The Black Sheep: A Review of a Classic Irish Pub in Philadelphia

Around the corner from Philadelphia's bustling business district and historic Rittenhouse Square is the quant and cozy Black Sheep. For almost a decade this Irish pub has made businessman, sorority girls, hipsters and debutantes feel at home with plenty of great beers and fine food. Complimenting the good grub is the intimate feel of this restored three-story colonial townhouse. The Black Sheep's shepards (owners and management) have strived to keep the antique bars and fireplace as legit as possible, even when you've got at a plasma screen for Sunday sports watching...

But in a city nearly dotty with Irish pubs, what makes the Black Sheep stand out is a mighty fine and inexpensive menu. While they've consistently had food ranging from munchy to full-meal, the Black Sheep has returned to its roots in recent months. Chef Edgar Alvarez has returned to the Black Sheep, eight years after opening the restaurant to critical and customer satisfaction. Close friends of owner, James Stephens, Alvarez has brought back his gourmet-inspired pubdishes to the Black Sheep for lunch, dinner and late night.

For an appetizer, my companion and I had a long drawn out fight over options. The Black Sheep does your typical bar food very well, so we had a wealth of options to pick from. We finally reached an agreement, and choose Alvarez's famous calamari & shrimp ($10). The mammoth plate of sea-dweellers is perfectly fried and dusted with a cornmeal, flour and chili powder coating, served with an irresistible caper remoulade.

Before we dive into more foodie talk, let's take a brief detour into the beverages. I am a traditionalist, so I was sipping a bottle of Sam Smith's Nut Brown Ale. My date opted for the more "refreshing" and summery Ace Pear Cider. Along with these two unique options, the Black Sheep offers you pints of everything from Sam Adams to Yungeling to Pilsner Urquell.

Byt the time we had finished our starter, our main courses arrived. With the name subliminally affecting my choice, I opted for the pan seared rack of lamb ($24.95). The tender and succulent lamb was served with a heaping pile of garlic mashed potatoes, sauted vegetables, and highlighted with a green peppercorn sauce. My lady-friend opted for the Sauted Crabcakes.( $14.95).Two steaming levithans of fresh and moist crab were accompanied by a light baby arugula salad & roasted pepper aioli. The plating of the entrée was spectacular, the taste even more wonderful. I was incredibly glad that the crab cakes turned out to be such a winner, since I had kind of talked my gal-pal into them. She had been stoically set on getting the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich ($10), a sandwich that the establishment is famous for...If you don't like the sound of my lamb, or the crab - then try this sandwich. It's fantastic.

Since our stomachs were about to burst, we decided to split on of the Black Sheep's fantastic deserts. The decadently delicious chocolate cake was the perfect end to our gastro-pub voyage. As we scraped up the last sweet bites of chocolate cake from our plate, we grew a little somber. Not just post-great meal malaise, we had an eerie thought creep into our noggins. With a fantastic location and amazing food, it won't be long before it might be a bit harder for us to get a seat at the Black Sheep. Of course, I don't have any problem sitting at the bar....

The Black Sheep

247 S 17th St

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 545-9473

www.theblacksheeppub.com