District Bar is a restaurant and bar, and the many flat-screen TVs notwithstanding, I wouldn't place it in the sports bar category; it just doesn't have the rough edges and grit that I would associate with a sports bar (the wall of books as you enter, it turns out, is actually a secret pass-through to a private dining room).
On the other hand, the food -- many appetizers (which outnumber entrees by about five to one), burgers, flatbreads, and salads -- suggests that you might come here for the scene (and possibly to watch a game) and hang around for the food.
A lunch and a dinner later, I came away with a good enough feeling that I would again return. A pork wing appetizer had me sitting up in my chair. Two really meaty "wings" (aka pork on a bone) had me going to the last luscious bite. The pork had a spicy yet flavorful zing ("orange buffalo sauce") that gave me a good case of the sniffles that I associate with "spicy good." Served alongside was the requisite blue cheese dipping sauce for the sticks of carrots and celery root.
The "Chicago cheesesteak" sandwich wasn't all that great. The huge baguette, though a good one, overwhelmed the beef (too little) and provolone (which I guess makes it "Chicago," not Philadelphia). In all, it was impossible to eat this sandwich as a sandwich; it ended up being a knife-and-fork affair. On the plus side, the giardiniera mingling with the beef was most enjoyable; ditto for the haystack of crispy fries that came with it.
Back for dinner, where it was the "pizza" of the moment, known as flatbread. The crust, oval in shape, crispy and cut into squares, got topped with a lively assembly of baby arugula, prosciutto, red onion and chips of Parmigiano-Reggiano. It was a tasty and flavorful appetizer for two to share as a light nibble.
District's shrimp de Jonghe was done almost in the classic manner, but this version was lighter and more inviting. The six large shrimp got hit with some bread crumbs, but they were applied lightly, so the shrimp were not entombed in bread or too much garlic. A welcome addition was a sun-dried tomato and a lemon confit and haricots verts.
The fish and chips were nicely updated via pan-roasted whitefish. The two fillets came out of the pan at the right time -- moist, flaky, flavorful. A bevy of really good, tender baby peas were scattered atop the fillets, and a thick puree of peas added even more interest. The "chips" with the fish turned out to be standard-issue fries, but they were crispy and delicious. I liked the whole approach, since it elevated basic fish and chips to another level of enjoyment.
Dessert was a banana split (only three desserts were listed, and the other two didn't grab me). What can I say about my dessert? Ice cream, bananas, maraschino cherries, nuts, but this banana split needed more chocolate sauce. Nevertheless, my wife and I almost polished it off.
E-mail brunoeats@aol.com.
