On Monday, I mentioned going out to lunch with Nathan over the weekend. While we’re trying to stick within a little more strict than usual budget because of our upcoming move, we wanted to get out of the house for a bit. Luckily, I was recently contacted by BJ’s Brewhouse to visit one of their nearby restaurants and check out the Enlightened Menu. Obviously anytime someone offers me food and beer, I can’t say no!
The Enlightened menu is great for everyone in the crowd and, especially when we’re all trying to lighten the load a bit after the holidays, it’s a great option when you’re going out. Everything on this portion of the menu is 795 calories or less and offers much more than just a plain old salad.
Not to mention, the lighter calories leaves room for a little beverage 😉
And even though they do show quite a nice beer list, you could always go with a lighter option and tap into the fully-stocked bar.
For our entrees, I went with the Kale and Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad with flame-broiled salmon.
Baby kale, herb-roasted brussels sprouts, romaine, blueberries, red grapes, dried cranberries, goat cheese, cucumber, candied pecans, toasted pepitas and red onions tossed in strawberry vinaigrette.
The salmon was cooked perfectly and all of the elements of the salad came together really nicely. I especially liked the candied pecans, brussels [obviously..], and the crispy crunch on the salmon. It was a great option to choose instead of the typical house salad with chicken and I’d definitely recommend this dish.
Nathan ordered the Mediterranean Chicken Pita Tacos.
Grilled chicken breast seasoned with Big Poppa Smokers’ Desert Gold Rub, cucumber, Roma tomatoes, red onions, feta and fresh cilantro tossed in red wine vinaigrette and drizzled with Greek yogurt crema in a chargrilled pita. With Greek yogurt crema for dipping and seasonal bistro grains.
In comparison, I’d say his portion was a bit smaller than mine, mostly due to the huge hunk of salmon on my plate. Nathan enjoyed the tacos, though felt like he would have preferred some sort of veggie side dish over the couscous because there was already pita with the main part of the meal. That said, he did enjoy the couscous salad as well.
Seeing as how we were enjoying meals from the Enlightened menu, we opted to skip dessert. However, going back with friends, you bet we’ll have to try the Pizookie Trio! Those things look AMAZING!
If you have a BJ’s in your area, definitely go check out their Enlightened menu [and awesome beer list] when you get a chance.
Food for Thought
What would you order off of the Enlightened menu?
Disclaimer: BJ’s Brewhouse provided our meal complimentary but as always, all opinions are my own.
Barr & Table 