Yard House Taps Temecula

I've tasted my way through the Southern California wineries of Temecula more times than I care to recall. On my last visit, one of my buddies finally fessed up that he was no fan of exploring the reds and whites of this grape-growing region. He simply joined us to share a little quality time. All he really wanted was a dose of hops and barley, which was naturally missing from our winery tasting menus.

With the grand opening of Yard House on March 22, he has relentlessly hounded me to head back to Temecula this weekend. And since I've loved my suds much longer than wine, I'm definitely in. In fact, I'm such a Yard House fan that I may even be tempted to opt out of chardonnays and cabernets entirely on this visit.

Why bother when the alternative is a tempting fleet of 130 brews. I've frequented San Diego's Gaslamp Yard House after Padres games. And I've spent many a happy hour at the Yard House in my old Honolulu neighborhood that's now home to the Waikiki Beach Walk. So I'm curious as to the type of crowd Temecula's version attracts on a sunny spring afternoon.

Oh, and then there's the tempting menu packed with American fusion fare. With more than 100 items, it includes a creative culinary roster of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, steak and seafood. I'm a huge fan of the Hawaiian Ahi Stack, which is consistently mouthwatering every time I order it.

Some two-dozen plasma screens are strategically placed throughout the restaurant so guests can enjoy the latest sporting and news events. With my alma mater still battling in both the mens' and womens' divisions of the March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournies, it's a sure bet where my eyes will be glued.

This weekend, I will definitely skip the wineries. It's a Hollywood Blonde and a Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale while watching basketball, baby!

Yard House is located in The Promenade off 1-15 at Winchester Road in Temecula, CA. Hours are from 11am. Call 951-296-3116 or visit www.yardhouse.com.