This is for a series of posts related to Iron Chef Jose Garces including:
Amada, Distrito, Rosa Blanca, Bar Volver, Buena Onda, The Blue Anchor, PHS Pop Up Garden, JG Domestic, Tinto [1], Tinto [2], Tinto [Brunch], Village Whiskey, and The Olde Bar.
Spruce Street Harbor Park is only open until August 31st. And if you want to check out Iron Chef Jose Garce's Blue Anchor pop up barge, you have only a few weeks left! A nod to Village Whiskey, you can get your fill of burgers and short-rib fries that are a bit tempered compared to his brick-and-mortar establishment.
Just head into the heart of the park and make a right - be sure to get a table looking across the pond of lily pads.
There are two barges - one for beer and cocktails to the right and the other for food to your left.
Root & Rye [$8]
I started off with the Root & Rye cocktail - a melange of Bulleit bourbon and Root from Art in the Age, Philly's favorite artisanal liqueur shop. It was strong, yet smooth, with the Root tempering the rye bourbon. Yet, the advertised orange rind was missing - womp womp.
Village Burger [$7]
Potato roll, tomato, cheddar, romaine, 1000 island
The village burger was no true Village Whiskey burger. Still, for half the price, it was decent. A soft bun contrasted nicely with the flat-top crisped burger that was well-seasoned.
Blue Anchor Special [$8]
Truffle-mushroom, caramelized onion, cheddar
The special burger was accented with truffle essence that didn't overpower, with the caramelized onions and mushrooms giving additional umami to each bite.
Village Queen [$10]
Double burger, tomato, romaine, fries, pickled jalapeno, cheddar
The Village Queen went over the top with double the patty and some fun in the form of pickled jalapenos which provided some bite and acid. The addition of fries lent some heft and texture to each bite.
Shorty Fries [$8]
Fries, braised short rib, Sly Fox cheddar sauce
The shorty fries were a tamer version of Village Whiskey's duck-fat short-rib fries. Unfortunately, the braised short rib tasted more like a burnt gravy. The fries were of a crisp matchstick variety and the Sly Fox cheddar had some nice sharpness.
But really, even if the food were bad (which it wasn't), I'd still recommend heading over to Spruce Street Harbor Park. An urban oasis in Center City Philly is exactly what we all need.
The Blue Anchor
S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
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