On the Friday leading into Labor Day weekend, we cleaned off our desk top early and visited the rooftop of Half Moon Restaurant and Saloon for dinner before checking out the First Friday Art Stroll in Kennett Square.
We’d been to the bar at Half Moon once before to sample a few beers. The downstairs bar has an excellent assortment of tapped beers to choose from, with new beers being tapped weekly. Tonight though, we wanted to dine on their rooftop dining area. The weather was magnificent, sunny but cool, a glimpse of the autumn weather to come.
Once we climbed the stairs, the rooftop hostess asked if we preferred to sit in the shade or in the sun. We chose the shady side and were seated overlooking the rooftops of Kennett Square. The rooftop dining area has a roof and retractable sides, garage doors, that can be lowered if inclement weather rolls in. That was not needed this night.
We overlooked the beer menu, and after much deliberation my date chose a beer. Unfortunately, the waiter explained not all the draft beers are available on the rooftop and she had to choose from a smaller, yet still ample, selection of drafts. It’s a small tradeoff that’s worthwhile to dine upstairs on a beautiful day. My date settled on the Long Trail Ale. I chose a Stoudt’s Ale. Two quality craft beers.
Many menu items were tempting on this day. I’ve heard much about Half Moon’s crab nachos, but the waiter described the portion size as large and my date doesn’t eat seafood, so I regrettably had to pass. Other tempting items included the kangaroo medallions, which are served with blueberry jam, crispy sweet potato string, and walnut raisin bread. They also serve kangaroo loin as an entree.
For dinner, I chose buffalo! The Full Moon Burger is six ounces of all natural buffalo meat that they advertise as 97 percent fat free. I chose cheddar cheese on top. When the waiter asked how I would like the burger cooked, I asked him what he recommended. Because it’s so lean, he recommended not not having the burger well-done, so I went with medium. The burger came with lettuce, tomato and onion and excellent home made potato chips. The buffalo was a good choice, with the same texture as lean beef, but a bit sweeter and without the greasy taste that often lingers after a cheeseburger.
My date chose the Arugula & Pear Salad, which came with black pepper candied walnuts, Apple Tree Farm goat cheese, golden raisins, and champagne honey vinaigrette. She exclaimed the cheese was a good combination with the pears and the salad was “light and flavorful.”
As we sipped our beers and looked out over Kennett Square, diners streamed in for dinner. The shady side began filling up as the sun set. The ceiling fans whirred quietly, facilitating the breeze. On a rooftop in the distance, a man set out his kitchen chairs and a dog poked its head out the window. Moments later, the dog jumped through the window onto the rooftop and walked around for a few moments before sitting and basking in the sun.
Though summer has drawn to a close, September offers ample opportunities to enjoy a few outdoor dining and Half Moon provides one of the nicest experiences.
Find Half Moon Restaurant and Saloon at 108 West State Street in Kennett Square or online at halfmoonrestaurant.com.
