Restaurant morphs into Bierhaus

Official re-launch Nov 16, 2013

Mountain View, CA – November 16, 2013 — Showcasing California biergarten fare, Bierhaus is proud to be the newest – and one of the most unique — addition to Mountain View’s vibrant downtown scene.

Founder Mike Finley has transformed his former Steak Out restaurant into a casual, comfortable establishment serving up gourmet grub and suds with careful attention to detail.

You won’t find just any ol’ burger here, but one made with100 percent grass-fed beef from Marin Sun Farms – ground twice fresh daily with aged beef fat. It’s not served on just any bun, either, but on a golden, pillowy, house potato brioche one baked fresh every day (involving a two-day process) by the Palo Alto Baking Company using Finley’s unique recipe. Made with potato flour, butter, milk and a natural starter, the buns are modeled after Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls in Pennsylvania that are favored by none other than New York’s Shake Shack.

A former Silicon Valley software executive, Finley is a self-professed bread geek. When he left the world of high-tech behind, he started baking loaves and hasn’t looked back. In fact, for many years, he worked closely at Pascal Rigo’s Bay Bread, where he started selling Rigo’s loaves at one farmers market before quickly expanding to 13 of them.

“What I love about bread is the simplicity and the complexity of it,’’ Finley says. “Plus, a really good piece of meat deserves a really good bun.’’

Finley knows it’s the little things that matter. That’s why the fries are cut in house and fried twice to create the perfect crispness. That’s why Bierhaus makes its own sausages, featured on weekends in the “Bavarian Breakfast’’ special of a pretzel, sausage and glass of beer. It’s why the German chopped salad features the bold flavors of speck and fennel Gouda. He also knows people like to graze these days, which is why he offers Brettljause, a platter of cured meats, cheeses, pickles, spreads and breads, that’s perfect for sharing.

With American classics and German favorites, reinvented with the best local, seasonal ingredients, it’s the kind of food made for great beer, which Bierhaus has in spades thanks to beer meister and partner, Scott Snyder. There are 18 beers on tap and a fun “99 bottles of beer’’ program. In the near future, Snyder plans to brew his own house beer, too.

With 45 seats indoors, Bierhaus is the perfect place for friends to gather, co-workers to take a load off, and families to kick back, especially with its kid’s menu. With an expansive patio with new overhead heaters and 250 seats outside, it’s also extremely pooch-friendly, as evidenced by all the happy dog photos displayed inside.

Bierhaus is at 383 Castro St. at the corner of California Street in downtown Mountain View. It serves lunch and dinner daily. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily or until closing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.