Next Door Bar
12.May.09
126 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, PA
We had some time to kill before catching a train into the city, so we decided to get a quick drink and nosh beforehand. Seeing as how there is nothing within walking distance to my usual R5 stops, we journeyed to Wayne, where I knew there had to be something. Walking from the train station, I remembered hearing about the bifurcated Teresa’s Cafe/Next Door Bar and thought that might be a good option.
We sat at the end of the bar, which wasn’t exactly the most desirable place, as it was where servers congregated waiting for drink orders and also where dirty glasses were deposited for the bartenders to wash; I would think there would be a better system for that, but if that’s my only complaint, then you know it was a good experience.
And it was. We didn’t have all that much time before our train left, so we ended up going small — a couple of salads and a shared cheese plate. To start though, we each chose a beer, and I chose the wonderful Allagash White, which is my new favorite beer: a classic Belgian from the fruity, wheaty side of the family (see Delerium Tremems, Golden Monkey, et al.), it wasn’t quite as misstep-inducing as its brethren, which was exactly what I wanted. I can’t remember what Rick ended up having, because I was so obsessed with the Allagash.
Our salads were quite good, save for perhaps being a bit overdressed and undertossed: I chose the nuts and berries (spinach, bleu, walnuts, currants) while Rick chose the three bean (fava, English peas, and haricots verts) and radish. They were both tasty and hit the spot. We then shared a generous serving of Humboldt Fog with an assortment of bread and some seriously good balsamic strawberries.
As I said in my previous posts, I would kill for a place like this around us: a relatively affordable gastropub that served great beers and great food — someplace that had a good vibe where you could go for a good meal or just a beer. Please. Do this, someone.
Good Dog Bar
31.Mar.08
224 S. 15th St., Philadelphia, PA
So, after taking care of my business in Philly, I had some time before choir, so I was trying to think of where to have dinner. I then remembered that I had wanted to try Good Dog for a while. From the outside, there’s nothing remarkable about the place, and the inside doesn’t have much either: it’s sort of a hipster dive bar in some ways — dark, overstuffed, with an odd mixture of old and young, men and women.
So, why Good Dog? Well, over a year ago, Craig Laban wrote a review of the place and there was a picture I will never forget of the meal I was to have:
Yes, that is the Good Dog Burger — 1/2 pound of sirloin, stuffed with roquefort, topped with caramelized onions, and barely contained by a brioche bun.
Yeah. Wow. The service wasn’t all that great, the shoestring fries (regular and sweet intermixed) were barely warm, but the burger? Holy bajeezus. It was goooooooooooooooood.
So, should I have occasion to need a humongoid burger that will kill my diet (and some nice beers on tap, including Magic Hat #9, my selection this time), then I will definitely go back.
Arf!
