Resurrection Ale House

[wendyphilly]

Had a wonderful meal last night at Resurrection Ale House (the same owners as Memphis Taproom). It's taken over the space where Yello Bar used to be. I only went to Yello Bar once when they first opened. The space does not look dramatically different but it was perfect for a cool, fall evening. They have small round marble tables in the bar area and we settled into a cozy corner spot. There are 12 different beers on draft each night. I am really not much of a beer drinker, but it seemed like a great selection and that all the beers were rather well priced. Upon the suggestion of the server, I ordered a Kwak, which was served in a funky tall glass that was hung in a wooden stand. Fancy presentation, but I really did enjoy the beer. It was complex and at $6 for a nice tall pour I thought it was well priced. My husband ordered an Allagash ($4) but quickly decided he liked the Kwak better and ordered one as well.

The menu is very reasonably priced with a variety of appetizers ($6-12), sandwiches and entrees ($9-15). The current menu is slightly different from what is posted on their website. I have to admit that the descriptions were rather simple and so nothing was jumping out at me. The server told us that the restaurant likes to source all local ingredients and that it does not have a freezer. My husband ordered the special soup of the night ($5) which was a lovely puree of buttercup squash with apples. It was very savory and not heavy as there was no cream. For entrees, again upon the server's suggestion, I ordered the Roasted Maitake Mushroom which was a lovely large roasted maitake mushroom, which really is a very beautiful mushroom. It was roasted well so that it had contrasting textures of crispy edges and well roasted interiors. The mushroom was served simply over a puree of celery root with some glazed carrots and crispy hazelnut crumbs ($12). I thought the dish, while fairly simple, was a standout. The perfect fall dish. My husband ordered the hoisin braised pork ribs ($13) which was a large, meaty serving of 6 ribs pilled high and served aside a green asian cabbage slaw. The ribs were very tender and moist. It was a solid dish. For dessert we shared a very interesting rice pudding that was layered with pureed fig and topped with a little olive oil and sea salt ($6). The salt added a nice contrast the the softness of the rice. It was savory, with a touch of sweetness. All in all, the tab came to $67 with tip including the three beers.

It is nice to have another great option in addition to Pub & Kitchen in the neighborhood, especially one that was not crowded. Looking forward to returning.

[tim e]

I've had two very good meals at Resurrection. First was a selection of pickles ($6) followed by their twice-fried chicken ($10). The pickles were excellent; the chicken was good but not great-- crunchy crust and juicy chicken, but it could have used some heat and more salt to give it a little zip. I drank an Octoberfest with it, probably either Sly Fox or Victory. My brother had the pork ribs, which as Wendy says, is a solid dish.

On my last visit, I had the Montecristo sandwich ($9), which was very good. My wife had Israeli couscous and quinoa ($9). We split the slow cooked fall greens ($8), which were outstanding. Pretty sure they were collards, braised and served with pine nuts, currants, and pecorino. It was so good that my wife and I have been replicating the dish at home. Really nice mixture of bitter, salty, sweet, savory. For beer I started with the Sly Fox Chester County Bitter (cask only, really delicious) and followed it with Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale. I'm not sure if it was their "wet-hop" version but it was great.

As Wendy said above, the layout isn't all that different from when it was Yellobar, but the decor and ambience is much warmer and in keeping with the vibe at the owners' other two places, Memphis Taproom and Local 44. The service was also warm and attentive. We will definitely be going back regularly.

[From Lab To Kitchen]

I had dinner here recently, and overall I like the place. Atmosphere is cozy, staff was friendly for the most part, and prices are ok (if a bit on the high side). It's a shame I never tried it earlier, since I thought both food and drinks were good. For drinks I enjoyed the Belhaven Twisted Thistle and Racer 5 IPA (preferred Racer 5). Food: Had the fried chicken, delicious and the spiced honey drizzled over the top really made it--they should serve that honey on the side for dipping! Broccoli rabe appetizer was way salty, however, and my friend was unhappy with his lentil sloppy joe.

The main complaint, though, was that I felt like we were being rushed out the door which I hate. We had been sitting total for about an hour when I asked for a dessert menu, the waitress told me the choices, then proceeded to drop off the check 3 minutes later! Guess she didn't want us to order anything

Overall, a worthy and more upscale neighborhood alternative to Grace Tavern or Doobie's.