Black Horse Tavern Upscale tavern opens in the other 'chester

There are times in life when you simply have to throw caution to the wind and follow your dreams... or failing that, grab two beers, pull the emergency exit chute, and frantically run across the tarmac to your car. Taking a more reasoned path to their goal, the folks behind Black Horse Tavern, now open.

The culmination of a lifelong dream from a local police officer/real estate agent husband-wife duo, this upscale neighborhood resto/bar's modeled after an iconic 1700s Winchester pub and is slinging hearty American fare in the 84-seat former Black Horse Bootery, which's been richly outfitted w/ a 36ft mahogany bar, floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, brown leather booths, copper ceiling tiles, and a row of bifold windows that can't decide whether they prefer to be opened or closed. Burly entrees include a 12oz chargrilled, herb butter'd New York Sirloin; salmon pan seared with honey/soy/ginger; and a thick center-cut Beer Brined Pork Chop served w/ applesauce and herb mashed potatoes, which're constantly in danger of devouring themselves while watching Robot Chicken. There's also handheld deliciousness like the half-pound Black Horse Burger w/ cheddar, sliced sweet Italian sausage, and caramelized onions; a cheddar/jack cheese'd BBQ chicken pizza w/ red peppers, cilantro, and lime; and a mozzarella melted steak tip sammie w/ grilled mushrooms/onions on a crusty French baguette that won't stop complaining about how much better things were under Mitterrand.

If the walk through the Fells left you parched, BHT's got 12 draft lines including Goose Island & Black Horse Brew, plus a balanced 20-plus wine menu to accompany signature cocktails like the Kentucky Sunrise (Jim Beam/Grenadine) and a dark rum, creme de coconut, and nutmeg'd Pain Killer, also what they'd be calling that JetBlue employee if, instead of caution, it was the passenger he threw to the wind.