I was invited to attend a press dinner at the Malt House (206 Thompson St., New York, NY) in the West Village and was surprised to be reviewing what seemed like a typical bar. When I saw the menu I became hungry and also excited for this night to come! The menu offers the typical bar food choices, but with each item having a new twist to it with interesting ingredients, sauces, and spices. It was definitely a bar menu that had been "fancified." Chef Armando Avila, who was formerly at STK and 5 Napkin Burger, did a great job crafting a menu that featured all the American comfort classics in a unique flare that paired well with the restaurant's vast beer tap menu and bottle menu.
As I sat down to embark on an evening of eating, I was approached by the "beer sommelier.” I had never heard of a beer sommelier before and was immediately intrigued by this. He suggested I try a beer flight of some of the house favorites.
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| Beer Flight Hand Selected by Beer Sommelier |
I was impressed by the presentation of the beer flight that came to my table because it was labeled, making it very easy to tell each beer apart. In my past experiences of any type of flights, I have constantly had to refer back to the menu to see which selection I am currently trying.
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| Chef Armando Avila |
And now comes the food!
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| Beer & Bacon Battered Onion Rings |
The beer and bacon battered onion rings were to die for! Most of the time when menus have descriptions like this, it tends to sound better on paper than in reality. These onion rings did not disappoint and had a lot of bacon flavor in each bite! The only complaint is that they were a little on the salty side, which was probably from the saltiness of the bacon. I did love how savory this simple American classic had! The onion rings were accompanied by the Malt House Sauce(similar to a thousand island dressing) and also ranch dressing. I liked having two types of different sauces to sample with this tasty bundle of goodness. Also, originally being from Pennsylvania, ranch goes with everything!
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| BFG Wings |
The wings at the Malt House were very different than most wings that I have had. They were baked, fried, and also grilled! They came to the table with fresh grill marks on them which was very unique for wings. They were lightly covered in Roquefort sauce which gave them a slight Brandy flavor. They also had a slight Asian flavor which was really enjoyable!
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| Cheese Curds |
The cheese curds were one of the table's favorite appetizers. They were perfect for sharing and so easy to just pop a few into your mouth. I had never had cheese curds before, so this was a very exciting experience for me! They were white cheddar chunks covered in panko and fried, and reminded me of miniature cheese sticks. They were served with Malt House sauce and also chipotle aioli, which both seemed very similar to each other, but complemented the cheese curds very well. The cheese curds were gooey and delicious!
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| Tempura Pickles |
The tempura pickles were one of my favorite appetizers because how can you go wrong with a fried pickle?! They were ale-battered and served with Malt House sauce and ranch dressing. I preferred the ranch sauce with these. The pickles were sliced on the thicker side and perfectly fried. YUM!
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| Steamed Mussels |
The mussels were a quite surprising treat for this type of bar setting! They were absolutely full of flavor and sat in an amazing sauce of roasted tomatoes, chorizo, garlic, herbs, and white wine. Also, there happened to be a very large portion of chorizo in the pot where every mussel I grabbed had chorizo inside the shell also, making a delicious bite!
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| Malt House Salad w/ Grilled Chicken |
The Malt House salad was served with grilled chicken and was the most fresh item on the menu because it wasn't fried! It was tasty, but nothing special or unique. It did offer a healthy fresh option for people who are looking for something that isn't fried.
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| Mac & Cheese w/ BBQ Chicken on Top |
The Mac & Cheese was served with BBQ chicken on top, which I can't say I have ever seen as a combo before! It was a tasty combo, but not necessary. I think I would have rather had no chicken on it, and just the mac & cheese. The mac & cheese was one of the more disappointing items on the menu because it didn't have a ton of flavor and was missing truffle oil or bread crumbs or something to make it more tasty!
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| Malt House Burger w/ Thick Cut Fries |
The Malt House Burger was by far the best entree! The burger was cooked to perfection and was oozing with flavor. The onion marmalade was better than a typical relish and added so much flavor and also texture to each bite. The bacon was extra crunchy and thick and completed the package of making this burger fantastic! It was served with extra thick fries that were tasty, but could have been a little more well done and crunchy.
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| Steak Sandwich served w/ Fries |
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| Steak Sandwich served w/ Salad |
The Steak Sandwich was served two ways, one with a salad on the side, and another with fries on the side. At first I thought the one with the salad was the other side of the Steak Sandwich since it was covered in so much lettuce you could barely find the sandwich. By description this sandwich sounded so much better than what was served. It was an open faced sandwich on Italian bread with steak, gruyere cheese, arugula, red onion, and garlic aioli. The steak was overcooked and a little leathery. There was also way too much cheese on it masking the flavor of the steak. If the steak was cooked less this sandwich could have been much better!
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| Mahi Mahi Tacos |
The Mahi Mahi tacos was the second best entree at the table. They were fresh, not fried, and so full of flavor. They were served on a soft tortilla shell, with black beans, cilantro, tomatillo relish, and sour cream. They were very authentic and enjoyable. I would definitely order these again.
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| Dark Beer Flight Selected by Beer Sommelier |
As we were wrapping up dinner, I decided to try a second flight of beer and go for more "desserty" dark beers. I liked this flight much more than my first and definitely tasted beers I have never heard of before .The Left Hand Milk Stout was definitely a winner with me, and not because I am left handed, but just because it was so good!
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| Cheese Cake |
For dessert we had cheesecake and also creme brûlée. I wouldn't typically order dessert at a bar, so the quality and presentation of these desserts was pretty extraordinary for bar food. The cheesecake was good, but not the best I have ever had. It was light and fluffy which was nice and different than most cheesecakes that I have had that tend to be more dense and heavy.
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| Creme Brûlée |
The creme brûlée was delicious. It was topped with mixed fruit and made eating dessert seem healthy, if thats even possible!
I definitely would return to the Malt House next time I am in the neighborhood and I would love to check out their happy hour. The prices are very reasonable and the setting is perfect for a date, catching up with a friend, or a group outing. I'd also love to try their Whiskey flights on my future visit! $28 for 4 tastes.
