Although Tap House 24 was a much-anticipated addition to the Greencastle square, Wasser Brewing wins my vote for best new restaurant in town. At Wasser Brewing, I started off with a beer flight, which included all four of Wasser’s beers: hefeweizen, English pale ale, Belgian stout and “Super 8.” My favorite of the four was the Belgian stout. Even though it was a stout, it was full-flavored without being heavy, and I liked the chocolate malt and coffee notes. I also enjoyed the English pale ale; it was a well-balanced beer with a light fruity aftertaste. The “Super 8,” made with simcoe, cascade, chinook and citra hops, was a hoppy and bold beer, but not a personal favorite of mine because of the overpowering taste of hops. On the opposite end of the flavor profile, the hefeweizen, a German wheat ale, was light and easy to drink, but tasted more like water than beer.
As for an appetizer, my table ordered the bruschetta and tapenade crostini plate. I was blown away at how good this appetizer tasted. The bruschetta was a mixture of fresh, local tomatoes, basil picked from the owner’s garden and red onion atop an herb cream cheese spread and crostini. The tapenade included a blend of Kalamata olives and artichoke hearts atop the same herb cream cheese spread and crostini, sprinkled with a bit of lemon zest for an added zing. Although I liked the bruschetta slightly more than the tapenade, both types of crostinis had balanced and fresh flavors. The appetizers were unlike any food offering I have had in Greencastle, and I would highly recommend them as an accompaniment to the beer flight.
For a small plate entrée, I ordered the fish tacos. Wasser had a busy weekend and the fish taco’s sold out, so the chef switched out the fish for chicken, but the tacos were still light and bursting with flavor. The tacos were filled with chicken, cabbage, carrots, radish, and pico de gallo layered with a cilantro aioli and queso fresco. The tacos had full-bodied flavor and much like the appetizer, paired perfectly with the signature Wasser brews.
Overall, Wasser Brewing is thoughtful about their food selection, and the food options pair well with the beer. Although the restaurant’s space isn’t fully completed yet, Wasser has a rustic, inviting environment that is a perfect place to have a pint with family or friends.
At Tap House 24, however, I had a slightly different dining experience. I ordered two of the restaurant’s signature items: the chicken & andouille jambalaya and the “Windy City” sandwich. The jambalaya, a blend of chicken, sausage, vegetables and rice, was served simply with slices of French bread. The dish had a good spice to it, but was somewhat dry. The bread accompaniment wasn’t grilled or toasted, and it seemed like an afterthought. The “Windy City” sandwich, layered with pork loin, giardiniera, bacon, provolone, lettuce, and tomato, was as underwhelming as the jambalaya. The sandwich bread wasn’t toasted, the provolone cheese wasn’t fully melted and the pork loin was dry. Although the giardiniera added some much needed flavor, the sandwich was nothing to write home about.
After eating at Tap House 24, it became much more obvious that the restaurant-bar is owned by the same company, Dora Hotel Co., that manages the Inn at DePauw (and subsequently The Duck and Two West). The company spent a lot of time and money on the interior space, but the food isn’t much better than eating on-campus. Tap House 24 is almost exactly like The Duck, but with a slightly better atmosphere and beer menu.