With the upstairs still being renovated, Tavern on Camac’s downstairs bar and restaurant is still open for business as the welcoming, cozy Gayborhood place to grab a drink or bite that it has always been. But there are some changes downstairs as well — mostly on the menu, which is a bit more streamlined than it was a few years back. But we don’t think longtime patrons of Tavern will mind.
We remember adoring the fare when we visited many moons ago. The new menu, which is geared more towards sharable appetizers, sandwiches, salads and soups, has enough pub-like and refined charm that we don’t miss any of the fancy entrées.
The snack menu is especially fun and borderline-addictive. The Lancaster Farms pickle plate ($10) is far more interesting than it sounds, with a colorful menagerie of different vegetables, from mushrooms to cauliflower, each with its own style of pickling, ranging from traditional to pleasantly spicy Asian-influenced flavors. We wanted to steal the recipe for the Siracha deviled Sauder Farm eggs ($4) but, at that price, we’d happily pay and order the perfectly tangy and heavenly eggs by the dozen. The escarole salad ($12) really sets itself apart from the usual pub salad, with warm braised textures along with crispy potatoes, scallions and bacon vinaigrette.
The Tavern’s robust sandwich menu allows you to order them in their standard sizes and order a bunch of different ones in the form of sliders. There was a patty- melt special the night we visited that really should stay on the regular menu, as it hit all the right spots: perfectly toasted and buttery bread and the right proportions of beef, cheese and caramelized onions. Other sandwiches were excellent as well. The black- bean burger ($6.50/$13) was flavorful, with mushrooms and edamame stepping in to help fill the void of heartiness the absence of meat would have left. The fried monkfish po boy ($6.50/$13) is definitely one of the best fish sandwiches in the city — perfectly batter-fried and dressed with a spicy pickle remoulade and slaw.
The Tavern may have a more simplified menu, but it is still turning out some tasty fare worth checking out.