So the last time we talked about Ladder 15, Mike Stollenwerk had consulted on the menu and Max Tucker and Co. had high hopes for a mixed crowd. The food world worried about the connections to other non-foodie brah-bars like Mad River, and the crowd that comes along with it.
Mike’s menu was being carried out by another executive chef and it never really worked. You can’t hire Michelangelo to teach someone else how to paint and sculpt.
“Lesson learned”, says Tucker. “We know we have a lot to prove here, and I can wholly admit we #$%&ed that up. The food wasn’t where it needed to be, and neither was the beer. We hope with the addition of David (Ansill) and a good craft beer list that we can attract the folks we missed out on the first time around. We are committed to this change. We’re gonna train up the staff on the food and the beer, and keep the taps rotating.”
Here we are months later, and one huge Chef coup forward, and there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. If additions to the menu like the Bone Marrow Burger above is any hint, then a foodie/beer nerd outpost is still a possibility with the right commitment and efforts.
The Burger 15 itself is topped with short rib, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and truffle jus, with a sidecar of sizzling bone, filled with rich marrow to spread on top of your meaty friend. All of this comes in the presence of a Metropolitan brioche.
“It’s called Burger 15 because it’s the 15th one we tried.”, said the chef.
I will make sure to keep eating my share. And don’t forget about the Korean Tacos.
Ladder 15, 1528 Sansom St. (215) 964-9755
– Collin Flatt
(Ed. – as of this writing, Collin Flatt was just hired to consult on the beer program at Ladder 15. If it sucks after next week, it is totally his fault. We believe he did this solely to be closer to David Ansill, an obvious non-sexual man crush for our loudmouth critic)
