My eyes rolled very hard when I read this bit from Michael Klein. Fishtown needs another fancy beer place like a hole in the head. I may be willing to give it a pass if the food isn’t just another run-of-the-mill gastropub as they say, but the thought of squeezing into Moe’s doesn’t really appeal either. It would be like setting up a restaurant in my skinny little home.
I know I complain about this all the time, but restauranteurs looking to take advantage of reasonable terms here in Fishtown and beyond: please understand that simply boasting a craft beer selection won’t be enough to lure customers away from their regular haunts. Even bars like Starboard Side offer some nice taps. Want to know how often I go to the Abbaye now that I’m around the corner from Memphis Taproom and Kraftwork? Hell, I don’t even venture as far as Johnny Brenda’s unless I’m going to see a band. Be more creative!
I know most local beer critics revel in this. It’s an embarrassment of riches, to be sure. But I can’t help but think that Philly could really use an enfant terrible in the beer scene. It’s soft and bloated and increasingly self-important. Who will set things straight?