South Philly Review

Ah, summer in the city. It’s a steamy muggy Friday night and the forces are out on South Street. Tourists and teens are strolling the brightly-lit thoroughfare while Philly’s finest are keeping the peace on bicycles and gathering in groups of four on every corner.

I have not been to South Street in what appears to be eons, but it was the way my friend Jim and I traveled to The HeadHouse, a new craft beer café at Second and Lombard streets.

HeadHouse is housed in the former Zot, a fine Belgian restaurant that just did not make it. It is owned by Beatrice and Bruce Nichols who have been in the catering business for a long time. I looked forward to a tasty pub dinner.

Jim and I arrived around 5:30 p.m. I sipped a small but nicely stirred martini ($12) while Jim perused the huge list of beers. He sipped a Steamworks Engineer lager ($6) as we discussed the menu.

The décor is calm and soothing with rooms done up in shades of creamy yellow and green. Big, beautiful black and white photos of glassware adorn the walls. Tables and chairs are simple black wood. You get a linen napkin. Music courtesy of Pandora was playing on the sound system, and the soothing sounds made our evening most pleasant.

Since we arrived during happy hour, all appetizers were 25 percent off. The satay plate ($7.50) was a first for Jim. There were four skewers threaded with tender beef and chicken. We especially enjoyed the creamy peanut sauce and cool cucumber sticks that accompanied this starter. At one point, I wrapped the beef in a lettuce leaf, topped it with peanut sauce and snarfed it immediately.

The spicy pork carnitas ($7) were so outrageously delicious we should have ordered more. Two tortilla shells were filled with tender strands of spiced-just-right pork bathed in a slightly spicy sauce.

Shrimp porcupines ($8) were prepared with chopped shrimp mixed with creamy crumbs coated in bits of vermicelli and fried to a golden brown. The order was most generous; Jim, who is a financial advisor, and I could not finish them. We liked the creamy dipping sauce as well.

Fontina fritters ($7.50) were made with shredded Fontina from Italy. They were coated with crumbs and quickly fried. Both fried dishes were free of grease. Fried cheese is popular in Italy. This treat is usually prepared with freshly grated Parmesan, but I like the natural nuttiness of Fontina.

Jim opted for a burger ($12) which was hefty. It was served on what our charming waitress described as a focaccia-like soft bun that tasted homemade. He likes his burgers medium-well while I prefer them rare. Lettuce, tomato and onion came with the patty along with a mound of hot and crispy fries. They were not overly salted. In fact, I sprinkled on a bit of salt.

The only disappointing dish of the evening was the small Belgian mussels ($10) They arrived cold. Our server whisked them away and brought me another bowl. The broth was made with leeks, garlic and Belgian beer. It was a little salty. The mussels were puny and scrawny. They still were not hot.

I tried a pint of Twin Lakes Winterthur ($6) brewed in nearby Greenville, Del. It hit the spot. Jim and I both liked it. Jim enjoyed it so much, he ordered another pint.

Service was superb. Share plates arrived with each course. Our silverware was changed and our water glasses were filled without asking. Still, the restaurant could use more bus help.

By the time we left, HeadHouse was filled with people of all ages. A man whose hair was worn in long braids bore an eerie resemblance to Willie Nelson, a couple in their golden years, a group of 30-somethings celebrating a friend’s birthday, singles and couples were enjoying a cool evening inside as the air outside continued to be almost unbearable.

Two-and-a-half tips of the toque to The HeadHouse.

The HeadHouse
122 Lombard St.
215-625-0122
www.headhousephilly.com