Something to hoot about

With Independence Mall adjacent, and boasting great views inside and out, the two-story corner space that is the roost for Red Owl Tavern, 433 Chestnut St. , is in a great position to be a culinary ambassador for American cuisine (or at the very least, an inviting and stylish watering hole) to the throngs of tourists and city regulars coming to the area — especially if they love meat.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some fine dishes to captivate vegetarians. We adored the pickled vegetables ($8), which were refreshingly crisp for being pickled, and came with hearty tortilla chips and a great eggplant spread.

On the entrée menu, the mushroom ravioli ($19) was well-balanced and had some nice textures. We expected the filling to be more of a puree but the pasta was stuffed with nice, chunky pieces of mushroom and the sauce was silky smooth. Usually dishes like this either downplay the mushroom flavor or go too earthy and strong with it, but here they struck a nice balance.

But Red Owl is a carnivore’s paradise. The house-made sausage of the day ($11), one of a handful of different sausages in the restaurant’s repertoire, was a spicy Italian dish presented on toast with white-bean arugula and fennel marmalade that added a nice sweetness to the deliciously spicy small plate.

The beef short ribs ($25) hit the table like something Fred Flintstone would feast upon, a wonderfully rich slab of meat on the bone, which was juicy with a lovely char. The roasted red-bell pepper relish on top added a nice dash of flavor and color to the dish as well.

The New York strip ($29) was by the book but was outshined by the spicy jambalaya that was its side dish. The small portion of the rice dish left a huge impression with its meaty complex flavor. We would have happily pushed the steak aside for a huge heaping bowl of that side. That really needs to be on its own.

Red Owl Tavern is sure to get people in the door for its look and location, but the food and the atmosphere will surely keep diners coming back.

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