The cold, dreary days of winter are made brighter with a little excitement when dinnertime rolls around. That excitement is boiling over at Kildare’s Irish Pub with the launch of a new menu. Helming the change is chef Joe Dilley at the Manayunk branch of the Kildare’s domain.
What brings the change? Dilley says he is “always looking at trends; what’s hot, what’s not,” to explore the best opportunities for “great food to go along with great beer.” “Classic favorites are getting a facelift, like our new kale caesar; it is a step ahead,” says Dilley. Just rolled out are new salads, appetizers and sandwiches. What’s hot? Riding the big burger wave, the new half-pound signature burger is blanketed with applewood smoked bacon, bacon-tomato jam and bacon mayonnaise.
“[We’re] supporting the vision for the company,” says general manager Matt Radenbach of the impetus for the additions to the Delaware valley institution. Bringing Chef Joe Dilley to engineer the menu changes is part of the vision. With a history in the area, Dilley brings experience from Iron Hill Brewery and Deerfield Golf and Country Club, among others, to enrich the offerings at Kildare’s.
The staples that Kildare’s customers have come to treasure, like the classic cottage pie, bangers and beef stew, will continue to hold their positions on the revamped menu. Getting the menu to reflect “great food and great beer,” says Dilley, will “take the menu to the limit” with new appetizers like pub pretzels and a fun take on nachos as the focus on craft sweeps the regional pub group. In a run-up to future menu launches like the highly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day menu along with a brunch offering, Dilley is touting creations that he hopes will convince customers who “already love us for the beer [to] love us for the food.”
Chef Dilley is engineering the changes at Kildare’s Irish Pub, 4417 Main St., Manayunk; phone: (215) 482-7242. Other locations include West Chester, Scranton, State College and Newark (Delaware).
Photos: Jim Berman.
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