Devil's Den

There were other similarly soupy presentations - like the roasted veal sausage with flageolets - that would have been better with less liquid. At least the flavor was bold, bolstered by good Avery Salvation ale enriched with foie gras. A moist pork chop with mashed sweet potatoes and a chipotle barbecue sauce proved that the kitchen had enough finesse to properly cook a chop. I might have thought otherwise after two misfires in cooking the prime-grade strip steak medium rare - landing way too rare both tries. The Den gets extra credit for starting an entirely new steak on the redo, but the lesson was clear - avoid $24 entrees on a menu whose comfort zone is $10 to $20.

Lower expectations for the homemade desserts, too. The caramelized apple tart was a reliable bet. But the blueberry bread pudding was dry and chewy. And the crème brulee was so wrong that, with the tap of a fork, its chunky caramel crust capsized and sank beneath the surface of its liquidy, unset custard.

You'd be better off with a draft of "Crème Brulee" imperial stout from New York's Southern Tier. While some new gastropubs still struggle to shoot straight in the kitchen, at least their taps are pouring true.

Next week, Craig LaBan reviews 10 Arts in Center City.