What do you get when you cross Le Bec-Fin with a classic tavern? Something along the lines of Split Rail Tavern. You’d be hard pressed to find a finer blend of irreverent gourmets working together under one tavern roof.
Co-owners Doug Huntley and Paul McCreavy along with bar manager James Mullally shared some of their philosophies and experiences with PA Eats.
Mullally’s Windy Road to West Chester
It was music that brought Mullally from his native Ireland to the United States. After growing up in County Westmeath in the Midlands, home to Sean’s Bar, Europe’s oldest pub, dating back to 900 A.D., he found himself touring internationally with rock band Bunny, now disbanded. “Emotional turmoil and very little money,” he recalls, smirking.
Landing in Queens and needing to make ends meet, Mullally threw himself into work in bars and restaurants across New York City. The industry was familiar territory for someone whose first job as a pub potboy had led to employment in Dublin’s first-ever cocktail bar. Of the food and drink industry he says, “It’s fun. It’s technically work, but it’s not work.”
New York is where Mullally got a thorough education in hospitality and libations. He worked as an GM for hire, helping to open such hotels as the Hyatt in Times Square. He also mixed cocktails under Clover Club’s Julie Reiner for a year and a half. “That was work,” he says, laughing.
One of his own invented libations, the Rye Rye Birdie, landed on one of her menus. The blend of Templeton rye, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Luxardo maraschino liqueur and orange bitters has been Split Rail Tavern’s house Manhattan from day one, which Mullally describes bluntly as “moderately popular.”
Mullally and his wife had been visiting West Chester, her hometown, for about a decade before finally settling here themselves a few years ago. Mullally says he could see, as a relative outsider, how much people truly cared for the town of West Chester. He also noticed the progression and prosperity of the borough’s restaurant scene. “It’s a hungry audience, for want of a better description. Open minds and hungry bellies.”
Managing the Split Rail Potables
As bar manager, one of Mullally’s primary tasks is maintaining a harmony and balance amidst the broader scope of Split Rail’s offerings. “Everything has to work,” he says. Even if entrees and drinks aren’t necessarily “paired,” he’s pursuing a “symbiotic relationship” between the beers, cocktails and wines and the seasonal brunch, lunch and dinner menus.
He’s also focused on staying ahead of the industry curve. This requires creativity, an educated staff and knowledge of what’s en vogue. Mullally has a precarious relationship with trends, emphasizing that “finding your own trends is the key,” while making sure to avoid the obvious and unfortunate ones.
“I’d like to announce on behalf of the nation that Fireball is officially dead,” he stated. “Put that in print.” Mullally refers to a recent cinnamon whiskey shooter craze that ran rampant among the early 20s drinking crowds for quite some time and, arguably, for too long. But Split Rail isn’t seeing the throngs of “turpentine and Natty Ice” swigging patrons who abound in a college town like West Chester. As for how many college students frequent Split Rail Tavern, Mullally reports, “zero.” He goes on to clarify, “Technically, we’re pushing for it,” conceding, “Beer nerds and adults come in here.”
While avoiding bar fads, Split Rail still certainly taps into some of the more discerning trends. Mullally points to freshness and barrel aged spirits as game changers that have caught Split Rail’s attention. “Freshness is the next big thing,” he says, explaining that people are increasingly more aware of keg time stamping. “You can taste it. With IPAs, the fresher the better.”
Additionally, Split Rail has embraced the decadence of barrel aged spirits and brews. Mullally asserts, “We’re a barrel aged nation,” emphasizing that, while there’s a plethora to choose from, the good stuff, high in alcohol but not over-boozy, is phenomenal.
One such “diamond,” as he calls them, available seasonally at Split Rail is the Barrel Aged Hibernation English Style Old Ale by Great Divide, a beer that spends over a year oxidizing in whiskey barrels and offers a smooth, dark fruits and vanilla finish. Another standout is Mullally’s Split Rail cocktail menu favorite, the “Beam Me Up Scotchy.” Made with Laphroig Select, Basil Hayden’s, Benedictine, Punt e Mes sweet vermouth and housemade walnut bitters, it has spicy notes and has been the most popular drink of the season. Mullally says, “Peaty scotch can be really pleasant as long as it doesn’t kick you in the face.”
Reconnecting with Music
Speaking of whiskey, Mullally co-hosts Split Rail Tavern’s Whiskey Wednesday Acoustic Review alongside area musician Colin McGetrick, a weekly pairing of musical acts, open mic nights and small batch whiskey.
Mullally always had music on the mind when opening Split Rail, but live acts remained on the backburner until the basic functions of Split Rail were in motion. Hearing McGetrick play live one day, Mullally was struck. He recalls approaching him immediately. “Dude, stay here—don’t move. I’ll buy you lunch.” The two struck a chord and now together organize and participate in Split Rail’s numerous live music events and shows.
Of their collaboration, Mullally says, “We jam songs live once or twice a month live at Split. One of these days we’ll actually find time to rehearse and it’ll be amazing.”
A Spirited Future
As for what’s ahead, Mullally would like to flesh out Split Rail’s import and cider offerings. He says that imports “are not cheap but very worthwhile” and believes Split Rail’s approaching a point where it has the money and audience for them. Split Rail also has one cider on tap at all times, always something “really classic, dry style,” such as Domaine Dupont Cidre from France.
He’s also quite excited about Split Rail Tavern’s upcoming “Alternative St. Patrick’s Day” St. Patrick’s Day celebration, a sort of rebellion against what is solely an American holiday about an English saint. For Alt St. Patrick’s Day, Split Rail will serve corned beef and cabbage tacos and Mezcal cocktails and string up Shamrock pinatas. Mullally adds a disclaimer: “It’s an all too relevant tongue and cheek reaction from a legal immigrant.” So on Friday, March 17, sombreros and open minds are welcome at Split Rail Tavern.
Owning, Cooking and All Things in Between
Chef and co-owner of Split Rail Tavern Doug Huntley has also been in the business since his teenage years, working in both the front and the back of the house for some time and even earning a stage one Sommelier Certification. He found these early years invaluable, crediting that period with teaching him the importance of service and “what truly is hospitality.”
Huntley saw his time cooking for others as a necessary apprenticeship. “You need the lessons bestowed on you. You submit your will to their vision, become an instrument of execution, spend a lot of years doing this and honing your craft,” he says. “And then you leave and find your own voice.”
The voice of Huntley and co-owner Paul McCreavy could be described as simultaneously refined and nonchalant. What Huntley and McCreavy set out to create was an authentic tavern where highbrow and lowbrow go hand in hand. Huntley wants to see tables where one person orders escargot with pickled pear, bacon tarragon butter and a poached egg and another has a roast pork sandwich and the Belgian mussels with Levante’s Split Rail Saison. “There’s no reason everything on that table should not be phenomenal.”
The interior of Split Rail bears the same balance of refinement and nonchalance. On the first floor is a medley of tables, an enormous (and beautiful) wood bar and a long, narrow cocktail table in between for resting drinks and commiserating. The kitchen is set in the back. Upstairs is another huge bar, regular tables and high tops. The space is comfortable, funky and cool, a far cry from its past life as college dive bars 15 North and Alibis.
Huntley and McCreavy had looked for a restaurant space together for over a year. “When we walked into this place, it’s like when you know you’re going to kiss a girl,” he says, laughing, of the unexplained feeling they both felt upon seeing the space and knowing it was meant to be.
“There was a stage, a mezzanine, drop ceiling, dirty leather couches and a galley kitchen in the front,” he recalls, comparing it to a dirty rock and roll club. His reaction? “If we’re going to fail, let’s fail big.” And they took the leap.
Ingredients for Success
Making phenomenal food requires fresh ingredients. You won’t find a walk-in freezer at Split Rail, where food orders come in every day, most often from local vendors such as Dutch Meadows Organic Dairy farm, which supplies Split Rail with organic grass-fed beef from Lancaster. “We’re not pulling stuff from the freezer and dropping it into the fryer,” Huntley says.
Split Rail’s quality and freshness are undeniable. However, Huntley has a hard time with industry buzz words such as “farm fresh,” “craft,” “handmade” and “local” that, while apt, have become watered-down with overuse, particularly by large chains tapping into and selling the ideal.
“Everything’s got to be really punchy,” he says of pitching an image to the public. “Our marketing strategy is a bit archaic.” You can take a peek at Split Rail in its true forms on social media forums Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, but beyond that there’s no overarching promotional or branding scheme. “I don’t want a picture of me petting a cow through a barbed wire fence with a loving look in my eye,” Huntley says. “I feel like it’s on the plate.”
Huntley works closely with sous chef de cuisine Justin Hoke to create and crank out the incredible fare of Split Rail day in and day out. Huntley describes kitchen work as “long hours in a hot box doing manual labor,” and says Justin is tireless. Hoke previously worked at Le Bec-Fin and Le Cirque, among other internationally acclaimed restaurants. “He’s got some serious gourmet chops,” Huntley says.
Balancing Act
At Split Rail there’s a true balance of traditional, popular and innovative offerings. “You’re going to see the stuff everyone has, and then you’re going to see a couple jewels on there,” Huntley says, describing the mix of crowd favorites and eclectic items on both the bar and food menus.
This winter’s seasonal menu features comfort foods with delicious twists, including new entrees Cape May scallops over port wine lentils, Swiss chard, shitake mushrooms and blood orange beurre blanc; a bacon-wrapped meatloaf served with mashed potatoes, peas and carrots and a marsala mushroom gravy; and turkey pot pie with hay-baked turkey, mirepoix, turnips, sweet potato, peas in creamy gravy and topped with puff pastry.
Huntley’s learned that being a good host means figuring out what the customers are all about. While Huntley’s own favorite items come from the daily specials board of progressive, creative entrees, he recognizes the necessity of having something for everyone. “When spring’s coming, I’m not thinking of putting stinging nettles on the permanent menu.” Rather, he’s developed a core selection of what he’s found people like, which he figures out by listening and watching, incognito.
“It’s amazing to walk through the place—no one knows who I am—I overhear people, their conversations, see their faces when they’re eating food. I know that sounds corny but when I walk through and see a full bar, happy faces and they chose our place, I’m humbled by that.”
The same goes for the bar. “If our beer list was designed solely for the beer geek, we’d be closed.” He wants people to feel just as comfortable ordering a Budweiser as an Imperial Double Stout.
The customer-centered philosophy of Split Rail Tavern is what Huntley hopes will get them on “people’s mental rolodex.”
“You can get any style of food you want out there,” says, knowing full well that Split Rail is one many great options for dining in the area. He says, “Everyone who walks in the door is essentially a new long-term client. Those people are your bread and butter.”
And he’s determined to stay on the map. “I want us to be an established restaurant if that makes sense. A mainstay.”
Free Time
In their rare downtime, Mullally and Huntley try to chill out.
Mullally’s hobbies? “Play music and raise babies,” he says. His second daughter is due any day. “She’s heading toward the light,” he jokes. He’s trying to slow down and acclimate while enjoying the outdoors of Pennsylvania with his family.
Huntley, who lives in Fishtown, Philadelphia, home to “artisanal bagels and urban lumberjacks,” likes to ski and go see live music. Also, “I sleep. … [T]he stress beats you up so I try to get the pendulum swinging back.”
With equal parts cynicism and passion, Huntley and Mullally together serve up exceptional food and drink at Split Rail. They share a philosophy that luxury doesn’t have to be pretentious, and simple can be spectacular. For an authentically gourmet, down-to-earth experience, check out the Split Rail Tavern.
Find Split Rail Tavern at 15 N. Walnut St. in West Chester; phone: (610) 999-8805. Check out Split Rail’s ever-changing beer selection on Untappd.
- Photos: Alexandra Whitney
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