The idiom of “the pot calling the kettle black” has been around for centuries and has always implied hypocrisy, criticizing another’s person’s flaws while ignoring the same failings within oneself. The more literal meaning of the phrase, however, has to do with the accumulation of soot on the surfaces of both vessels. A good pub feels well worn with a bit of soot, but is not the same sort of place as a dive bar or a greasy spoon diner. In the core of Downtown Phoenix, a pub called the Kettle Black tries its best to look and feel like it has been around for a while.
There’s no actual soot to be found, although the conversion of the space from its former usage as a Burger King outlet may have involved cleaning up a fair amount of grease. The location is a shoebox space on First Street, located just a block or two from the light rail platforms of the Downtown Phoenix Hub. Look for the red doors on First Street between Washington and Adams. On nice days, they’re wide open to a patio built on a deck and expanded a few years ago. Bike racks, both standalone and integrated into parking meters, are plentiful on this block.
Inside, there’s a lot of dark wood, a community table, some booths, and a long bar. Bits of Anglo-American pop culture such as portraits of the Gallagher brothers of Oasis fame and the Notorious B.I.G decorate the walls. Although the building is modern, Kettle Black’s shoebox space has a somewhat old-school feel. There are not the separate rooms of traditional pubs in the British Isles, but columns divide the space, and a narrow corridor leads to the bathrooms with admonitions to wash one’s hands written on chalkboards in both English and Irish.
In terms of food, murmurs of the widely overused phrase “gastropub,” were heard when Kettle Black first opened a decade ago. Is that an accurate description of what’s served here? It all depends on the definition. If “gastro” means high-end, innovative, or farm-to-table (itself another overused phrase), then probably not. The menu at Kettle Black is generally composed of items diners have seen on countless menus. Very little will challenge anyone’s palate. On the other hand, the quality of food preparation here is above average in comparison to typical “pub grub.”
If ordering a pint from the bar, either a traditional pub favorite like Guinness or one of the rotating craft beers listed on a chalkboard, then the Bavarian pretzel is a good match. The large, soft braid is served with its two traditional pairings of spicy mustard and cheese sauce. Also easy to share are the crab cakes, two simple patties of crustacean with a garnish of diced red bell pepper and a small salad on the side. Daily soups such corn chowder, seafood chowder, or a hearty mix of corned beef and cabbage provide another option for an appetizer or light meal.
The all-day menu begins with a foundation of sandwiches. Corned beef, never out of place on a pub menu, appears again with thick cut sauerkraut in a reuben sandwich made with marble rye. A chicken breast with bacon, avocado, and mayonnaise, is served on toasted sourdough in a California Club. The First Street burger incorporates a juicy beef patty served within an airy brioche bun. Toppings of roasted red pepper and an onion ring accentuate this burger but do not overwhelm it. All sandwiches come with a side of fries, salad, coleslaw, pasta salad,or soup.
Inevitably, there are also some of the wraps that seem to have crept onto just about every two-column pub menu developed with the same template. On the heartier and more traditional side, fish and chips, a pub staple, takes the form of a thick slab of cob with a crisp coating and is presented over a bed of fries with a side of slaw and the expected condiments of ketchup, tartar sauce, and a lemon wedge. Atlantic salmon is served with a miso glaze over basmati rice. Although the menu promises “roast broccoli” as a side, what is served is actually steamed.
Other entrees branch out a little more with choices such as tender beef short rib in a Guinness sauce that is a little salty but still quite good. The entree is paired with roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and creamy spaghetti squash, the latter item perhaps a concession to gluten avoidance. Additional meaty items include a classic steak frites, pork chops with apple chutney, and an inventive steak pinwheel with accents of chimichurri, spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes. A black bean burger is the only choice that is vegetarian without modifications.
Lighter fare includes both a steak salad and a chicken salad. Both incorporate spring mix greens, roasted red pepper, and a corn salsa. The main differentiator, beyond the protein choice, is the dressing — citrus on the chicken and cilantro jalapeno on the beef. Another salad with ahi tuna relies on a base of cruciferous vegetables. For dessert, cheesecake and dulce de leche cake are available, but the best if a bread pudding made from the same brioche used to hold some of the burgers and topped with caramel sauce and whiskey flavored creme anglaise.
As at any pub, there’s no need to wait for dessert for whiskey, though. Plenty of it is available behind the bar, along with tap handles. In contrast with some of the dark beers traditionally favored on pub tap lists, the changing selection of craft beers leans toward IPAs, pilsners, and witbiers from breweries such as Wrenhouse, Mother Road, and PIzza Port. Neither Kettle Black nor the building that houses it has been around long enough to have accumulated much soot, but the new pub has settled in nicely amid the somewhat shinier landscape of First Street.
1 N. 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://thekettleblackpub.com
PHX Rail Food 