Bainbridge Street Barrel House Review [2]

The GF and I had previously stopped by Bainbridge Barrelhouse for lunch. Noticing that they hoted Quizzo, we decided to invite some friends to check it out. Advertised as starting at 7 - 7:30PM, the games began closer to 8PM. Not incredibly busy like Fado, there were about 8 teams on Tuesday night.

Kentucky Orchards [$9]
Applewood infused Buffalo Trace, Fernet Branca, Lillet Blanc, apple cider, honey syrup
 

I decided to start off the night with some applewood-infused Buffalo Trace bourbon, which was brightened up with apple cider and honey. Nicely light and smokey.

Cicharron Special [$4]
 

Had to order the pig skins, which were freshly fried and covered in subtly smoky espelette spice mix.

Beer Battered Pickles [$5]
Whiskey aioli
  

We also went with the fried pickles, which were not as good as Kite and Key's and showcased a chewy batter. Definitely could have used a thinner coating and some more time in the fryer.

Fish & Chips [$17]
Beer battered haddock, fries, housemade tartar sauce  

The GF went with the fish and chips, which also had a well-seasoned, yet chewy batter. Still, the fish was flaky and meaty. The accompanying fries were crisp and nicely fried.

Sally Smothers [$13]
8 oz. Pat la Frieda, fried egg, pancetta, sharp provolone, fried shallots, mayo, brioche
  

I went with another of Bainbridge's Pat La Frieda burgers, which had good flavor and was moist. The fried shallots were a nice touch, though the pancetta seemed a bit lost. The sharp provolone and fried egg helped to bring each bite over the top. 

Overall, Bainbridge seems to do burgers decently, but there are more than the occasional missteps. In fact, the GF ordered a Diet Pepsi that tasted of chlorine. Seems that this was the case in some other reviews on Yelp as well.

Fado Irish Pub Review

As with most cities, Quizzo is a popular thing at most bars early in the week. Fado Irish Pub is no different. The GF and I know it from our grad school days where we spent the weekend nights dancing away amidst the crowd.

But being working stiffs now, along with some friends, we decided to stop on over for Happy Hour and stayed even longer for some Quizzo. Apologies in advance for the cell-phone pics.

Maple Manhattan [$9]
Tap 357 maple rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters
  

I went with the maple Manhattan, an even sweeter version of this classic fern-bar standby that went down smooth. Appreciated the appropriate rock as well.

Strongbow Cider [$6.75]
 

The GF went with the cider, which was crisp, dry, but had enough sweet and tart flavor to go down easy for the GF.

Moscow Mule [$10]
Russian Standard vodka, Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer, fresh lime juice 
  

We also tried the Moscow Mule which seems to be getting popular once again - along the same vein as the Manhattan. This sweet tipple was tempered by the ginger beer and the tartness of the lime.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly [$7.95]
Magners cider reduction
  

This was on offer as a special during Quizzo, and while these were sizable hunks of pork belly, they were a bit too tough for my liking. I didn't seem to get as much of the slow-roasted action I was expecting. The cider reduction was a nice element to the dish though, along with the bite of the green onion.

Pretzel Cup [$6.95]
Three fresh baked pretzel sticks, Harp lager cheese sauce, specialty mustard

For a city known for its pretzels, Fado's iteration is great - buttery and salty, maintaining a crisp crust on its exterior, with a softness within. The cheese sauce was accompanied by a specialty mustard that had some kick with horseradish notes. 

Topped Chips [$6.95]
Harp Lager cheese, bacon
  

There were a variety of topped chips on offer, including chicken curry, chimichurri, pulled lamb, or peppercorn for a dollar supplement. While they weren't crispy, they were certainly creamy and topped with a well-seasoned cheese sauce and some hearty chips of bacon.

Fish & Chips [$6.95 Quizzo Special / $9.95 Half Order Entree]
Lightly battered haddock, thick or thin cut chips, tartar sauce, house-made slaw  

For Quizzo, Fado had a $6.95 special for the half order fish and chips. The haddock's batter had a nice crisp and was fairly light, with the fish maintaining its flaky meatiness. The accompanying cole slaw had a creamy mayo-base and the thick-cut chips were well-seasoned.

Fado Gooey Double Cheese Burger [$11.95]
Two house-made gourmet patties, cheddar, pretzel roll, fries
  

I went with the cheesy burger, which had a unique flavor - not unlike the seasoning for a Salisbury steak. I actually enjoyed it, encapsulated in a pretzel roll. The crisp fries were creamy within and were perfect pub fare. 

Fado's also beefing up its cocktail program, in addition to an already strong beer and draft line-up. So in addition to having good pub grub and a bumpin' weekend crowd, what else do you need from an Irish pub?

http://www.fadoirishpub.com/philadelphia/