to try different items because of that.

Appetizers like Southwest egg rolls, and Gordon Biersch garlic fries got the meal started off well. The egg rolls are served with a spicy jalapeño ranch sauce, and inside they have chicken, black beans, corn, red peppers, and jack cheese. They are good; however, all of the ingredients just end up tasting like the ranch sauce.

Definitely try the fries. They’re sprinkled with garlic and parsley and are addictive.

Gordon Biersch seems to be taking an updated take on many traditional American food items. I tried the meatloaf, which is made with both ground beef and Italian sausage. On the side is a mountainous mound of garlic mashed potatoes. Both items are very flavorful, and it is practically a guarantee that you won’t leave hungry.

Another interesting item that I was able to try was the goat cheese ravioli. This dish has ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and topped off with a brown butter sauce, sautéed mushrooms, spinach and pine nuts. This dish doesn’t live up to its potential, as the goat cheese doesn’t really come through (that actually might make it more appealing for some) and the spinach had a sort of bitterness about it that made me just avoid eating it.

Gordon Biersch has a really extensive menu that will appeal to practically everyone. The restaurant is a great place to spend an evening at Westgate. You’ll be sure to find something you like, and there is no way you can leave hungry.