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.

Brick & Brew

26 W State Street
Media, PA 19063
(484) 443-8441
Website

Alas, my beloved Plumstead Inn is no more, and with the closing of a legend, there is always a bitter taste in my mouth. That bitterness was exacerbated by the fact that the first couple of times I tried to scout the replacement, there were people spilling into the street waiting in line. Although I had to admit, they did an amazing job with the renovation.

The first thing I had to order were the wings. You think you can come in and beat out the king of Media wings (although the Plummy REALLY started phoning in the food for the last couple of months)? Well let's see. The wings are kind of spendy (around $10 an order) for eight. They come in a brown butter hot sauce. Did I mention they were confit-ed (braised) in duck fat and then deep fried?

The sauce is electric orange, and I loved it. One bite, and I was swooning. The meat was so well rendered that it easily pulled away from the bone, leaving little fat, just unctuous fowl. The skin was crispier than it looks, and the sauce was just divine. Rich, spicy and deep, the brown butter had the staying power on the wings, and the hot sauce brought just the perfect amount of heat.

Chives added some herbaceous zing, while the house-made blue cheese was among my favorites I remember – it had that slightly sweet tinge that comes with quality blue cheeses. Was not expecting this level of when I got to my old haunt. I was a victim of deliciousness. Look at the way the meat pulled away from the bone.

I also had to try the brick oven pizza, so I went with a Picante. Coppa, soppressata, basil, San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Fior Di Latte, and Calabrian chiles on a thin crust flatbread type of pie.

The Fior Di Latte made fantastic pizza cheese. It browned nicely and had a stretchy, creamy bite with more flavor than traditional mozzarella. The coppa and soppressata (two of my favorites of the Italian cured meats) added salt and fat, and the hidden chilies gave occasional bites of spice.

If anything I would say the toppings were a bit sparse, but the dough could not support too many ingredients so it was understandable. I love the way the meat curls at the edges after a trip to the oven. Crispy and greasy, I was a big fan.

And although it continues to pain me that the Plumstead is gone, I can say I am pleasantly surprised by Brick & Brew and it's likely I'll be back to sit outside and enjoy the leisure that surrounds Media, PA.

The Perky

400 Brower Avenue
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(610) 666-6600
Website

The Perky is one of those neighborhood bars that would be in a rowhome if it were located in Philly. However, as it is out in P-ville, it is located on the entire bottom floor of a rather large house.

I was told the wings were a go-to, and as I have rarely met a deep fried piece of chicken I didn't like, I had to try them out. Whether or not I had eaten wings within the last twenty-four hours was besides the point. I went with the hot garlic butter, extra crispy. They did not disappoint. Spicy, with a depth of flavor that was exponentially increased with the addition of garlic. The chicken was rendered and the skin was crispy. These are great wings.

Next up was the cheesesteak hoagie. This one was a bit of a disappointment. The steak was AWESOME, the roll was terrific, the cheese well portioned and melted. However look at the "hoagie" part of this. It was thick sliced tomato, and huge slices of raw onion. It was way overkill, and was impossible to eat in the way it was served. I pulled the salad off of the top (don't know what I was thinking ordering it) and enjoyed the hell out of the cheesesteak just as it should have been in the first place.

Look at the cheesy goodness. The meat was very well seasoned, and the roll was just crusty, and just fluffy enough. The fries were very good, and the dipping sauce was killer. It was just the veggies that had me hung up. Maybe I thought I could call it a "balanced meal" with some fresh greens...

Next up on the agenda was the fried bologna. This was a nod to the good old days, with thick sliced encased meat, mustard, American cheese, and sweet pickles on a grilled bun. The sweet potato fries were a nice sub, and the creole dipping sauce was smokey, spicy, and delicious.

The fried bologna was like a SPAM sandwich. I loved the throwback nature of it, like a childhood favorite with a barroom upgrade. It was definitely something out of the norm, and although certainly not refined, it was beautiful in its simplicity.

Look at the char on the bottom of this meat. Nice and crispy, full of fatty flavor. The roll somewhat disintegrated under the onslaught of grease, but I powered through.

The Perky is the type of neighborhood bar everyone should have. Period.

Double Edge Sports Grille

4803 West Chester Pike
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(610) 356-7666
Website

Never mind the blurry picture, the Double Edge is a great spot to grab wings and a beer. Especially in the bar desert that is Newtown Square. Sure, it's in a strip mall next to my grocery store, but hey, maybe I needed some ice cream afterward. Don't judge.

They have wing night on Wednesday's, with $.50 wings and $4 craft brew special. I obviously had to give the wings a try. And a beer or two . . . not to mention it happened to break into bingo night, which added some extra stay-after-dinner-for-a-few-more-drinks flair.

The brown sugar diablo was first on the agenda. I liked the traditional sweet with heat approach. Not too spicy, but overall a solid wing. I asked for them "well done" and they were rendered and crisped appropriately. I love when I can split my orders and get all the flavors I could want.

The cajun dry rub wing was even better. Dry rubs tend to produce a crispier end product, because of the lack of sauce. I would hope you already knew that. I have been on a bit of a dry-rub kick recently, and these were no exception. Full of flavor and long on crunch, they were definitely a well executed fried wing.

The porchetta sandwich was said to be a crowd pleaser by the bartender. I couldn't disagree. Tender Italian style pork, sharp provolone, bitter broccoli rabe, and a fresh seeded roll.

The pork was juicy, tender, and had a nice salty pork flavor. The texture was not the dried out, then re-hydrated type you often get at places that let their swine sit too long. A lot of the folks were eating pork, so it stands to reason you are getting a fresh serving. The only weird part was the gravy. I was thinking it would be an au jus, but it was a thick, roux based version, not what I would generally associate with porchetta. It didn't even need it.

The fries, although frozen and much larger than I would generally prefer, were fried quite well. The batter helped them maintain their crunch, the salty seasoning kept me coming back for more. Not a bad sports bar by any means, the fact that there are not a lot of options in the immediate area made it that much better.

Shifty's Bar

1401 Burnet Ave.
Syracuse, N.Y. 13206
(315) 474-0048
Website

On a road trip, I like to try and find somewhere to stop that is a couple steps better than the standard chain crap. See my last time doing so here. It is a major plus if I can grab a beer with my food, because nothing eases the stress of not driving like a slight buzz. Shifty's is a staple in Syracuse, and I have been a number of times when my travel takes me through the area. Their motto is "cold beer, hot wings, live music". Done.

At its heart, this place is a venue. As I was lunching, the band for the evening was bringing in a never-ending stream of equipment.

The menu is bar food, but the real specialty are the wings.

Of course, that didn't mean I wouldn't order a burger as well . . .

On the left are the "Godzilla" wings, basically a teriyaki/Asian with some heat and couple secret ingredients, and on the right are the "red hot and blue," which have blue cheese mixed in with the wing sauce.

The Godzilla wings were perfectly cooked, crispy, and nicely coated in the sticky flavorful sauce. These are damn good wings. The soy/hoisin flavor translated well, and I greedily scarfed them down.

The red hot and blue wings were the winner of the day. Nothing too fancy, but the salty, pungent chunks of blue were delicious, and ALMOST negated the need for additional blue cheese dipping. Just the right amount of heat, and a perfectly crispy skin, what more can you ask of the chicken gods?

The "Upstate" burger boasted sharp cheddar, horsey mayo, bacon, and maple glazed onions.

This was not for the pure of heart. Mostly because your heart was under direct attack while eating this.

The bacon was crispy and salty, the cheddar had some bite, and the onions added some significant sweetness to the burger. This was a good burger, but I still favor diner style. Shifty's is a very cool place to stop in for some wings and beer, and it's not too far off 81 if you are up that way.

Hooters

1122 Baltimore Pike
Glen Mills, PA 19342
(610) 459-9494
Website

Thanks to the generosity of Realtor extraordinaire Jeanne Whipple [insert shameless plug for her amazing abilities to find and sell Philadelphia real estate here], I was given the opportunity to eat more wings than I should have ever wanted. Jeanne won an auction that included a 100 wing VIP party at Hooters in DelCo, and for some reason she was not especially interested. Luckily my gluttony knows no bounds, so it was quickly snatched up and an impromptu wing night commenced.

While I waited for the other members of my wing committe to arrive, I sat at the bar and had a very large, very cheap domestic draft poured by the lovely young lady seen here.

When the team arrived, we decided it wasn't enough to have more wings than a group of five (including two young ladies that were not known for their fat kid prowess), so we got some fried appetizers. We are gross. Curly fries were first up, with molten cheese dip, and salty seasoning. These were damn good. Like a well cooked version of Arby's famous fries.

The fried pickle chips were really, really good. Among some of the better versions I have tried. Crinkle cut pickles sliced relatively thin, were breaded and fried crispy. Not much to complain about here.

Next thing you know, the wings started coming out. Now unbeknownst to the eaters, a group member had previously "dated" a server at this very location. This was years in the past, but it led to a couple of insider tips (including the fried pickles recommendation). However this gentleman forgot to mention that the wings could (and should) be ordered "naked" or without breading. We therefore started with 40 breaded wings, which severely reduced our capacity for later consumption. Below are the hot and honey Thai (front and rear respectively).

The breading was not bad, and I am not usually a breaded wing fan (fried chicken is not the same as wings). They were actually kind of crunchy still, but man did that breading fill you up.

The hot were fine, but the honey Thai were definitely the winner of the two. Spicy, sweet, it was vaguely reminiscent of Korean wings.

No blue cheese was needed, but that didn't stop us.

After a couple of pitchers, we worked up the nerve to order five more flavors. Spicy garlic, Daytona (sweet/spicy/smokey), chipotle honey, BBQ, and lemon pepper. Notice, these were ordered naked, and crispy, and they were a VAST improvement. The way wings should be. I can't tell you much more than these wings were pretty damn good. Daytona style was a sleeper. Some of these packed serious heat. Some not so much. I was in a delirious state of chicken skin and salt, so they kind of blended.

To their credit, they were all cooked extremely well - at our request of 'extra crispy' – and packed a necessary crunch.

Overall, I would not be against coming back for a wing night. At all. The beer is pretty cheap, the food was very well done for what it is supposed to be, and the company was perfect. Not a bad night at all. Now the next morning was a different story. Meat sweats all the way.