Sometimes, Jason will drive into the city and pick me up from work and we’ll go to dinner. Since my company recently handed out bonuses, we decided to have a nice dinner. We drove around for a while and ended up at The Beach Chalet on Great Highway near Golden Gate Park. We had been there before for lunch, but we’d never managed to arrange dinner at a time in which the place wasn’t packed to the gills. Today, however, we beat the crowd.

First, it’s good to know that most of the tables there have a fantastic view of Ocean Beach and the Pacific Ocean. This view probably is only second to that of the Cliff House down the street. Second, The Beach Chalet is also a brewery.

Jason ordered the Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Ravioli (with wild & tamed mushrooms, Savoy spinach, delta asparagus, English peas, and a mushroom & mascarpone sauce). This, I know, would be something that our own Padma would adore. While my husband did remark that the ravioli stuck together some, the flavor was excellent with the tang of the goat cheese and the mellowness of the sauce. He even liked the asparagus.

It was hard for me to choose, as there were several things that piqued my interest. I ultimately chose a glass of their Riptide Red ale and the seared day boat scallops (with herb risotto, roasted Roma tomatoes, and parmesan broth).

The first thing to take note of is that the scallops were perfectly prepared. They were seasoned well and seared with a slight crisp on the outside, but the inside was warm and soft and almost melted in my mouth. They were heavenly, and they were easily the best scallops I’ve had in years. The herb risotto added a pleasant color contrast on the plate since it was green and it was topped with the two slices of roasted tomato. A small pool of the broth surrounded it all, but the dish was not swimming in it. The risotto was subtle and creamy, not overpowering the delicate flavor of the scallops - something which is easy to do. I, not a real fan of tomatoes, actually enjoyed the roasted Romas.

The Riptide Red ale seemed a little more carbonated than I am used to, but it was crisp and had very little aftertaste. It was clean and pleasant and has easily become one of my favorite beers.

Overall, our experience at The Beach Chalet can be summed up in one word: excellent. Everything from the atmosphere to the service to the incredible food was impeccable. We will return again… if we can time our dinner right.