Thursday, December 20, 2012

Field House: Yelp Elite Event Review

Another day - another Yelp Elite Event! YEE! This time around, Michelle C. and the rest of the Yelp Philadelphia team worked with Field House to host another great party. Field House has a great venue - right by Reading Terminal. It houses many flat screens, projector screens, a huge bar - basically everything you need to have a great time on Game Day. On Fridays and Saturdays, they typically host a band - make sure to check out the Field House Band Calendar!


Now full disclaimer: Field House recently underwent a renovation (to the menu as well!). This was well overdue as the GF and I had been to the previous iteration of Field House a few times - once for a quick lunch, which was pretty lack-luster in terms of food (think TGIF and Ruby Tuesday's) and poor service when there was no other customers (think bottom barrel). It seemed more of a place to listen to live cover bands and grab a drink (several grad school functions were held here).


However, don't let my past experiences deter you from visiting! In fact, Field House has definitely vamped it up - both by investing in new flat screen TV's as well as more consistent and tasty menu items.


Field House graciously set up two buffet stations to sample several of their new menu items. As you can see - there is plenty of space to eat, drink, and be merry.


Heck - they even have bocce ball in one of the adjacent rooms!


And on this particular night - they had Cheers Elephant, a local band, play their hearts out for us.


Field House also had many beers on draft - reasonably priced, though gratis for the night!


Jack's Cider 



In fact, the GF decided to try her hand at one of their ciders, produced by a company that has been growing apples for over 50 years. It was certainly redolent of granny smith apples - though not overly tart. Easy drinking, to be sure.

But I was more interested in the food this night ... so on we go!

Parma Pizza



The parma was definitely one of my favorites. A foundation of a crispy crust and fontina cheese, this pizza came topped with peppery arugula, prosciutto, and grana padano cheese (slightly grainy, but sharp and delicious). Light with distinct flavors. 

Margherita Pizza


The margharita pizza was decent enough. The tomato sauce was not especially noteworthy, though certainly accented by the basil. The crust was nicely crisp.

Slow-Roasted Pork Sandwich
 

The slow roasted pork sandwiches were nicely seasoned and juicy. The sharp provolone provided a stark contrast to the garlicky broccoli rabe. Not exactly DiNic's ... but that'll do pig, that'll do.

French Fries
 

Fries were nicely crisp and well seasoned. Not much to be said here - other than that they were plentiful indeed!

Field House Wings
 

These glazed wings were delicious, with a spicy kick on the finish. It came accompanied by pickled carrots and a blue cheese dipping sauce.

Blue Crab Mac & Cheese 


This was jumbo lump crab mac & cheese, but frankly, tasted a bit fishy - similar to tuna - so not necessarily, bad, just a let down. The butter-herb bread crumbs did offer a nice textural contrast.

Beef Short-Ribs
 

Tender short ribs were glazed with a tangy, sweet BBQ sauce - a bit too sweet for my liking, but still delicious nonetheless. It was accompanied by cheesy horseradish mashed potatoes.

Beef Sliders
 

The beef slider was at a perfect medium temp and seasoned nicely, though they could have used a bit more cheese. The subtly sweet brioche bun was a nice vehicle and held together nicely.

Other dishes included a deliciously flaky, pepita-crusted salmon accompanied by a black bean cake that was perfectly smooth. The pumpkin seeds encrusting the salmon were melded together nicely with garlic. This was all topped by a vinegary pickled beet salad, which was an especially bright note in this light, yet savory dish. There was also roasted garlic hummus speckled with whole chickpeas. Grilled flatbread, a cured olive salad, and fresh vegetables accompanied the hummus.  Salads were provided as well.

Service was extremely friendly - whenever I had any questions, they either knew the answer or found someone who did and got back to me.

The only thing missing from what was offered on this night? Cocktails and dessert - the GF had a hankering for the latter, of course. But overall, Field House's recent renovations have been successful, especially on the menu end of the matter, thanks to Chef Andrew Brown. The food isn't haute cuisine by any means - but the offerings are perfect for what seems to be a great place to hang out with friends, have a beer, catch the game, and relax.

And for those of you who are still teeter tottering on whether to start posting reviews on Yelp - Tim Adams, the manager at Field House, was gracious enough to give all Yelp Elites a $10 gift card toward a future visit. 


And after seeing and tasting this clear improvement in quality, we'll be back! And for those of you without New Year's Eve plans - be sure to check out Field House's New Year's Eve Event! Five hour premium open bar, food buffet, champagne toast, and a DJ!


Field House on Urbanspoon
www.fieldhousephilly.com

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