Craig LaBan reviews the Industry in Pennsport. The bar with a Vetri alum at the helm and a soft spot for hospitality industry pros gets a two-bell review.

Chef Patrick Szoke is serving up a fun and adventurous take on some familiar flavors that could easily rank higher in the city’s gastropub pecking order if he straightened out a few stray details of seasoning and execution.

The fried chicken craze gets a twist with Kentucky Fried guinea hen, the brined bird moist beneath its well-seasoned bread-crumb crust, an ear of Mexican street corn glazed in chile-lime mayo, and a dusting of cotija cheese. (Deciding to put the hot sauce on the side, rather than directly on the hen, was a smart adjustment.) Classic steak-frites is a bargain here for $18, with perfectly mid-rare medallions of grilled hanger steak glossed in wine-rich bordelaise. Szoke’s training at Vetri and Osteria, as well as his time at the Farm and Fisherman, is reflected in a soulful approach to alt-cuts such as lamb neck, which is slow-stewed to a rich ragu, then served in a steel crock with sides of grilled toast and a dollop of house-made ricotta.

Two Bells – Very Good

The Industry [Philadelphia Inquirer]
The Industry [Official Site]

Photo by Steve Legato