FORE Magazine

Top Menu

  • About Me
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Main Menu

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

FORE Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
19th HoleSummer 2015
Home›19th Hole›Tapping in to Tasty: New Craft Brew Focus Leads the Way at St. Mark Executive Golf Course

Tapping in to Tasty: New Craft Brew Focus Leads the Way at St. Mark Executive Golf Course

By Julia Pine
July 1, 2015
7029
0
Share:
19th Hole

“You come here the first time to play golf, but you come back a second time to have our food and drink.”

That’s the wish of Josh Ragheb, director of food and beverage at Lakehouse Hotel and Resort in San Marcos, which includes two golf courses. And it’s at the Tap-In Tavern at the St. Mark Executive Golf Course, which has recently undergone a substantial facelift, where he may have achieved just that.

The new restaurant, which replaced a pretty basic snack shack, has a fun, modern feel to it. With a Full Swing Golf simulator inside, and an open patio that overlooks the golf course, it’s the perfect place for either before or after your round on the dynamic 18-hole short course.

The first thing you’ll notice is that despite the restaurant’s name, there is actually no beer on tap at Tap-In. Instead, the management has opted to boast an impressive menu of craft beers in cans.

“There are two parts of the business,” said Ragheb. “One is making money, and one is creating a culture and really being part of something. That interests us here. If I have to choose between four or five beer flavors, and I’ll make a better margin because they are kegs, or having 25 really cool flavors, but have people who will come back because we offer something that other places don’t, I choose that.”

St. Marks BarSt. Marks Beer SelectionSt. Marks BurgerSt. Marks ClubhouseSt. Marks Pizza

And the beer list certainly is impressive. With San Diego turning into one of the craft beer capitals of America, Ragheb has a wide variety of local brews to choose from, including Ballast Point, Stone Brewery, Modern Times, Saint Archer and many more. We certainly didn’t miss kegs on our recent visit, and the cans made it easy to take a beer or two with us in our cart. Plus, with the wide variety of options, you’ll be sure to find a new favorite brew.

“One of the things that excites me most is when someone comes in here, and may not recognize the beers on our menu, and we suggest something that they end of falling in love with,” said Ragheb.

Not a beer drinker? Don’t fret. Tap-In consistently keeps in stock the Stiegl Radler, a grapefruit “beer” that tastes a lot more like a wine spritzer than your typical brew.

And with the on-the-go golfer in mind for the drink menu, the same goes for the food offerings. The restaurant is not full service, you can order up at the counter upon arrival, and the food is designed to be made quickly and to-order. But that doesn’t take away from the quality.

“What I let lead me is making food that is fresh, with good ingredients,” said Ragheb. “If you go somewhere and eat fried, unhealthy food and go play golf, you might not feel your best. If you eat something that is a little cleaner, your body feels different, and we try to carry that over. We know we have to do food that is made quickly, can be handheld, and is easy to eat, not your typical throw it in a fryer, wrap it in foil product. That was our challenge, to blend those things.”

And they have. If you’re dining in, we suggest the Crispy Chicken Bites, which come with honey Sriracha and ranch dipping sauces. It’s a perfect, shareable appetizer that pairs well with any of the beers available. Also for those sitting down to dine are pizzas served on house made pizza dough. There are typically four of these individual-sized pizzas available, highlighted by the Steak & Blue, which is topped with prime rib, carmalized onions, blue cheese and arugula. The Honey BBQ Chicken Pizza is also a fan favorite.

For those taking their food out on the course, Tap-In features a number of “Handhelds,” which are wrapped in an artisan flatbread and served with house-cut chips. There are traditionals like a burger or ham and cheese, but also more advanced sandwiches like the Crispy Buffalo Chicken and the T.B.C. Melt, which comes with turkey, bacon, avocado, swiss cheese, tomato, arugula and pesto mayo.

It’s also worth noting that the Tap-In caters to the breakfast crowd as well, with scrambled egg-based Handhelds, a Greek Yogurt Bowl, pancakes, hash browns and more traditional skillets.

Breakfast is served from 6:30 a.m. – 11: a.m., with the lunch and dinner offerings beginning at 11 a.m. and running through 8 p.m. daily. The St. Mark Executive GC and Tap-In Tavern are located at 1556 Camino Del Arroyo in San Marcos. They can be reached at 760-744-9092.

Previous Article

Where are they now: David Hobby

Next Article

Summer 2015

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
mm

Julia Pine

Since joining the SCGA in early 2011, Julia has worked to enhance members experiences on scga.org with fresh content, in-depth coverage of tournaments, videos, member engagement opportunities and more. She is the editor of the SCGA's FORE magazine and plusFORE digital magazine and handles the Association's growing social media program and media relations. Julia is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and grew up in Berkeley, Calif. For her, sports is not just a career, but a passion.

Related articles More from author

  • Journey's End Dining Area
    19th HoleWinter 2016

    Light, Right and Tasty: Flavor, presentation and scenic views impress at Journey’s End

    January 1, 2016
    By Julia Pine
  • Handicap HintsSummer 2015

    To Post or Not to Post: Is that a Question?

    July 1, 2015
    By Kevin O'Connor
  • David Hobby
    Summer 2015Where Are They Now?

    Where are they now: David Hobby

    July 1, 2015
    By Julia Pine
  • 19th HoleSummer 2018

    Greenside Sports Haven: San Juan Hills GC

    August 1, 2018
    By Scott Kramer
  • Club M
    19th Hole

    Dial M For Magic: At The Grand Del Mar, you may come for the golf, but you’ll end up staying ...

    April 1, 2014
    By Julia Pine
  • Temecula Creek Inn
    19th Hole

    Cooking For Comfort

    January 1, 2014
    By Julia Pine

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • Fall 2022FeaturedProfiles

    Designed for a Champion: Q&A with Architect Gil Hanse

  • Fall 2022FeaturedTravel

    A Beautiful Wildness: Golf in Hawaii is as Good as it Gets

  • 19th HoleFall 2022Featured

    Feast for the Senses: Fairmont Grand Del Mar Clubhouse Grill

  • Fall 2022FeaturedHandicap Hints

    Handicap Allowances

  • Fall 2022FeaturedTrends

    It’s a Dog’s Life: At Some SoCal Courses, the Term “Dogleg” Takes on a Whole New Meaning

FOLLOW US

Facebook 0Fans
Twitter 0Followers
Instagram 0Followers
Youtube 0Subscriber
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Handicap Allowances

    By Kevin O'Connor
    October 25, 2022
  • The Single Life: The Simple Pleasures of Being “That Guy”

    By John DeGomez
    October 25, 2022
  • Cut! Rulings Hollywood Got Wrong

    By Jeff Ninnemann
    October 25, 2022
  • From Crisis to Confidence: The Southern California Golf & Water Summit

    By Craig Kessler
    October 25, 2022
  • Direct to Golf Consumer: How Social Media is Changing the Way We Buy Equipment

    By Scott Kramer
    October 25, 2022
  • The Diva Golfer

    By Azucena Maldonado
    January 31, 2017
  • The USGA’s Major Proposed Changes to the Rules of Golf

    By admin
    December 14, 2017
  • Stand By Me: Temecula Native Joe Skovron On Life As Rickie Fowler’s Caddie

    By Jonathan Coe
    October 26, 2016
  • Watching the Tiger Watchers

    By Andy Brumer
    February 20, 2018
  • Remembering Jim Murray: Best of the Best

    By Bill Dwyre
    February 14, 2017
  • Julie
    on
    November 13, 2022

    The Single Life: The Simple Pleasures of Being “That Guy”

    Thanks for this. I ...
  • free proxy list
    on
    December 5, 2018

    Top 4 College Golf Names You Need To Know

    Hello,I log on to ...
  • Adela C. Garcia
    on
    November 17, 2018

    Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”

    Azucena Maldonado is a ...
  • Rose Sauceda
    on
    November 15, 2018

    Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”

    Congratulations my lovely Amiga ...
  • Judy Carls
    on
    November 15, 2018

    The Gilded One: Eldorado CC

    Excellent magazine..thank you Judy Carls LPGA ...

RECENT COMMENTS

  • Julie on The Single Life: The Simple Pleasures of Being “That Guy”
  • free proxy list on Top 4 College Golf Names You Need To Know
  • Adela C. Garcia on Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”
  • Rose Sauceda on Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”
  • Judy Carls on The Gilded One: Eldorado CC
© 2016 FORE Magazine About Us | Contact Us | Advertise