Considering its emphasis on staples like burgers, wings and ribs, we didn’t expect to come out of City Tap House, 3925 Walnut St. , raving about vegetarian dishes. But damn it, we did.
The gastropub has a roomy modern décor, a great location and an impressive array of craft beers (make sure you try the cherry cider, by the way) to appeal to the university crowd, sports enthusiasts and urban hipsters alike.
When it comes to food, City Tap House tries really hard to capture the hearts of carnivores and, for the most part, succeeds. The 10-spice wings ($10) were a nice detour from their saucier brethren, gaining a kick from a dry rub. They had more than enough spice and flavor to get the job done, but the house ranch didn’t accentuate the taste. Next time we’ll ask for blue cheese.
The smoked pork burger ($14) was an interesting change from the typical beef burger, crisp and juicy with chipotle cream cheese and salsa verde. The St. Louis ribs ($21) were generous portion and tasty as well.
What really knocked our socks off were the seafood and vegetarian dishes. The black-bass ceviche ($12) had wonderful texture and flavor thanks to a pink grapefruit habañero vinaigrette and tobikko. The crispy smoked octopus was also a delight, with perfectly roasted potatoes and lemon pale ale mojo sauce and curry crema.
Yet the vegetarian dishes shined brightest. We normally have little or no intention of trying vegetarian items unless they come highly recommended but some of these dishes sang to us from the menu. The chickpea fritters ($12) put all other falafels we’ve had to shame, with a feta purée thrown into the mix. The result was moist, hearty and addictive. The avenue hoagie ($12) was another pleasant surprise: City Tap House’s take on a Korean bánh mi sandwich was piled high with pickled vegetables, avocado, tofu mayo and wontons. And with a side of sweet-potato fries, the sandwich can hold its own against any of its meatier cousins.
Desserts impressed as well, especially when they incorporated beer. The chocolate stout tiramisu was wonderfully light and airy. There was no alcohol in the banana caramel crisp, but who needs booze when you are immersed in a warm swamp of sweetness surrounded by tasty chunks of caramelized banana and crispy pieces of pastry?
We’re nowhere close to forsaking the red meats, but City Tap House, whether intended or not, definitely has us thinking more seriously about going veggie.