La Cabra Brewing

642 Lancaster Ave.
Berwyn, PA 19312
(610) 240-7908
Website

La Cabra has gotten some recent publicity, so I figured it was about time that I gave it a write up myself. I love the Berwyn Tavern and this place is literally across the street. Damn Berwyn, who would have thought you would have two of the best bars in the burbs?

The bar itself has an old industrial vibe inside, with high ceilings, complemented with brick and wood accents. Also the upstairs has all kinds of games like darts, Bimini Ring Toss and the recent addition of fooseball (:-O). I loved it at first sight. The beers are delicious and they are constantly unveiling new releases. I went from hoppy to malty and back, and was pleased with every choice. Not to mention the bar food.

The garlic truffle Parmesan wings were fantastic. Sous vide cooked and then fried to a perfect crispiness, they were some of my favorites I have had in a while. Seven wings for $9 is a bit spendy, but given the size and prep that went into them, I had no complaints.

Look at that rendered out skin, fried to a crackling crisp.

The micro greens made it so I was basically eating a salad, which was nice for those counting calories.

Another guilt-free snack was the frisee salad served with crispy pork belly, chipotle honey, goat cheese, jalapeño bacon and a citrus aioli. Not a typo, the pork belly comes with bacon lardons. The belly was sous vide until tender as well, and then crisped up, notice a trend? This was sweet, salty, crispy, fatty and the frisee really did help cut the heaviness.

Basically the healthiest thing I have eaten in 2017.

Finally, the brisket tacos. These are accompanied by potato plantain hash, cilantro, and mole BBQ. Well at least I think they are. I didn't get any hash or cilantro. I DID get a hell of a lot of brisket though. So no complaints. The brisket was tender, and the mole sauce was sweet and smokey. The tortillas were quite good, with a nice toast to them. Thick salty chips with some salsas were the perfect accompaniment.

Perhaps the most amazing part is the crowler. I am easily amused, to be sure, but the ability to get a 32oz can of beer from the tap sealed on the spot to take home is a godsend. Who the hell ever remembers a growler. I have at least a half dozen at home I neglect to bring with me, despite the fact that I visit some type of brewery or place that fills them at least once a week.

You might drive past La Cabra (the goat) without knowing it. But you would be doing your palate a disservice.

El Tio

680 Lancaster Avenue
Berwyn, PA 19312
(484) 329-7717
Website

Someone alerted me to El Tio recently, and I thought I might have found a contender for the reigning champion of the Mexican throne in the burbs But unfortunately, it fell a bit short.

I arrived for a Saturday lunch around noon, and they still had the door locked, though they had been open since eleven. The hostess/server was incredibly nice and accommodating, instructing me to sit wherever I wanted.

The menu featured the standard fare for meats. Carnitas are always a plus, and if you don't serve al pastor, then you are doing it wrong.

Some chips and salsa to start. The chips were well salted, though they were not exactly fresh. The salsa had a nice heat to it, despite looking somewhat mild.

Also, some queso, which I ordered after the salsa, because I didn't realize it was offered. The queso had great flavor, but was lukewarm. Almost cold. I like a little more warmth on my melted cheese sauces.

Next up was the entree course. A shredded chicken burrito, smothered in mole and a house platter "El Tio" with al pastor.

The burrito was well endowed, and the shredded chicken was well executed, however the mole was bit lackluster. I guess I am spoiled on the perfect complexity of El Limon, but this seemed a bit flat.

They did not shy away from stuffings.

A well proportioned burrito.

The al pastor had promise, but was pocketed with chewy cartilage and overly fatty cuts. I liked the smoky flavor, and the char the pork received. but having to spit out a bad piece more than once put a damper on my experience. Observe one very said piece below, front and center.

The shredded Queso Chihuahua was a big plus, and melted perfectly on the warm tortillas. The guacamole has a nice acidity, and the beans and rice were alright. Nothing to write home about.

Maybe I caught them after a bad batch from the Carnicería, but I really can't stand inedible bits in my meat. Especially al pastor.

Berwyn Tavern

625 Lancaster Ave.
Berwyn, PA 19312
(610) 889-9352
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The burbs have a couple of things going for them where the city is relatively weak. One of which, and probably the most important thing: blue collar bars with great drink specials and cheap delicious bar food. I'm not saying there is NO WHERE with this in the city, but the ratio of places where you can get a cheap domestic and some good wings is way off. As you well know, I am not a big fan of trendy gastro-bullshit that will be out of fashion in six months and cost me $40 at happy hour. Berwyn Tavern is the best of both worlds.

They have some unique specials, and incredibly fresh food.

They also have a load of traditional style appetizers, and some interesting twists.

The happy hour runs 7 days a week (!) from 4-6pm. Not my favorite hour spread, but having the weekend specials is a huge plus. All appetizers are half off, and they have a bunch of drink specials. Baskets of wings for $4 is enough for me, however. I was told I had to try the boneless wings and buffalo shrimp. So I had to oblige. Below are the coconut curry boneless wings and buffalo shrimp.

The wings (boneless, in this case) are fried extremely crispy, and the coconut curry sauce is delicious. Subtle, yet slightly spicy, and there was a hint of creamy coconut cutting through the heat. They also offer hot, BBQ, teriyaki, Thai chili, sesame ginger, and chipotle flavors for both boneless and regular wings; so there's no shortage of flavor opportunities. I'm willing to bet the wings with bones come out just as crispy and I shall find out soon enough.

I also tried the regular buffalo hot boneless wings, and they were also delicious. I am so fat.

The shrimp were surprisingly good, crispy, breaded, and lightly tossed in buffalo sauce.

The breading had a nice seasoning to it, you can see the pepper flakes below. Who knew that buffalo shrimp could be a thing? And then turn out to be such a GOOD thing? I mean, dipping shrimp in blue cheese dressing sounds crazy, but just take my word for it, you won't regret it.

As I had been there WELL past happy hour, I started to get hungry again, and so I asked to see the menu one more time. When I saw they had a riff on the "Schmitter" I knew I had to try it.

Pit beef, salami, fried onions, American cheese, tomato, and Thousand Island dressing on a brioche roll. This is all served on a bed of fries. My heart was struggling to pump at this point.

While this is no Schmitter, this is one good sandwich. I could only eat half. Mostly because I recently (but I won't say how recently) eaten 3 orders of fried appetizers chased by fries and one or 10 beers.

Delicious in its own right, their "stadium sandwich" is worth a try.

The fries were cooked to perfection, crisp with skin on the ends - they may not be fresh, but they are some of the best fries that can come out of a freezer.

While it may not look like much from the outside, its the type of place those in the know go.

And yes, I will be back to try every app on their menu during happy hour.