For Pete's Sake

Royal Tavern is our neighborhood go-to bar, but we thought we’d try out nearby For Pete’s Sake on the corner of Front and Christian on recommendation of a friend. I’ve been driving by the corner bar and eatery for years, and the sidewalk tables are always filled.

With our first (poorly lit) visit we sampled the mixed tomato and mozzarella salad with basil, pesto, and balsamic drizzle. The tomatoes were fresh and flavorful, as were the pesto and balsamic drizzle.

Next up is the only vegetarian entrée, the grilled veggie wrap with portabello, asparagus, caramelized onions, spinach, tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic in a tortilla accompanied by hand cut fries. Visually, I happily mistook the caramelized onions for a healthy portion of sauerkraut. Unfortunately the onions were not sauerkraut, but limp and tasted like they had had the flavor boiled out of them. I’m not sure what For Pete’s Sake definition of caramelized is. The wrap also suffered from a lack of “special sauce” to bring any flavor to the medley of vegetables. We ended up spreading the pesto from the tomato and mozzarella salad on the wrap and dipping the wrap in the drizzle.

Sometimes I cannot choose dessert, so ask for the server’s recommendation. (The server we had both times is very nice.) She recommended the chai cheesecake, and I cringed since cheese cake is one of my least favorite desserts. The cheese cake was good. Yay, team!

The second visit kicked off with a key lime martini recommended by the server, which was phenomenal. It was like drinking key lime pie, coconut crust and all.

I did not want to revisit any foods from the first visit, so was pretty much left with a house salad or hummus to choose from. That day they were featuring a trio of basil, eggplant, and beet hummus with grilled pita. The basil hummus was like a mashup of pesto and hummus, the eggplant hummus was like a mashup of baba ganoush and hummus, and the beet hummus was like a mashup of Pretty in Pink and hummus. While the beet hummus was the most compelling visually, it was the least distinctive. A few vegetables would be nice, as bread and dip get tiring after a while. I realize this dish is usually meant to be a shared appetizer, but you don’t know how many times the hummus appetizer is the only item I can eat at bars. Hummus gets boring.

The boy had the fish and chips. No real complaints on his part. I did stick my fork in the carrot and raisin salad. I think the salad may have been old, as it tasted like Elmer’s glue and the raisins looked a little pruney.

With limited offerings for vegetarians and hit and miss food, I think I’m sticking with my normal joint. If I could get a table outside, For Pete’s Sake would be a nice spot for drinks.

For Pete's Sake, 900 S. Front St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-462-2230
Mon.-Sat., 11:30-Midnight; Sun.,12PM-10PM