Review: Grace Tavern

By Glen Macnow

Score: 6.3
Price: $8.50 for the Grace Burger, with Swiss cheese and red onion.
Location: 2229 Grays Ferry Avenue

This little pub, an apparent hangout of Graduate Hospital workers, is as laid-back a place as we found over our 40-day adventure. So laid back that none of the 20 or so folks there the night we stopped in were even bothering to watch Flyers-Rangers playoffs on the bar TV. But that's a different story.

The patty is an impressive blend of Angus short rib, steak tips and brisket. Good, flavorful start. And a butter brioche bun from Le Bus is always a winner. Two-for-two. Add some vine-ripe tomatoes, a kick of red onions and that rare crowd pleaser of Swiss cheese, and we were optimistic we had stumbled into a real winner. And for a fair price.

Alas, the shortcoming here was in the preparation, not the design. Our "medium-rare" burger was burnt on the outside, and way too dark on the inside. Perhaps the guy in charge of flipping them was the only person at the Grace actually watching hockey, and so he lost track of our meal. Beyond that, there was a distribution issue – a small burger on a big bun. No one likes getting a bite of roll with tomatoes, onions – and no meat. Bottom line at the Grace: I like the architect more than the builder.