Taphouse - No Sides Required

Back to the wonderful random number generator at random.org, tonight's output was 54, which equates to Taphouse. Onto the bikes to brave the early heat wave and off we go! Taphouse, as the name suggests, is home to 44 draft beer options with a few oddball packaged beers in the cooler too. They offer pints of PBR as side dishes, which is kind of baller. Good kids meal choices, decent food from previous visits, I was looking forward to this one.

Taphouse is off Main street between 8th and Capitol and has a particularly unassuming storefront. I wasn't sure how long they'd last when they first opened, but they have stuck around and done well enough it seems. The interior is well laid out, relatively family friendly, and the TVs are a nice distraction for the girls. They watched some tennis and baseball tonight and were quite happy with it.

Presentation - As I said, nice interior and layout and good service all night. I liked the taco holder, basic but effective, although the use of metal rod instead of plate means they're less useful as the tacos get smaller. Engineer complaint. No side (more on that later), so nice symmetry on the plate I guess. Just fine, though not great. 3/5

Aroma - I liked it, couldn't pinpoint why, but well balanced. Citrus, pineapple sweetness, spice, all good. 4/5

Value - Tougher one here, $8.99 for three tacos is pretty good for a sit down restaurant, but no side. Add in chips and salsa (a sizable portion FWIW, full appetizer size) and you're at $12.98. About right for the food you get, and thus, average score. 5/10

Fish - Tough as well. There was a lot of it and it wasn't terrible, but the spice was very one dimensional. Seems like the chef just threw some cayenne pepper on it and called it a day. Come on, show some initiative. Some lime, garlic, something to add a little more flavor. I think I'm coming to a general theory on grilled fish; if spiced right it can be pretty damn good. Fried has the umami of the breading and grease, which can make even mediocre fish pretty tasty. Grilled needs more creativity and thought and is theoretically a better indicator of the chef's talent. Something to ponder. Anyway, back to the task at hand. 5/10

Not Fish - Flour tortillas again, but well prepared, not crumbly. Only one lime wedge for all three, but luckily a juicy one. Good slaw, just the right amount of pineapple. Decent sauce. Not a standout, but not bad. Perhaps being a bit generous here. 6/10

Overall Taste - Good, not great. Balanced, filling, overall decent for grilled fish. Above average, but not really anything to break away from the crowd. 6/10

Bonus Points - Nothing quite good enough to stand out. All around solid experience, but I can't pin a point to any particular thing. Close, no cigar. +0

Overall Overall - 29/50

Slightly above average, but nothing to write home about. For the record, their menu is solid. Christine had the Tin Shed Turkey sandwich and devoured it. The kids meals (mac and cheese for Rylie, chicken strips for Addie) were priced well, sized generously, and were also eaten in full. No leftovers for anyone, which is saying something. Great beer taster tray options too if you like that sort of thing. Worth the trip, but there are better menu items than the fish tacos.