Split Rail Tavern, one of West Chester’s most popular destinations for locally sourced food as well as a veritable hot spot for enjoying an extensive craft beer selection on tap, has now debuted its fresh and delicious Thursday Seafood Nights.
Earlier this month, chef and owner Doug Huntley began offering up fantastic maritime menu additions from 5–10 p.m. on Thursday evenings as well as surprise specials changing from week to week, depending on what’s locally available. It’s a new, weekly catch-of-the-day event that you won’t want to miss.
Seafood Offerings
Customers can count on new Thursday staple seafood offerings such as buck-a-shuck oysters, steamers, shrimp cocktail and fisherman’s stew as well as changing special appetizers and entrees.
Staying true to the spirit of using local ingredients, Huntley’s oyster selection comes from coastal waters between Maine and the Carolinas, with two of the three weekly choices always drawn from the Delaware Bay. Huntley’s “deep dish East Coast oyster selection,” as he calls it, includes Blue Points, Chincoteagues and Wellfleets on heavy rotation.
As for the shrimp cocktail, diners can expect U/15 colossal sized shrimp, brined overnight and dry roasted Thursday afternoons, served with a feisty, savory housemade cocktail sauce.
Little neck clams, a third mouthwatering option, are steamed in clam broth and served with a side of drawn butter.
The fourth seafood staple is a robust and tasty Fisherman’s stew. Though the details of this bouillabaisse-like stew change from week to week based upon what Huntley deems the freshest catch, it typically involves shellfish like scallops, shrimp, mussels and calamari as well as a white fish catch of the day, often cod or hake, red bliss potatoes or basmati rice. It’s flavored with orange braised fennel, fresh spinach and marinated tomatoes and accompanied by a grilled toast plank with saffron aioli for soaking up the steaming, delectable broth.
In addition to the four Thursday night seafood mainstays, Split Rail will serve changing special appetizers and entrees, inspired by the season and freshest ingredients available each week. Huntley seeks out local ingredients as a rule, a habit that sets his restaurant apart from many others. He frequents area farmers’ markets including West Chester Growers Market and uses local small business Gadaleto’s Seafood Market as his primary seafood source.
For those inclined to turn up the heat, Huntley offers housemade hot sauces, one red and one green, made with both ripe and unripe locally grown Carolina reapers, habaneros and ghost peppers—all excellent ways to kick the Thursday Seafood Night experience up by a few degrees.
Craft Beer to Boot
Another Thursday feature at Split Rail Tavern is $4 IPAs throughout the day. That includes both bottled IPAs and a rotating draft selection of at least five IPAs at all times, with the likes of Lagunitas IPA, Victory Dirtwolf and Otter Creek Kind Ryed frequently in the mix. These happy, hoppy libations are the perfect complement to the savory deep sea fare.
Always Evolving
Huntley has a penchant for satisfying the ever-growing number of patrons by paying close attention to what they favor. Thursday Seafood Nights were inspired by the overwhelmingly positive feedback he was receiving on various seafood entrees he introduced over the course of his four seasonal menus. Grilled octopus on his opening menu was followed by prosciutto-wrapped mahi mahi and linguini with clams, each returning with raves from diners. It was the echos of these reviews and the recent deficit in seafood victuals around town created when Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House closed its doors that led Huntley to take this new step. Thus far in its debut month, Thursday Seafood Nights have already proven to be a satisfying and wise move.
Thursday Seafood Night is not the only unique offering at Split Rail Tavern, a hefty two-story establishment capable of hosting live musical acts and private events. Local musician Colin McGetrick has teamed with Split Rail in hosting Whiskey Wednesday Acoustic Reviews, a rotation of regional acoustic performers in conjunction with featured specialty and small batch whiskeys. Local powerhouse electric trio Wave Radio performs every third Saturday, and for night owls and night caps, late night happy hours start at 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Split Rail Tavern also serves up one phenomenal brunch, with killer items like brown sugar brioche French toast, pickle-brined fried chicken and sweet potato pastrami hash.
Catch a Delicious Experience
Split Rail Tavern truly has something for everyone. From high end spirits to hearty craft brews, reinvented classics to incredible comfort food, exceptional locally sourced flavors abound. Huntley has once again hit the mark with his latest seafood menu specials. For an impromptu occasion to remember or a decided foray into the delicious flavors of the deep blue sea, Split Tail Tavern’s Thursday Seafood Nights are just the thing.
Find Split Rail Tavern at 15 N. Walnut St. in West Chester; phone: (484) 999-8805.
- Oyster, beer & exterior photos: Alexandra Whitney
- Remaining photos: Split Rail Tavern
