Victory Helios

This is a really great summer ale. Helios is peppery, light, and a bit hoppy for a Saison style, but typical for Victory. And any hoppiness is good for me.

The Plough

For a pre-movie drink and snack, Matt and I stopped at The Plough at around 5:30 last night. I love the interior of The Plough. It’s so open and rustic. But picture this space at 10:00 on a Saturday night filled with falling-down-drunks. That’s not the best time.

The beer list is fine–they have a few really great selections but too many not-great selections (happy hour choices were Bud Light, Miller Light, and lager).  I am an IPA-lover so of course I chose the Flying Fish.  Matt was excited about the Ommegang but they had just kicked the keg.  Seems like the Ommegang is being kicked all over the city!  So he decided on a Guinness for woosies (Black & Tan).

He liked it.

We ordered the crab and vegetable spring rolls for $9.  They were stuffed with fresh crab meat so that made up for the fact that there were only two on the plate.  I was happy.  The crispy sweet potaters were a nice touch, too.

We were a bit disappointed in the menu options as we remembered there being a wider variety of reasonably-priced entrees, so we stopped at the beers and spring rolls and decided to have a progressive dinner.  Next up: Cuba Libre.

Johnny Brenda’s

Anita and I have now been to Johnny Brenda’s three times in the past three months, which we think officially makes it our “hangout.” JB’s is unpretentious but too cool for school at the same time. Too cool for us, anyway. Most of the clientele are tattooed bikers, groups of lesbians, starving artists, or fashionable under-25-year-olds. Anita and I currently do not fit into any of those categories, but we get served the same as everyone else.

The interior is eclectic. Enter through the front past a pool table and long bar and sit in the back where there are plenty of tables and a wide window that is thrown open on nice days. Upstairs is a stage where live music happens after 9:00 almost every night. This is past our bedtime so we have never been to that part.

The view from JB’s is of Girard Avenue, a busy street that has a lot of vacant buildings:

The charming trolley rolls on by every few minutes, which makes up for the otherwise depressing street:

The menu changes by the minute. Literally. During the two hours we were there, I’d say at least ten items were erased and added to the boards. The beer is local and reasonably priced:

The food is delicious but a bit pricey. (Do you notice something odd about the food menu? Post below if you see it.)

I was excited to see PBC’s Fleur de Lehigh on the menu. This beer is light, citrusy, and unfiltered. I told Anita I thought it had a grassy taste and she told me I was crazy. But it does.

We always get the fries. Because they are almost the best fries in Philadelphia. I’d say that Monk’s fries beat JB’s fries but not by much.

I ordered the baked oysters for $9.50 only because I wasn’t that hungry and Anita said that it only came with three. But these were so tasty. So moist. So tender. I couldn’t place all of the flavors and ingredients, but I know there was some bits of bacon on them.  The herbs might have been cilantro and dill but again, I wasn’t sure.

George joined us for dinner and ordered the ribs.  They were mouth-wateringly good.  Falling off the bone and covered with BBQ sauce, George said he would definitely order them again.  On the side were collard greens cooked with bacon, which were tender and sweet.

Anita’s dinner was a little disappointing.  The lamb chops were fine, but her sides were not.  We decided that she had Israeli couscous with some Mediterranean flavoring, but it was mushy and not at all al dente the way we think any couscous should be.  The potatoes were just potatoes and did not fit into the theme.  Her yogurt and dill dipping sauce was Anita’s favorite part.

It was Friday, we were sitting by the open window, and George covered our tab.  I love George!  He’s one of the girls but he pays!  Then we realized that JB’s does not have TVs to watch the Phillies.  Refreshing, but we were still checking our phones to see what the score was:

I am so excited that JB’s is our new hangout.  Now we just have to get some tats and leather.