Misconduct Tavern

14106089

When I first visited London many years ago, one of the dishes I wanted to try was fish and chips. Pubs throughout London serve up this staple all day. In England, chips are french fries and are to be doused with malt vinegar and salt before digging in. I thought this odd, but when I tried it, I found the contrast quite delightful.

A number of gastropubs throughout town serve fish and chips. The platter I recently sampled at Misconduct Tavern was as fine as the ones I enjoyed across the pond.

Misconduct Tavern is on Locust Street. It is a long, narrow space with a big bar, tables and chairs for four and a large booth in the back. Flatscreen TVs are provided, a nice touch this time of year as the Phillies are in full swing. The night cousin Carl and I visited, there was a networking party so the noise level was high. Combine this with loud, blasting music and you get my drift. Still, it was nice to see thirtysomethings meeting and greeting with a pint in hand.

We slid onto bar stools and chatted with the bartender. He fixed me a big, ice-cold martini. At $11.25, it sounds costly, but it was probably the largest one I have been served in months. He offered Carl a taste of Troegs Lager ($5.50), which Carl decide was "just right."

We began dinner with fried mozzarella ($7.50) because the ingredients sounded intriguing. The platter included two triangles of cheese dipped in crumbs and fried. The plate contained mushy artichokes, a few black olives, a small pool of homemade marinara, which was tasty, and the dreaded, viscous balsamic vinegar. All the ingredients were piled on top of each other — a practice I do not prefer. The cheese triangles were not greasy, yet the vinegar had no place on the dish.

The Caesar salad ($7.50) was nothing to rave about. It lacked flavor and was underdressed, which was a first for me. The bartender brought us a small ramekin of dressing to pep up the romaine, a number of which were the limp outer leaves that should have been discarded.

The French onion soup ($6.25) was disappointing. The salty broth was almost black. Authentic onion soup is made with a light beef stock, rich chicken stock or a combination of the two. There was not much cheese on top. I always yearn for a true French onion soup filled with caramelized onions and nutty, melted Gruy�re. I rate this one a C minus.

Now for the fish and chips ($8). We received two large rounds of fresh cod dipped in batter and fried to perfection. The contrast of taste and texture was lovely: The light freshness of the fish combined with the crisp batter was most welcome. The generous pile of grease-free french fries arrived piping hot. I doused them with malt vinegar and salt, sending me right back to the pubs of London.

I like to sample a gastropub’s burger since they are staples at these establishments and people are always asking where they might find the best in town. At Misconduct Tavern, the burger ($9) was just OK. The beef was a little overcooked, but still pink inside. (I ordered it medium-rare.) It was too small for the fresh egg-washed bun, but Carl and I were happy to see more of the shoestring fries accompanied it.

Service was excellent considering the place was packed. Everyone was crammed in like sardines and having a jolly time sipping pints, just like they do in British pubs.

One-and-a-half tips of the toque to Misconduct Tavern.

1511 Locust St.
215-732-5797
Credit cards accepted