A friend from out of town was looking to grab dinner and “strong drinks” during St Patrick’s Day weekend, and it was difficult to try and narrow down which area would be the least “shit-show-y” with people dressed in green vomiting on the sidewalks of Philadelphia (it was also a challenge trying to find someplace that sounded cool and wasn’t a BYO). So I spun the magic wheel of the internet, decided anything west of Broad and south of Walnut would be a safe bet and so we wound up at SoWe in Graduate Hospital. It’s just under a year old and a little off the beaten path, so I hadn’t really heard too much about it, but Jennifer Choplin just came in as their new chef so I figured it would be worth checking out (When we were seated we were told they’re under new management but still operating on the old menu).
We ordered some drinks and I ordered the burger: A 1/2 lb Angus patty topped with fried peppers & onions, sharp cheddar, naturally smoked Applewood bacon, served with horseradish mayo on the side and a toasted brioche bun. The burger came out and the buns looked similar to the ones at Royal Tavern so I got really excited. I love when buns are seeded; I think they look so cute (It’s like freckles for bread!).
The patty was nice and thick and cooked perfectly medium throughout. The bun was soft and held up well against the juices and the bacon was crisp and delicious. And the horseradish mayo gave everything a nice little kick – and cleared up my sinuses!
I really enjoyed the burger and it was definitely one the better ones I’ve had in a while. The drinks were also really great and strong, so my friend complimented me on my good choice (he couldn’t even finish his 3rd drink, but he also couldn’t tell if that was because he might be a bit of a lightweight since he’s been in the military). I got a cocktail with Laphroaig 10 yr (which I would never have thought of putting in a cocktail before), honey and ginger; it was a nice, smokey sipper and a great after-dinner drink.
If you needed any further incentive to check out SoWe, Jen’s new menu just rolled out this week, so head on over to check it out!
Burger Rating: “A-“
