Low Tied

For now, General Lafayette Inn's city venture is a gastropub in name only.

by David Snyder

Mark Stehle ON THE LAMB: Lamb sirloin, served with a bacon- and mustard-flavored potato salad and caramelized carrots, is one of Tiedhouse's best entrées.

The gastropub is one of this city's most established dining trends. But unlike mundane descriptors like "taqueria" and "BYOB," the term itself is vague. Google "gastropub" and you'll find it's essentially defined as "a bar with high-quality food." You cannot get more subjective than that.

Restaurateurs are expected to preach a disdain for labels, but in these difficult times, it makes sense for some to adopt the term in an attempt to cash in on the trend. Given its broad connotations, who could blame them?

But that doesn't mean the word is without limits. It may be hard to pin down exactly what constitutes a gastropub, but as Justice Potter Stewart said in his famous U.S. Supreme Court opinion about pornography, "I know it when I see it." At the Tiedhouse, unfortunately, I just don't see it.

Located in Franklintown, the Tiedhouse was opened by the folks who run General Lafayette Inn, a guest house and colonial-style restaurant in MontCo's Lafayette Hill. The Inn's also the home of General Lafayette Brewery, whose beer is prominently, but not exclusively, featured at the Tiedhouse. ("Tying" a pub to beer from only one brewery is illegal these days.) Chef de cuisine Phil Falcone splits his time between the Inn and the Tiedhouse. So does Christopher Leonard, owner and manager of both spots.

The sign out front identifies the space as "a cozy gastropub" and Leonard says they opened this spot to do things they weren't able to do at the Inn. "We really wanted to capture that gastropub feel, where you get a lot of different tastes with beer, wine and food," he said in an interview.

But in my eyes, that "feel" is not present at Tiedhouse. And the dish that makes me wonder whether they know how to identify that vibe at all is the flatbread pizza. You would be angry if you bought this pie from the concession stand at a high school football game — limp, spongy crust; dull, flavorless cheese; cloying, child-friendly sauce. This doesn't belong on any menu, let alone one at a gastropub.

Leonard says that more sophisticated dishes didn't go over well in the beginning — the crowd wanted simpler food. Hence decisions like the pizza. But there's a difference between a dish that showcases honest flavors and one that would be more at home on a kids' menu.

Ultimately, though, what solidifies Tiedhouse as a gastropub in name only is poor execution. Ever wonder how dry a meatball can be without turning to powder? Try the albondigas, Mexican-style meatballs. Think it's impossible for french fries to be burnt and soggy at the same time? Tiedhouse found a way.

The bigger plates show that Tiedhouse is capable of coming up with truly good ideas, but an apparent lack of concentration claimed many of these dishes, as well. Short ribs braised in Lafayette Brewery's flagship Chocolate Thunder Porter alongside fregola pasta would've been great had the meat not been so chewy. Had the salmon puttanesca not been overcooked, it would have been easier to overlook the liberal use of brown sugar in the accompanying spaghetti squash. The greens that accompanied the roasted pork loin, which was also dry, should have been cleaned more thoroughly.

When the dishes are fired properly, though, I can see plenty of potential. The bacon and whole-grain Dijon flavors of the warm potato salad worked nicely with the perfectly grilled lamb sirloin, and caramelized carrots added the right amount of sweetness. The burger, too, arrived cooked to order. The smoky Gouda was a nice complement to the tender meat in the duck confit tostada.

It was odd to see wines that are available at the PLCB for less than $15 offered here in 3-ounce pours, as this small portion is traditionally used for wines that otherwise would be priced out of reach. But Tiedhouse deserves props for putting some smart picks on its list, including the reliable Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a red I often serve as my house wine.

All told, Tiedhouse is not co-opting the gastropub title just to get in on a trend — I believe it genuinely wants to be one, and just hasn't figured out how to do that yet. But unless the cooking improves, what it calls itself may not really matter.

(david.snyder@citypaper.net)

The Tiedhouse | CityView Condominiums, 2001 Hamilton St., 215-561-1002, phillytiedhouse.com

Hours: Tue.-Thu., 5 p.m.-mid; Fri., 5 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sat., 3 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-mid; closed Mon.

Small plates, $4-$9; Sandwiches/salads, $8-$11; Larger plates, $14-$16