Drowning 2010 in Homebrew at Mission Gastroclub

Jason Henry

For New Year's Eve, underground restaurant Mission Gastroclub offered a taste of homebrewed glamour.

​Ah, New Year's Eve, a time for cufflinks, glamour, and Champagne. My festivities this year likely resembled those of most high society revelers ― a toast at midnight, the dropping of a glittering ball of light. But at this dinner party, we toasted with a champagne-style beer called Deus. We dined in the kitchen of a Mission apartment. And the ball drop involved copious amounts of tin foil and twine.

Jason Henry

The beer flowed like ... beer.

​Welcome back to Mission Gastroclub, where chef Neil and homebrewer Eric take 14 lucky diners on underground culinary journeys through the intricacies of food and beer pairing for a shockingly reasonable ~$30 price tag. Upon arrival, guests shimmy past the enormous wine barrel full of homebrew and the multitap kegerator to one of two communal tables tucked among myriad vessels of fermenting liquids. This is the definition of an open kitchen: Diners sit within a few short feet of the kitchen station. When a curious guest has a question about something, she can turn right around and ask the chef, personally.

Don't let the informal setting fool you: Neil cut his chops in the world of white tablecloth dining. After culinary school, he undertook an internship at the French Laundry, followed by a stint as chef de partie at Ad Hoc.

Jason Henry

Hold on to your arteries: Burrata in a brioche doughnut.

​Each course on the New Years Eve menu paired well with the finely crafted beers generously poured throughout the evening. For the first offering, the hops in a homebrewed rye IPA cut through the richness of egg yolk and house-fried chips in a riff on chilaquiles. The second course was the highlight of the meal (WARNING: Those with heart problems should consider taking a dose of Lipitor before reading on) ― gooey Burrata, sandwiched between halves of brioche doughnut with watercress pesto, baby lettuce, and cauliflower. Santa Rosa's Moonlight Brewing's Reality Czeck Pilsner did a fine job of washing away the guilt.

The next course presented the standout beer of the evening. The roasty touch of Eric's rich, silky homebrewed porter amplified an earthy dish of beef chuck, Tokyo turnips, and piquillo peppers. To cap off the beery affair, a brown sugar soufflé with Cara Cara orange ice cream melded with the fruity, spicy yeast of Alesmith Brewing's Horny Devil Belgian strong ale.

By the time our gracious hosts poured celebratory midnight toasts and the low-budget, homemade disco ball was lowered from the ceiling, this underground club felt like a gathering of old friends. As for my New Year's resolution, I'll be making a point to dine with these fine folks more often.