PhillyFoodGuys: Hittin’ the Streets for Underground Eats

 

 Beneluxx Tasting Room [13:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Old City’s Beneluxx Tasting Room is a fun and interesting place to visit if you’re interested in trying different types of Belgian beer, wine, cheese and chocolate. Situated just around the corner from its big brother Eulogy, Benelux offers a unique format featuring 2 ounce tastes of its draft beers and wine, as well as tastes of its artisan cheeses and chocolates. Beneluxx also offers a limited menu of appetizers and pub grub, but I think that the tasting format is what makes this place different.

Descending into this basement bar, Beneluxx definitely feels well off the beaten path; you really have to look for the sign guiding you down the stairway. The barroom is smaller and includes about 10 tables, a small open kitchen and the bar itself. The rear wall contains a variety of beer taps and a cuvinet system, used to dispense wine by the glass. The atmosphere is intimate and comfortable, yet somewhat raw.

Our bartender greeted us as we sat down and offered a brief explanation of the tasting format as he handed us menus. Tastes of beer and wine are served in small containers accompanied by a single glass, with a maximum of three beverages per serving. Beneluxx offers 36 varieties of draft beer (primarily Belgian) and 30 wines, so there are plenty of beverages to try. I think we covered 16 different types among the four of us. Average cost of 2oz. taste of beer is $2.50 (+/-).

Cracking the menu, I could understand why some friends had said that it was painful to navigate; excessive detail makes the selection of any item appear daunting and Taylor from Mac & Cheese quipped that “the information hierarchy is poorly designed.” Regardless, we dove in and ordered the first of many samples.

Waiting for the bartender’s delivery, we considered a few appetizers from the menu that included 20 gourmet cheeses, 3 types of fondue, soups, light sandwiches, pizzas and 8 types of chocolate. Several rounds later, Russell and I ordered a Swiss cheese fondue, as well as a selection of cheeses and chocolates to try, after all isn’t that why we were there? The bartender recommended a Farmhouse cheese made by hand in England, so we had to add that one too.

“Delicious,” “surprisingly good” and “excellent” were a few adjectives thrown around as we first tasted the cheeses and later the chocolates. The fondue was very good, but the highlight was the Farmhouse cheese. Although the portion is sample-sized, it was rich and delicious. Moreover, comparing the different types of chocolate was both delicious and interesting.

As our evening progressed, or should I say digressed, we sampled quite a few beers and wines, each finding a favorite for the evening. Tragically, I picked the Piraat, which was 10.5% ABV; I realized my mistake after it was too late. As the evening wound down we all compared notes on our experience, but Russell would make a telling statement “there wasn’t much I didn’t like, of course we haven’t got the bill yet”

Needless to say, our check looked like a grocery list. A tragic $55 per person (incl. tip) grocery list. After a quick study of the check and the clock, we realized that it probably wasn’t as horrific as it appeared. Chalk it up to getting caught up in the moment. We still had a great time.

Beneluxx Tasting Room is a great spot to try varieties of beer, wine, cheese and chocolate without making a big commitment. The service was very good, the atmosphere warm and the crowd diverse. As we found out, those $2 and $3 charges add up but that’s to be expected. This is a perfect date spot, especially if you stop in for drinks and appetizers or a late night snack. Perfect for smaller groups too. Just beware of the Piraat!

Beneluxx Tasting Room is located at 33 S. 3rd Street Philadelphia, PA
(215) 413-1918
www.beneluxx.com

TAGS: Philadelphia, Philly, Old City, Beneluxx Tasting Room, Podcast, Belgian Beer