Greenwich Village isn’t usually a New York neighborhood I typically visit. I’m often passing through on my way to the West Village or the East Village, so it was a bit of surprise when a friend suggested we eat at The Malt House, a lovely little gastropub.

Amber light fills the space, and the place is split in two — you enter into the main pub/bar, which got a little rowdy when we were there, but nothing too crazy. There are some tall bar chairs and a few benches, which I think would make this a great after-work place. We went through to the dining room int he back, which was lined with tufted leather seating and lots of little tables. I wasn’t a fan of the smaller stools, since they’re kind of uncomfortable, but what can you do?

Well, you can eat, and the food was an unexpected surprise, and hey ya’ll, delicious called and he’s here to stay.

We ordered the Tempura Fried Pickles to start, which are ale battered and served with wasabi ranch. An entirely different family of flavors than I had originally anticipated, but it really worked. The wasabi wasn’t overpowering, and any overabundance of heat was tempered by the ranch dressing. Served as pickle spears that were easy to cut and dip, this was a great way to get our appetites going.

The Fried Chicken Waffle Club features pan fried chicken breast, avocado, applewood smoked bacon, a bit of romaine lettuce, and chorizo gravy. The perfect savory treat with just a touch of sweet, this sandwich was hearty without being too heavy, and the fried chicken and waffles were both perfectly rendered. Crispy texture with the soft, doughy waffle — yes please.

For drinks, I started with my standard spicy tequila drink, this time titled El Diablo, a devilish delight of reposado tequila, creme de cassis, lime juice, and ginger beer. The effect was something of a sinister Dark and Stormy, and I was quite a fan — a bit of spice from the ginger, but it agreeable. After that I switched it up for a bourbon ale, which was dark and rich and delicious.