Restaurant Review

Friday, March 30, 2001

B&J's pizzas come loaded with toppings

But for many, the appeal is the wide variety of different beers you can sample

At a glance 6335 S. Padre Island Drive Phone: 992-6671; Back room: 993-8773 Entrees: $ - $$ Credit cards: Yes Checks: Yes Wheelchair access: Yes Spirits: Beer and Wine Smoking: Non-smoking in the restaurant, smoking in the backroom Hours: Sunday: Noon - 9 pm; Mon-Sat: 11 am - 11 pm, with the Back Room open until midnight Food: 1 ½ stars Service: 1 ½ stars Atmosphere: 1 ½ stars

It's not your typical pizzeria, but the customers who patronize B&J's Pizza probably wouldn't want it to be. In the same location for almost 23 years, B&J's has grown from a convenience store that sold fresh-made pizza into to a full-time restaurant and entertainment establishment. The menu has also expanded to include a variety of subs, salads and a few dinner entrees. But that's not the only thing that's changed over the years.
   After Jack and Kathy Baker took ownership 14 years ago, they added on "The Back Room," a mini-sports bar that serves food and offers pool, darts and sporting events on three televisions, including a big-screen TV. It also features a bar with 15 domestic and imported draft beers. Five of those taps include a regular rotation of new or different imports. B&J's has one of the area's widest selection of bottled beer, with more than 300 different domestics and imports.
   Dough rises overnight
   Great pizza, though, has been the main feature at B&J's, which combines a secret sauce, fresh hand-tossed dough, veggies and other topping into 11 varieties of pizza.
   On this visit we decided to try the B&J's Original pizza. It features pepperoni, Italian sausage and fresh mushrooms and green peppers.
   B&J's pizza is above-average for a few reasons. They heap plenty of toppings on each pie, and the dough is allowed to rise overnight for the perfect texture, airy and warm inside and slightly toasted on the outside. Also the sauce isn't applied with a heavy hand, allowing the taste of the fresh toppings to carry the flavor of the pizza.
   Popular interpretations include the B&J's Original and the Jack's Special. If you order the latter, consider arming yourself with plenty of breath mints for later: This pizza features pepperoni, Italian sausage and twice the amount of fresh garlic and onions as usual.
   We also tried the Philadelphia Steak, a submarine sandwich stuffed with a generous portion of roast beef, mozzarella and provolone cheeses, green peppers and onions. The vegetables still had the right amount of crunch and the roast beef was a flavorful alternative to the sliced steak I anticipated.
   Everybody knows your name
   There's a quiet and friendly atmosphere about the restaurant when you dine during the day. The restaurant has built a reputation mainly by word of mouth, so the staff is familiar with most of the patrons who walk through the door.
   The eating area in the front is simple and affords a view of the cooking area. The casual atmosphere reflects the friendly and relaxed nature of B&J's, which also hosts a dart tournament every Thursday in the Back Room.
   And, with almost 300 different types of domestic and imported beer to select from, the restaurant hosts a beer club for those who set the lofty goal of trying at least one different beer per visit. B&J's keeps a running log for each patron who wants to join and awards prizes for each 25-beer milestone reached. The No. 1 club member has tried more than 1,000 beers over the years and has reportedly won a three-day cruise of his choice. Those who have tasted more than 500 beers get to sample each new brand and flavor of beer on the house whenever the restaurant updates its vast selection.
  
  

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Restaurant reviews are written by a team of freelance writers. The Caller-Times pays for the meals. From time-to-time the writers visit previously reviewed restaurants to update the information.

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