We arrived at Ounces Outdoors in Northgate Mall, a dog- and family-friendly 100% outdoor craft beer and cider garden and were formally greeted by a Mochi, gorgeous longhaired dog with beige, white and golden locks that easily weighed 160 pounds.
The beer and hard cider garden is on the outer rim of Terra Linda’s Northgate Mall. A couple of black shipping containers house the bar, storage and kitchen. An expansive seating area is broken up by native trees and leafy planters into areas of picnic tables and comfy chairs with firepits and two bocce courts, the smaller one which can convert to cornhole. The owners, Sausalito resident Waz Hewerdine and co-founder JoJo Lawrence, built the sturdy furniture.
Malls across the country are getting inventive to stay alive. The concept of open-air spaces found in malls aimed to capture the feeling of the bustling public spaces of European town squares or the plazas across Latin America. These public spaces provide people the venue to shop, share food and drink, and most importantly, socialize. When initially constructed, the privately owned public spaces, such as Northgate, did not include an external stimulus that attracted people to congregate and hang out. Ounces Outdoors fills that void.
When Hewerdine and Lawrence approached the mall with their open-air bar concept, Lawrence says the mall was receptive to the plan and wonderful to work with. Ounces Outdoor humanizes the concrete space. The space’s welcoming openness encourages people to pop in, and lively music and friendly staff make your stay pleasant.
The menu is divided among Sharable Snacky Things ($7 to $16), Bigger Meaty Things ($10 to $16), Some Vege Goodness ($12 to $14) and Something Sweet, the sole offering is a Chocolate Chip Cookie ($4.50). The emphasis is on the space itself and the drinks. Food is there when you’re hungry to enjoy with your favorite beverage.
The chips were fresh and crispy, and the guacamole was creamy and nicely seasoned in the Chips and house-made Guac ($8). This is a snack or light meal place.
The beverage list is more extensive. Aside from the beers and ciders on tap, Outdoor Ounces’ beverage menu lists six wines by the glass ($11 to $14) and bottle ($36 to $45). And there are several interesting non-alcoholic offerings like the Best Day Brewing NA Hazy IPA ($5) plus a couple that would appeal particularly to younger patrons: Honest Juice Box ($3) and Chocolate Milk ($3).
The Jalapeño Cheddar Dog ($15), which comes with potato salad and little cornichon pickles, went well with the Pond Farm Brewing San Rafael Lager ($7), especially after a wedge of lime was squeezed into the beer. and The Jalapeño Cheddar Dog ($15) went well with the lager The hot dog came with potato salad and little cornichon pickles.
I like heavier beers and the Oakland’s Original Pattern Brewing Top O’ The Mornin’ Dry Irish Stout ($8), with its 3 inches of white froth, smelled fantastic. Its description on the menu was spot on: dark chocolate, coffee, dry and roasty. I could have sipped on this all evening.
The Beer Garden Brat ($16) is one of the most popular “Meaty Things.” The Brat was hefty on a torpedo bun draped with caramelized onions with a dill pickle latticed with mustard lying atop. I had to remove the pickle to bite into the dog so I lost the mustard hit. No problem. A tray of napkin-wrapped utensils, mustards and hot sauce were on the table. I shot some mustard into the bun and all was good. Potato salad and sauerkraut were on the side.
We ordered two of the three hard ciders with it, San Leandro-based Blindwood’s Puns and Roses ($8) and Blindwood’s Dry ($8). Our server thoughtfully brought us a little tasting of Richmond’s Far West Cider Co.’s Park Tips cider ($9), a dry cider with foraged botanicals from Golden Gate Park. Most of my experience with ciders has been with French or Spanish ciders. Surprisingly, those seemed more robust than the ones we were tasting here. I like the complex flavors that come through on these California ciders without riding on higher alcohol. The Park Tips cider was a revelation. Do they really forage the botanicals in Golden Gate Park? Is that legal? It’s certainly tasty.
The warm Chocolate Chip Cookie is the only dessert to treat your sweet tooth. Frankly, ending the evening with another glass of the Top O’ The Mornin’ Strout would be my choice.
Bring your friends, children, dogs and a good vibes. Check out Outdoor Ounces’ events on their website for live music, trivia nights and cornhole tournaments. Relax and imbibe the community spirit.
Ann Walker is a freelance food writer. Email her with suggestions, comments and questions at [email protected].
Outdoor Ounces
Address: 5800 Northgate Drive, San Rafael
Phone: 877-747-0383
Website: ouncesoutdoors.com
Cuisine: California fresh pub food
Gluten-free and vegan options: Yes
Noise level: Moderate
Liquor selection: Beer, wine and hard cider
Dog friendly: Yes
Parking: Easy curbside or in free lot
Hours: 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 4 to 9 p.m. Fridays; noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 8 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Prices: $3 to $45
Reservations: No
Summary: Casual, fun spot to catch up with friends and maybe meet some new ones.