So it's no surprise that the Swift Half pub, the Good Dog sibling that Garry and his wife and partner, Heather Gleason, recently opened in the new Piazza at Schmidts in Northern Liberties, feels like a completely different creature.
I'm not sure the Dog's gritty bike-messenger crowd will embrace it, as it lacks even a hint of urban funk. For one, there are no cans of trendy PBR amidst the myriad craft beers, most of which come in wee half-pint pours. And I just don't see them giving the dainty little cucumber sandwiches much hipster cred.
The room itself is a generic open box of a bar with wooden booths, flat-screen TVs, and a glass wall that looks out onto terrace seating on the Piazza. Like so much of this dramatically modern development from Bart Blatstein, there's a crisp newness here that borders on sterile.
But a little time and some crowds will no doubt be the ultimate seasoning. And with the Phillies slugging in playoff form one recent night on the gigantic TV screen overlooking the moonlit Piazza, I could finally imagine this unique public space in its thriving glory. Nearly 100 people reposed on folding chairs in the open square gazing up at the action, and every one of the 48 seats on the Swift Half's terrace was filled.
There were far more Phillies fans in jerseys than NoLibs scenesters, to be sure, a sign of the Piazza's mainstream demographic. But with a menu from the Good Dog's executive chef, Jessica O'Donnell, and her chef de cuisine, Jeff Kozlowski, there's nothing bland about the food.
Granted, there may not be any lightning bolts of bar-food brilliance on the level of that cheese-stuffed burger. But this menu is full of good ingredients and satisfying flavors, with a shade more culinary ambition and a lighter touch than the Good Dog's comfort-food ruminations.
