SmokeEaters gets its name honestly - owner Brian Haughton is a working firefighter, and the bar is decorated with firefighter gear and memorabilia donated from Philadelphia and even England and Ireland.
The menu, too, is based on the firehouse theme. Getting high marks from all tasters are the Chicken Wings ($7/dozen). Heat options range from Rookie to HazMat hot. We truly enjoyed the hot and honey version that had a great combo of heat and sweet.
Another winning dish was the Crabmeat Dip ($8.95). This cream-cheese-based dish must have roots in a recipe from the '50s or '60s. Perfect for sharing, it's an addictive blend.
My biggest criticism extends beyond the dipping bread for the dip. Even the sandwich bread is too soft and lacks texture and flavor. It screams, "I came out of plastic and lived in a big-box store for a while."
A Philadelphia bar needs Philadelphia bread - the kind that goes from the bakery to the kitchen and has a crust and, most of all, flavor.
When I mentioned this to Haughton, he responded that his dad (recently retired and taking on the newly invented SmokeEaters position of inventory manager) could make a Sarcone's run.
You gotta figure a guy who runs into burning buildings can think on his feet.
The bagged buns worked just fine for the Hot Dog ($3.95) which was nicely steamed and juicy. Sadly, it would have been even better with the award-winning chili, but that will have to wait until chili season.
The accompanying french fries, while clearly coming from the freezer and a large supplier, sure paired well with the dog and the brew.
The Onion Rings ($4.95), however, were a burning disappointment. It seemed that either the timing or temperature (or both) in the fry vat was off. The exterior crust wasn't crusty enough and the onions were a little underdone. But, the accompanying horseradish honey mustard sauce went a long way to make up for those sins.
