Friday, March 15, 2013

Tap's Pourhouse & Eatery--Mooresville, NC

A new grill opened up in Mooresville yesterday and I couldn't wait to see what it was all about.  In the plaza where others have failed before them, Tap's opened with a fresh menu and new concept.  It is still a sports bar, but this eatery boasts an eclectic menu and large selection of beers.  I had high expectations and was hoping for the best.

I visited Tap's with my friends Angie and Susan.  I'll be the first to admit that Mooresville's selection of restaurants is limited.  We have many restaurants, just not ones I want to eat at...think Chili's and O'Charley's.  I prefer to eat at locally owned diners.  So this was an obvious choice when finding somewhere to eat lunch with my friends.  And because opening day was Thursday, I was excited that Angie would get to try it out with me before she left.
We started with a basket of "Pickle Fries."  Many others have done the pickle chips before but this is a new take on one of my favorites.  The pickles are cut into "fry" shapes and deep fried.  I love the batter used on these pickle fries and would highly suggest them.  The fries were great on their own, but I did dip a few into their Chipotle Buttermilk dressing and it was great.  I had anticipated just an ordinary Southwest Ranch, but this was way better!
We moved on to entrees next and I ordered the BLT and A sandwich with a side of Sweet Potato Tots.  I had high hopes for this sandwich: smoked beets, arugula, tomato and avocado with goat cheese served on a baguette.  From the beginning I knew the baguette was a bad idea and thought about switching it out.  Alas, I decided to stick to the menu's offerings and wound up very disappointed.  The baguette was overwhelming for the veggies and I ended up peeling it away and eating the veggies with my fork.  I wish the sandwich was served on toast like an ordinary BLT.  The concept is wonderful.  The smoked beets were amazing.  But overall, the sandwich was underwhelming.  I made my suggestion to the manager...maybe they will follow up. 

There isn't much to say about the tots.  You know me and tots.  And post-pregnancy, sweet potato is back in my life for good.  So I had no issues with these.  They are served with a side of tomato jam that is amazing.  Again, I prefer my tots to stand alone (just as I do my pickle fries) but I couldn't help but scoop up every last bit of tomato jam from its dish.

Angie ordered the Fish and Chips and Susan had the "Pittsburgh" sandwich.  Both also found faults with their dishes but enjoyed their meals overall.  The fries came a little under seasoned, and the sandwich didn't have the punch of a typical "Pittsburgh." 

The menu was very intriguing at Tap's Pourhouse and Eatery.  Other menu items I'm dying to try include the vegan barley patty in place of any burger and the Bacon Caramel Popcorn.  Yum!  I think this would be a great pick to watch NCAA tourney and get a few sides or shares.  They have great offerings like Grit Fries, Fried Chicken Skins and Pork Belly Tacos.  And while the vegan options may be limited they are enticing. 

The prices are a little high for an ordinary lunch out.  For lunch with friends it was ok, but I wouldn't recommend it for your daily lunch.  At $10 for most sandwiches and $16 for entrees you could go broke eating out here everyday.  I would love to see a lunch menu developed with items in the $5-$6 range to draw in more of a lunch crowd.  However, for dinner, I think it is just fine.

We ended our meal with a dessert...because who can resist Coffee and a Donut when it is really a Glazed Krispy Kreme Donut Bread Pudding, served with Deluxe Espresso Ice Cream and Dulce de Leche.
 The bread pudding wasn't what I was expecting but still delightfully tasty.  Overall I would rate our experience fair.  A little underwhelming, but how could it not be when I walked in with such high expectations.  I would (and will) eat here again and again.  It sure beats out some of the alternatives in Mooresville.
And they have bendy straws!  A win in my book!

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