A Well-Known Food Critic Visited Phoenixville, And This Is Where He Ate

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Craig LaBan, the well-known food critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, recently paid a visit to Chester County, where he tried some of the area's best restaurants, including several in Phoenixville.

Here's where he ate, and what he thought (See here to read his full review of Chester County's top restaurants).

PHOENIXVILLE

Majolica

"A fresh potato chip cradling tuna tartare got our meal off to snappy start, followed by the summer sweetness of milky white corn soup poured over tender morsels of lobster. A deconstructed take on rumaki brought luscious grilled scallops layered with chunks of house-cured bacon."

Vecchia Pizzeria

"The pizza you need to know (and, lately, a steal at $10 for lunch) is just one: the Regina, a Margherita made with buffalo mozzarella, a sunburst of San Marzano sauce, and aromatic basil."

Guatemalan Kitchen

"The food is similar to Mexican cooking, but far milder and more straightforward, with an earthiness from fresh-made masa shells that rises to the fore. Don’t miss the garnachas enrolladas special of mini-tostadas topped with oniony minced beef."

Uncle B's BBQ Shack

"The baby backs were my favorite, smoked over cherry wood until the cuminy meat was tender with a smoky pink ring, but still just clinging to the bone. Side it with pulled-pork collards and excellent mac and cheese made with local Kolb’s Dairy cream and bits of Foresta’s kielbasa."

Iron Hill

"I've enjoyed the fish tacos and jaegerschnitzel. And service is reliably informative about the beers, which always offer edgier offerings to balance reliable classics like Pig Iron Porter."

The Foodery

"28-yard bank of fridges holding as many as 1,400 choices, including many rarities from around the country and world."

Bluebird Distilling

"Some of the best whiskey in Pennsylvania, including a deep amber Four Grain Bourbon whose sweet corn mash bill is balanced with deeply charred chocolate notes, dark rye spice, and both wheat and barley for smoothness."

Downtown Bangkok Cafe

"The traditional menu brought good renditions of familiar classics, but don’t miss two standouts:the appetizer curry puffs wrapped in flaky pastry, and an unusual Southern Thai curry called kaeng kua — a variation on red curry that’s coconut creamy, spicy, sour and sweet with pineapple — that’s hard to find."

Baba's Bucha

"One of the region’s best kombuchas, Baba’s Bucha, is made in a warehouse atelier here by Olga Sorzano, the Siberian-born chef-turned-fermentation dynamo who was inspired by her great-grandmother Dora’s “mushroom tea” recipe to create a brand of exceptional carbonated brews with probiotic power that blend seasonal fruits and herbs with freshness and balance, from blueberry-thyme to gingery Asian pear, refreshing hibiscus and floral 'Flower Power.'"

Root Down Brewery

"A broad range of styles, from a crisp pilsner to an ever-evolving IPA (Bine), and a “Cosmic” series of Imperial stouts like the barrel-aged Woodie that impressed me. A smoker turns out a BBQ picnic from the kitchen."

Stable 12

"Stable 12 is one of Phoenixville’s most visible new breweries. Brewer Mike Deger, another Sly Fox alum, has been focusing on IPAs and darker beers and has landed some early hits withCrowd Pleaser, a cloudy East Coast-style Double IPA full of juicy hops aroma without too much bitterness, and a hefty Russian Imperial stout called Rodeo Clown."

NEARBY MONTGOMERY COUNTY

POTTSTOWN

Henry's Cafe and Fine Groceries

"Sweet corn and bits of slab bacon from Foresta’s Country Meat Market in Phoenixville anchored a summer chowder brimming with sweet crab. The fish and chips he started making at his first location, at a flea market in Limerick, are still a coveted special."

Manatawny Still Works

"The limited-edition series of unique small batch whiskeys is especially worth seeking out."

Sly Fox Tastin' Room

"Best to keep it simple with pizzas and pork sliders at the "Tastin' Room" at the Pottstown brewery, where the Pikeland Pils, Royal Weisse, Saison VOS and O'Reilly's Stout are as fresh as they get."

ROYERSFORD

Han Dynasty

"Han Chiang gave Center City Philly a thrilling wake-up to true Sichuan spice at his original Old City spot-and helped spark the trend towards more authentic regional Chinese cooking in the region."

KING OF PRUSSIA

Mistral

"Riffs on tartare, with warm lamb and raw tuna, as well as a Thai-spiced grilled calamari show Mistral’s edgy side, while a standout burger with bacon jam, pineapple-chili-glazed chicken wings and a flatiron steak with potato pave suit more traditional tastes."

Creed's Seafood and Steaks

"Rich lobster bisque, no-nonsense lump crab cakes and excellent steaks..."

Pin Wei

"Authentic Sichuan cuisine, from the sesame-rich dandan noodles to dumplings in orange oil that simmer with numbing anise spice."

Choolaah Indian BBQ

"Tandoor meets Chipotle in this colorful and contemporary Indian twist on the quick-serve trend."

Legal Sea Foods

"Classic New England fish-house fare, from creamy chowder to fried belly clams, simply grilled fish and steamed whole lobsters that also come removed from the shell and stuffed into a crock with buttery seafood beneath a pile of crushed Ritz crackers."

Davio's

"The prime-grade “natural-aged” New York strip was one the best steaks I ate all year. The Italian fare is better than average."

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