Henry’s Gastropub is a Berkeley fixture, located across the street from Boalt Hall, Berkeley’s law school. For years they’ve had a decent selection of beer, but until recently, the food was rather wanting, not bad, but nothing special. But all that’s changed recently with a remodel, both cosmetically and in attitude. The biggest reason for the change is Eddie Blyden, Henry’s new chef. Blyden knows beer. He was formerly the chef at 21st Amendment Brewery & Restaurant and also later designed the food menus for Magnolia and Alembic, all three in San Francisco. Monday night he did a beer dinner during SF Beer Week with the beers of Triple Rock Brewery and Iron Springs. I was unable to attend, having accepted an invitation for another beer dinner, but Celebrator Beer News publisher Tom Dalldorf did and declared the dinner to be a great success. He was also kind enough to pass along a photo from the event.

That’s chef Eddie Blyden in the center, wearing red, flanked by Rodger David, Triple Rock’s brewer (far left) and Christian Kazakoff, Iron Springs’ brewer (far right). In between, on the left, is Brad Robbins and Brian Thorson, both from Drake’s on the right, Josh Miner, also from Drake’s.