Little Tap House has grown into a full-fledged neighborhood meeting place that serves not only craft cocktails and local brews but a decently satisfying menu of creative pub grub. The night we were there earlier this week the place was literally packed to the rafters. It had great vibes and atmosphere as a thriving popular pub.
From the young and restless to savvy Westenders, the crowd is always congenial
Open since the spring of 2013 the restaurant has witnessed, however, a revolving door of chefs coming and going. So far the best was Cory Beckwith who prevailed in the kitchen for part of 2014.
From the Beckwith kitchen, bruschetta with asparagus and feta
His menu was chockablock with comfort food, and I recall a dinner that was memorable: a bruschetta of charred asparagus, greens, olives and feta that I wolfed down because every bit tasted so good—especially the interplay of the sweet asparagus and salty feta. An entrée of braised stuffed chicken with roast potatoes packed walloping flavor, too. The chicken was brined and the breast was rolled and stuffed with an aromatic filling of mushrooms, onions, garlic, celery and gorgonzola. Dessert was an extremely well-made raspberry panna cotta—all velvety textured and just sweet enough.
That was then. Now a young woman chef, Kelli Thompson, and sous chef Daniel Latendre, hold sway in the kitchen. Three of us sat down at one of the high tops in the bar area and went through a mixed bag of dishes. My buddies that evening were a well-seasoned crew of local food professionals in Portland. (I’ll leave identities at that).
Calamari with pickled cherry peppers
A grilled calamari dish that was bathed in a sweet and sour dressing included pickled peppers and a sauce that held flecks of rosemary, the herb being an obtrusive shot at the overall flavor profile. But the dish was fairly tasty, a nice touch on the menu for a starter that you can often encounter done less well elsewhere.
Another starter of roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with a dried fruit mix and warm goat cheese was a delicious dish, the kind to enjoy with a full-bodied, fragrant local beer or glass of Argentine Malbec.
Brussels sprouts
The steamed mussels, however, fell apart before they hit the table. The bowl was filled with empty shells, and a few of the mussels—miniscule and somewhat dry— were found practically comatose on the bottom of the bowl. The broth was beer and smoked shrimp, which was tasty and the dish could have survived nicely had there been actual mussels in their shells!
The classic burger with fries was excellent. At $15 it rivals the top burgers in town (similarly priced). The thick patty of local beef had great char and flavor, though one comment was instead of the aioli and tomato tapenade dressing a big schmear of Heinz tomato ketchup would have been so much better.
Burger and fries; ill-fated mussels
I’m not sure what drew me to order the lamb grinder. It’s not a dish that normally appeals to me. If I wanted a hero I’d go to an old-fashioned pizza joint to have a basic meatball hoagie lobbed with a bright red tomato sauce.
This version held tender slices of lamb from the leg under a veil of melted tallegio and caramelized onions. It was tasty enough, if a bit sloppy to eat. But, hey, one goes here for pub grub.
Lamb grinder
Still, LTH remains one of the few bright spots in a declining list of trendy gastro pubs in Portland. Ever since the changeover from the original East Ender–under the leadership of chef Mitch Gerow–to the morphed eatery of fine dining with chefs Karl Deuben and Bill Leavy as chefs and proprietors, Portland lost its best gastro pub. One could argue, however, that it gained another good restaurant.
Elsewhere, Congress Bar and Grill stays in the limelight as do LFK and Bramhall. The latter two, however, have dodgy kitchens without exhaust systems or fryolaters, two missing mechanicals that don’t allow certain fare to be cooked—no fryolater for deep frying or flat tops or grills for classic dishes like steaks, burger and chops that need fast, high heat. Still both restaurants have great bars and strive to serve creative food. I haven’t been to Bramhall since the kitchen acquired a rotisserie, but I had lunch recently at LFK, which just began serving at midday. I enjoyed a well-made sandwich of panko-crusted chicken breast with a spicy mayonnaise and a wonderful side of potato salad made with bacon and Cheddar that was just plain wonderful.
That leaves us with the Little Tap House whose menu is complete to complement its better half of being a neighborhood pub for good drinks and good cheer. Fish and chips, grilled salmon over risotto, hangar steak, and starter selections from the menu—called “shares”– that could be just right to have for a night out of very decent food and drink. Sometimes that’s all you need.
Little Tap House, 106 High St., Portland, ME 207-518-9283 www.littletaphouse.com
Rating: 3 stars (meaning good, with some exceptions)
Ambiance: great vibes and bar scene
Tables: high tops, tables and bar for dining and drinking
Service: competent and friendly
$$$: moderately priced
