Bloggers' Bites: Pub & Kitchen

Bloggers' Bites is a series of posts chronicling the foodie adventures of Penn Appétit's blog staff. Last Thursday, Penn Appétit bloggers went to Pub & Kitchen.

Ashlee Burris: Going to Pub & Kitchen was my first Penn Appétit blog outing- we ventured across the South Street Bridge for some delicious, Euro-American comfort food. After walking twenty minutes and more than ten blocks away from campus, we arrived at a rustic, warm, yet obscure setting that housed our destination. The eatery was packed; which is typical for a restaurant in Philadelphia on a Thursday evening. Pub & Kitchen does not accept reservations, so we had to wait 30 minutes for a table. However, my meal definitely made up for the wait. Picking it from their fall menu though did require some scrutinizing attention. I classify myself as a food economist- I pick meals off of menus based on quantity, quality and popularity. I don’t like to take too many food risks when it involves a more than moderately priced meal, especially on a college budget. I did a quick scan of the restaurant clientele and easily observed that the majority of people were eating burgers and short ribs. Our complementary appetizers consisted of autumn vegetables and their daily selection of cheeses and bread. Both appetizers tasted delicious. So to switch it up for my entrée, I ordered the burger and was pleasantly surprised. Not only did I receive a large portion of both burger and fries for $18, but also the burger had unique flavoring. It was stuffed with bleu cheese and topped with double cut bacon strips, pickled red onions, and buttered challah bread. The fries were also hand-cut and seasoned with the right amount of salt. I wouldn’t advise a health-conscious person to order this item off the menu, but I thoroughly enjoyed my selection- 2,000 calories and all. I wholly enjoyed my first outing and the restaurant selection. The items on the menu were a great spin on typical pub food with a unique and high end American flare. I strongly encourage more students to try this restaurant; especially on a night after midterms when comfort food is crucial.


AJ Winkelman: My first trip to Pub and Kitchen was an enjoyable one. After a long wait and some tasty drinks, we were finally seated at our table by an extremely friendly waitress. She felt bad that we had to wait so long so we got two plates of free appetizers -- a plate full of unidentifiable (but delicious) vegetables and a cheese plate. I love cheese and am very choosy, but even I thought the cheese was pretty good. Even better were the spreads that came with the cheese: fruity delicious.

On to the main course. I recently decided I would try to eat more fish, so I forced myself to try the trout. First thing I noticed about the dish was how pretty it was. The light green olive oil surrounded a centerpiece of trout, causing me to pause a bit to admire the aesthetics of the dish before I devoured it. Once I finally took a bite, I noticed a little bit too much salt. The olive oil was clearly of very high quality and was very well paired with the trout, but the saltiness of the trout itself threw me off. I would be happy to return to Pub & Kitchen, if only to try a hamburger next time, because as pretty as my dish was, the hamburger looked unbelievable.


Elliott Brooks: I'm embarrassed to say that last Thursday was my first time at Pub & Kitchen. Having heard amazing things about this upscale American-British pub and its lick-smacking fare, I was eager to make the trip across the Schuylkill. Once seated (after our 30 minute wait!) I ordered the warm beet and apple soup. I have always been a fan of borscht, a beet soup found in most Central and Eastern European countries, and was curious to try Pub & Kitchen's borscht-like variation. The soup itself was a beautiful bright red, garnished with apple slivers, a spoonful of trout roe, a dollop of creme fraiche and a bit of horseradish. The soup was thick and almost creamy, although that didn't prevent me from stirring in all the creme fraiche. It had that wonderful sweet-sour tang that I've come to associate with all beet soups, making the trout roe was an interesting combination. As delicious and beautiful as it was, it didn't come close to my Mom's homemade borscht. Worth the $9? Maybe- I haven't yet mastered the art of making beet soup, so for now Pub & Kitchen will have to do!

Pub & Kitchen
1946 Lombard St.
(215) 545-0350

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