Resurrection Ale House

But I was happy to share. And there were more than enough other great flavors here to compensate for the kitchen's few missteps. The grilled pork loin chop was outstanding, brined to tenderness, and served over shaved Brussels sprouts that snapped with crispy pancetta chips. The hanger steak (and eggs) and frites was, at $15, an excellent value, with its protein boost of sunnyside eggs. The hand-cut fries, meanwhile, were wonderfully crisp.

Resurrection's twice-fried chicken thighs, meanwhile, are rightfully earning renown, the buttermilk-cornmeal crusts tingling with a pinch of sriracha heat beneath a drizzled honey glaze. I love it most, though, for its flourishes - the house-pickled okra that drips tartly onto the sweet and spice, and a German potato salad below warmed with molten schmaltz and crispy bits of chicken cracklins. Of course, there is the obligatory Berkshire pork belly dish, which Chmiko deftly slow- braises and serves over a guajillo-spiced kabocha pumpkin puree with the unexpectedly wonderful garnish of cognac-steeped prunes.

Speaking of unexpected - especially in a place so gifted with swine and schmaltz - some of Resurrection's most notable flavors turn out to be vegetarian, from the spicy lentil sloppy joe to the pumpkin risotto dusted with Amaretti cookies, and the crunchy fennel-green bean salad.

Chmiko's roasted maitake mushroom entree, though, may be his finest dish. Pan-roasted and topped with hazelnut bread crumbs so its feathery fronds become crisp, this majestic mushroom pouf, set atop celery root puree with a side of glazed carrots and peppery arugula, is at once meaty, earthy, and rich, the ulimate blue-plate special of veggie comfort.

It's the kind of dish Elvis Costello - a reputed vegetarian - might even someday consider. (In Hartranft's dreams!) For now, at least, Graduate Hospital residents should rejoice, because the Resurrection Ale House is yet another solid step up for a rising neighborood that's now a far cry from the days, not long ago, when its dining options were, in Costello-ese, "Less Than Zero."

Next Sunday, Craig LaBan reviews Pizzeria Stella. Contact him at 215-854-2682 or claban@phillynews.com.