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Y! MyWebBar Review
Chappys Tap Room and Grille
Grille offers inviting list of beers, food
Sunday, January 06, 2008
What do a sheik, a Rolls Royce, 30 beers on tap and 75 more in bottles have in common? Sounds like one of those nutty jokes with an awful punch line your grandfather might have told you.
But make no mistake, Chappys Tap Room and Grille is no punch line. Named after the Rolls Royce driving grandfather of co-owner Dave Camplin who was a friend to all — yes, including a sheik — Chappys Tap Room and Grille has all the ingredients that legends are made of.
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The bar and lounge at Chappys Tap Room and Grille.
Half pound charcoal grilled burger is served with America cheese, red onion, lettuce and tomato at Chappys Tap Room and Grille.Chappys Tap Room and Grille
- WHERE: 2733 W. Alex-Bell Road, Moraine [Map]
- HOURS: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11-2 a.m. Friday and Sat., 11-1 a.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 p.m. Friday and Sat.,10 p.m. Sundays
- VIBE: Dress to your comfort level at this beer mecca — the warm, rich interior and flat panel televisions will draw attention away from any fashion faux pas you may be committing at the time
- WE RECOMMEND: Chimay White Belgian draught ($8) or any other beer from the extensive list that floats your boat. Burger Bites ($6.95), Campy's Chili ($4.25). Chappys BBQ Ribs ($18.95 for a full slab, $12.95 for a half slab). When done right, the crispy fried chicken four-piece dinner ($12.95) is an excellent choice, but will take up to 30 minutes to prepare
- MORE INFO: (937) 299-RIBS (7427) or www.chappystaproom.com/
- MORE: Reader ratings, complete profile
The newly opened restaurant is located in the former location of Taste of Thailand, formerly a Bill Knapp's site, but with the improvements you would never know it. The interior is separated into distinct spaces — a dining area and a traditional bar. The dining room is decorated in warm, welcoming hues complemented by rich leather seating.
Chappys boasts a well-rounded, solid menu, but it pales in comparison to the outstanding beer selection. The array of choices focuses heavily on microbrews and Belgian ales, elevating it to one of the best beer bars here in town. After asking a few questions of the server, she brought us the "beer book" — a comprehensive list of all of the beers — seasonal and otherwise — complete with terrific descriptions and supplementary information for each. Spotting a Chimay White Belgian Trappist ale draught ($8) – the only tavern to offer this within 200 miles according to our guide — Alexis began the evening's exploration. Our evenings food choices included the BBQ Rib Teaser ($7.95), the Burger Bites ($6.95) and Jumbo Chicken Wings ($7.95).
Chappys Rib Teaser was just as advertised — smoky and tender, but perhaps a little too light on the sauce. The Jumbo Chicken Wings were plump, juicy and perfectly sauced. The evening's winner by a pint-sized margin were the Burger Bites. The two plump juicy fresh burgers were topped with cheese and pickle and served up nearly perfect. Those feeling particularly famished may want to opt for the half pound version for just a dollar more.
Instead of a traditional desert, the Lizards opted to let the beer book be our guide. Craig went for the more unusual fare, ordering an Aecht Schlenkeria Rauchbier Urbock ($8) German smoked beer. A warning ... smoked beer is not for everyone, but Craig's little smoked German gem lived up to the description and reminded him, "of the smell of a glazed ham baking." The beer tasted like a lot like it smelled. Craig enjoyed it, but drinking ham isn't for everyone — Alexis in particular.
On a second trip, the Lizards found Chappys buzzing with activity. Our table was right in line of the side door and we offer these words of caution as winter sets in: wear layers. The numerous exits and entrances by customers and staff made it chilly.
Looking to sample more of Chappys menu, we tried the Campy's Chili ($4.25), the loaded chips ($7.95) and the crispy fried chicken four-piece dinner ($12.95) among others.
The thick chili was robust, rich and packed with flavor. The chips were crunchy ... too much so, and slightly charred, even for those of us who look for the crunchy castoffs hidden at the bottom of a potato chip bag. The fried chicken, marinated 24 hours and prepared to order was nearly too salty to finish – much different than a nearly perfect version we sampled on a separate outing.
Being Lounge Lizards, a trip to the bar area is a must. On a different night, what could have ended up in a beer tragedy was averted by head bartender Eric Cannon. Alexis ordered a Berliner Kindl 1809 Weisse German style wheat beer ($8). The bottle and glass arrived and after several bitter beer faces, Eric came to the rescue with Himbeer Getrankesirup — an authentic German raspberry syrup that should be served with it, transforming it into one of the best raspberry flavored beers we've had in ages.
With an alluring combination of beers and tempting food creations at reasonable prices, Chappys Tap Room and Grille is sure to be a legend in its own right for beer and food, but especially beer.
This review was originally published on Dec. 7, 2007.
