March 10-16, 2005

food

Shipshape

by Elisa Ludwig

Contrary to what you might think, the theme of Misconduct Tavern, the newest bar on the west-of-Broad McGlinchey's/ Copa/Fox and Hound axis, is not felons and thugs. The former home of Tequila's and Red Chopstix has gone nautical. It's a tasteful sort of seafaring, too, eschewing the predictable lobster traps and decrepit buoys for some stretched expanses of canvas lining the ceiling. The exposed brick walls are lined with cerulean-hued banquettes. Rather large flat-screen televisions hang over the dark wood bar like so many portholes into the outer world. Thankfully, no one used the words "ahoy, matey" while we were there.

In addition to the usual domestic and foreign bottled beers, Misconduct has a locally oriented draft selection. There's a list of house specialty cocktails, including the Shipwreck (coconut rum, Jagermeister and pineapple juice) and the less explicable Tight White Thong (vodka and Red Bull).

The menu is extensive but perhaps not quite snooty enough to make Misconduct a gastropub. The family-friendly cuisine has a heavy, hearty quality — mushroom-cheese fondue, burgers, wings, plus an intriguing-sounding "sea fruit" salad. The Virgin Islands roasted vegetable pâté was more like a continental tasting dip that came with pita crisps and crudites for convenient mouth delivery. Fried oysters, the size of small change purses, were too heavily coated in a flavorless breading, though their bed of spinach, watercress and fennel was a surprisingly attentive touch.

Things really began to flow, as it were, with the entrees. There was an inspired addition of flaky catfish to Chesapeake Bay lump crab cakes, which were served breaded and pan-seared alongside garlicky sauteed spinach and an olive-studded remoulade sauce. On the turf side was a rich, smoky, ultra-tender meatloaf (also available in sandwich form), which came with perfectly lumpy mashed potatoes and a pool of velvety gravy.

We were impressed by the extensive list of brownies, but the blondie we ordered seemed to have been heated in a microwave and had been reduced, via radiation, to a slab of warm mush. More seductive was the dense and gooey cherry-blueberry bread pudding. And the pineapple upside-down cake was transporting, the layer of warm caramelized fruit beckoning to us like a sweet siren song, or, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphor, a tight white thong.

Misconduct Tavern 1511 Locust St. 215-732-5797

• Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.- late night; Sun., 12 p.m.-late night
• Appetizers, $6-$8.25; entrees, $10.95-$17.95
• Not wheelchair accessible.
• Smoking is permitted in part of the bar.
• Reservations accepted.
• All major credit cards except Discover.