Refuge: Belgian Beer, Heavy Food

Most people my age who live in the Bay Area think San Francisco is the ideal place to live and play, and rightly so. There's never a shortage of things to do or places to try. Don't get me wrong, San Francisco will always have a special place in my heart, but I don't think I'll ever make it my residence. I currently live down the peninsula, not too far, but enough to enjoy a 30 minute commute to the city. You're close by, but it feels far enough away from the busyness. It's a buffer zone, if you will. There aren't nearly as many watering holes per city block, but enough quaint ones to try out and enjoy a moment of seclusion. I recently met an old friend of mine at a place he recommended known as "The Refuge".

Upon finding it, I could see why it got its name. The beer pub is located on a small side street near downtown San Carlos that I don't think you could find unless you were looking for it. Focusing mainly on Belgian Ales, The Refuge offers a selection of over 100 different artisan ales as well as meads, ciders, and wines. Now, I'll be honest: I'm not a big Belgian beer fan. I'm not into wheat beers or blonde ales, they just don't do a lot for me and have a funny taste to them. Those of you who drink and enjoy Blue Moon ... God bless you. However, there are a few gems among Belgian beers that Refuge serves, like the Grimbergen Dubbel, a malty but slightly bitter ale with a rich head, or the La Chouffre. And even if you're not into Belgians, there's a host of other options to choose from. My recommendation is to order a flight of 6 six beers to sample from, you'll get a healthy scope of what they offer and at the same time enjoy a bit of the more familiar.

A lot of craft and specialty beers are heavier and have a higher alcohol content, so it's always good to get some food in your stomach to fend of the alcohol. Here it's kind of a double-edged sword, as it you'll keep the tank full,  but you may want to take a nap after you've filled up on beer and food. The Refuge serves great pub food and they're actually renown for their pastrami. They promote it like crazy, as it was even on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with that tool Guy Fieri, but it lives up to the hype; it's not fatty or greasy at all, just about perfect. You know what goes great with a Pastrami sandwich? Garlic fries, and these guys do about as good a job as any on that front, certainly as good as PacBell Park.

Overall, it's got great service, great food, great beers (if you're really into Belgian beer), but it can be a little on the pricey side when you go for a full course meal with drinks. It's located on Laurel Street in San Carlos, but there's another location in Menlo Park off of Crane Street. The best way to get there from 101 is to take the Holly Street exit and then a left at Laurel. Ideally, it's best to have designated driver if you're going. Like I said, a stomach full of Belgian beer and pastrami and garlic fries will put you right to sleep... in a good way.