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| I don't know who he is but almost anytime I go to a bar in Newark this guy to the right of my beer is there. |
We walked in a bit before seven, and I immediately enjoyed the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. The stone and wood gave the place an upscale appearance but not to the point where I felt unwelcome. We were quickly seated at a high top table across from the bar. Since the University of Delaware was only in winter session the place had plenty of open tables and seats at the bar and in the restaurant. We poured over the food and drink menus.
I ordered a Jamwich Burger while my lady had the Asian Salad and the 16 Mile Fries. My burger was alright but came well done despite being ordered at medium well. I may have set myself up for failure because just a couple of days before my mother and I made a ground lamb burger with thick cut applewood smoked bacon, goat cheese, caramelized onions, and sauteed mushrooms on a freshly baked roll. This sad pile of charred beef never stood a chance. The potato chips that came with it were pretty good. I think my lady summed up her salad pretty well, "It was pathetic - some iceberg lettuce and a few random vegetables for nine dollars." We both agreed the 16 Mile Fries were pretty good and the chipotle aioli was quite tasty. With all of the great dining options around I don't think I would chance eating here again.
The first beer I ordered was the Inlet India Pale Ale.
This English style IPA was crisp and refreshing but didn't have the bold flavors of citrus that it claimed. I enjoyed this beer and it definitely tasted good but it lags pretty far behind all the great IPAs out there. It had a hop presence more towards a pale ale than an IPA. I'd give it a 7/10. My lady tried the apple infused version of this beer and it tasted pretty good with slightly less bitterness and a hint of apple.
I wanted to sample another one of their beers and felt like drinking something malty next. The Tiller Brown Ale seemed like the best option. It arrived quickly and I gladly took a drink. I wasn't that impressed with this beer either and it barely had any of the robust flavors of chocolate and coffee that the description boasts of. Don't get me wrong it had chocolate and roast flavors and was decent but overall it was kind of bland and a touch watery. This beer was a 7/10.
A couple of my friends arrived so I settled my bill and moved over to the bar. Three beers and dinner with tip came to $50. Neither of my friends had been here before, so we decided to have one more beer before heading out for the night.
I kept looking at the Old Court Ale on the menu, which is described as a dark pale ale, so I decided I would give it a try. It was similar to the IPA but with slightly less hops and slightly more malt. This beer fit the profile of the others I had tried. It was decent but definitely not nearly as good as beer can be. I'd give this one 6/10.
Although I had a good time I wasn't impressed with the food or the beer. I imagine this place gets really busy when U of D is in session. The service was quick and pleasant, but it is hard to tell what it would be like while all the students are in town. If I still lived in Newark I could see myself coming here occasionally for a beer if I had friends who wanted to go, but there are much much better bars and restaurants in the area. I'm glad I tried it, but I don't think I'll be going back.
Overall: 6/10
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