Ready for a change in downtown WC? Never fear, it’s a slow, steady and flavor-filled process at Ram’s Head Bar and Grill, and whether you like wings and Buds during the game or more sophisticated cuisine with the latest craft brew, head chef Scott Moore’s got you covered.
A gastro pub is a British tradition. It’s a public house that specializes in high-quality food, and Scott is adding unique twists to traditional pub fare. So while there’s still the downstairs bar with a bustling nightlife scene, upstairs is a great balance of casual for a date, a family meal or to catch the game with friends.
“We’re a food-driven bar, and we keep revamping the menu to reflect that,” Scott added. “When I got here, the menu was the greatest hits of all the chefs who’d ever worked here. Now, we’re keeping an eye on what’s hot, what’s not, and using that feedback from customers to create great gastro pub grub.”
Part of that is having fun with specials, and sometimes a swing-and-a-miss becomes something great on the menu. Witness the hamburger with a macaroni “bun.” No, you won’t find that on the menu because the amount of gelatin needed to create something to cradle the Angus beef burger resulted in a way-too-big plate full of meat and mac.
“When we saw that, we adjusted: we took the mac, added cheese, breaded and quick-fried it and offered mac and cheese bites which sold amazingly well,” Scott explained. “Will that make the menu? Check back and see.”
Other tasty signs that this isn’t your dad’s college bar: you can order edamame or poutine from the small plates menu, a roasted beet salad, substitute tempeh or chicken for a burger, indulge in filet mignon cheesesteak or the lighter California BLT and get plantain chips, sriracha coleslaw or collard greens on the side. You’ll be delighted to see the growing craft beer list, too.
A sit-down and tasting with this creative chef speaks for itself. Here are three nibbles and five Qs with Scott:
The Don’t Judge Me Burger
Nothing is more aptly named than this ginormous platter stuffed with comfort food goodness. It’s a certified Angus beef patty topped with cheddar cheese, avocado, pulled pork, a fried egg, onion rings and smoked paprika aioli, with tater tots and three dipping sauces on the side. We know what you’re thinking, and you can just stop it right now: biting into this monster creates a no judgment zone. It’s savory madness thanks to the creamy avocado and cheddar that party perfectly with the proteins and get a just-right smoky zip from the onions and the aioli. Important note: the pulled pork is roasted in-house for more than 12 hours. One more must—remember to pair it with a seasonal craft beer.
West Chester Dish: That’s some bodacious burger. Is cooking that kind of food how you got your start?
Chef Scott Moore: Like many, I started as a dishwasher—I feel like I’m one of the last guys to come up that way, by getting real world experience. Hey, you’ve got to start peeling carrots somewhere, right? I was really lucky to get the chance to get into the kitchen and have some really talented chefs recognize I had some talent. I graduated from Downingtown High School and worked mostly in Exton and West Chester for some laid back chefs and some who had almost a military style. So I learned to cook everything. That taught me there’s a lot of give and take in the kitchen. I’m still learning from my chefs.
The Cheese Plate
The chips on the cheese plate keep it real: they’re house-made red bliss hit with a bit of oil, malt, salt, pepper and some ranch seasoning. This very unpretentious small plate changes biweekly, so stop in often and pair it with a hoppy craft beer that will be the perfect partner to creamy and firm cheeses alike. We sampled:
- Gruyere—complex flavors of earth and nut
- Manchego—notes of fruit and hay, some tang
- Boursin—creamy flavors of herbs and spices
- Goat cheese marinated in balsamic—creamy and sweet with gastrique notes
The generous plate tickled the taste buds with flatbread, red bliss chips, house-fried salami, walnuts, red grapes and three palate-pleasing sauces: honey, spicy mustard and fig jam. We mixed and matched the sweet-savory-umami offerings to create a delicious array of taste sensations.
Great touches here to make a cheese plate approachable to all. What’s your philosophy about food?
“There’s nothing to it but to do it.” I heard that from a lot of chefs over the years. You can’t be intimidated whether you’re a restaurant chef or a home cook. There are no real mistakes, and sometimes you create something great out of what might have been a mistake. So, I’m not afraid to go for it and combine a lot of different and big flavors. But I also love watching the little details, like seasonings, that can make a huge difference.
Bacon Deviled Eggs
Warning: you’ll never look at paprika-sprinkled picnic deviled eggs the same way again. Ram’s Head’s are artfully filled with yolk made dreamy with whole grain mustard, mayo, a touch of truffle oil and a wee bit of bacon fat, and then topped with crumbled bacon. But wait—there’s more. All four eggs are bookended in a glorious presentation of house-made chips and grilled salami atop a gastrique of a delicate pan-fried tomato pickle relish. You must nip up some of the sweet and tangy glaze with each savory-salty bite to fully experience this dish’s complexity. Pair it with a nice malty craft brew to enhance the sweet notes.
You were in California for a time. Does this dish have a West Coast influence?
This has elements of the freshness that’s California cuisine’s trademark but also plays with different textures. I love to pull together something that’s creamy, hearty and crunchy at the same time, just like I like to pair the salty and the sweet. It’s a more creative meal. My wife and I moved back from California last December, and I started here in January. There was a lot good going on in the kitchen but it was like a ship without a captain. We’re getting back to some great cooking basics and giving our customers the pub food they love but with that little something extra. That’s what makes us a gastro pub.
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
SoCal is the fish taco capital of the world, and we love them. So I do taco night a lot, but not just fish. I’ll pull chicken or sauté beef, keeping it light. I like to mix up the tortillas—soft, hard, corn, wheat. Tacos are real-deal home cooking because there are tons of accompaniments and again, nothing is “wrong.” It’s all good.
I see Ram’s Head is getting more involved in the community. How did you get involved with cooking with kids this summer?
Waste Oil Recyclers in Modena has a partnership with the Coatesville Youth Initiative. The kids learn about organic farming through the Mogreena Garden Project, and I was invited out to cook for the kids and show them what they can make from organic produce. We had a totally vegetarian meal: cauliflower soup, zucchini topped with BBQ sauce, collard greens and a pepper and smoked Gouda sourdough sandwich. It’s a really cool program and it was great to work with those kids. We will definitely continue to be out and about in the community.
Ram’s Head Bar and Grill is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.–2 a.m. and Sunday from noon–2 a.m. On top of chef Scott and his kitchen staff’s fabulous work, there’s ample room for group functions, tons of big screen TVs for your sports fix, late night craft happy from 10 p.m.–midnight, 50 cent wings and $7.50 Bud Light pitcher specials all day Sunday and Wednesday from 5 p.m.–midnight, $4 select drafts and half-priced sandwiches from 5–7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and late nite specials most days…you’ll have to stop in often to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Looking for some nightlife in Dub-C? The downstairs bar opens every night at 6 p.m., and while upstairs is non-smoking, the downstairs facility meets the state exemption requirements.
Find it all at 40 E. Market St., online, on Facebook and Twitter, or call (484) 631-0241.
