30105 Agoura Road
Agoura Hills, California
(818) 735-0091
feedback@twistedoaktavern.pub
As one sits enjoying a burger and homemade beer in the spacious dining room of
The Twisted Oak Tavern, there are two things that catch your eye, the humongous
cylinders at the end of the aisle where beer is made, still referred to as the Lab Brewing Co., and the
twisted oaks outside the large window, whose breathtaking view infuses the
establishment with an atmosphere of warmth, homeyness and nature-made fun.
Formerly known as the Lab, the Twisted Oak Tavern reopened with its new name in
January of this year, but next week commencing March 26 and ending on April 2
The Twisted Oak tavern will celebrate an official grand opening with an entire
week of events. We'll talk about these further in, but first, let's talk food
and beverage, what makes the Twisted Oak extra special.
I
was exceedingly enthusiastic, of course, with the spaciousness of this
restaurant and the view of the oak trees, but I had heard from many a source that the beer
was incredible and the food was really first-rate. So, it was such a pleasure to meet award-winning
brewmaster Roger Bott who was on hand to greet us and make us feel right at home. He suggested that we try an assortment of beer and food, and
since I like just about everything, I was more than game.
Our
affable server Matt started us off with candied bacon strips and from the
bar, my favorite nonalcoholic drink - ginger beer, made quite differently
from what I was accustomed to drinking. It was prepared with fresh ginger…
and lemon, which added a real sparkle, and needless to say, when anyone puts
smoked bacon in front of me at any time of day, I am in heaven. After some
picture taking and pleasant conversation with both Roger and Matt, we were
served a small batch brew session, which included a blonde ale called Honey I'm Home, real savory; Belgian
Pale; Belgian Breakfast Brown, a mild ale; Take Her Home Tripel - my favorite, and Cold Fusion. The beer
samples, plus the delicious ginger beer put me in a terrific mood to
appreciate the platter of food which Matt delivered to our table.
We
were given a Twisted Oak burger, a chicken diablo sandwich with house fries,
and a dinner serving of Lobster Risotto. It was lunch time but the chef was
ever so nice to prepare us a dinner entree as well. Let me tell you, my
friend and I raved about the risotto, as we are both fans of pasta and
seafood. Scrumptious, to say the least! If that were not enough, they
prepared us a special smoked salmon salad, consisting of baby kale, shaved
Brussels sprouts, lemon dill crouton, red onion, house made ricotta cheese,
house smoked salmon, and truffle dressing. There were so many incredibly
wonderful flavors to savor that every bite was a true adventure. For dessert,
my friend ordered the Dulce De Leche Lava Cake, and I chose the homemade
Apple Cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Both were delectable. What impressed me
about the kitchen at the Twisted Oak Tavern is that everything is made in
house. Not only do they brew their own beer, but grind their own hamburg for
the burgers and make the bread for the flatbread pizzas as well. I purchased
a sausage pizza to take home and it was de...licious!
Returning to Grand opening week March 26 to April 2, every night of the week will feature something different, the most important being Thursday the 26th which will be ribbon cutting and the release of their barrel aged imperial stout named Boris. Friday the 27th will include a performance by the popular musical group Acoustic Saints. Saturday the 28th is charity night where food proceeds benefit the local animal shelter. Sunday the 29th is collaboration Sunday, where the staff will be brewing on a small pilot system on the patio with Enegren Brewing. The public is invited to hang out and participate. A new beer co-brewed with them a few months ago will be released called Big Dose, a barrel aged Belgian quad. Sounds like fun, so join in and help roll out the barrel for The Twisted Oak Tavern in Agoura Hills. |
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| Those spacious booths! Can fit up to 8 people! |
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