Coleman Public House

It takes a village to raise a public house, and Coleman Public House is no exception to the British social axiom. Or maybe its trajectory was well-served when it received a "sacramental" or blessing of the Greek Orthodox Church of Charleston before its May opening. In either case, this popular spot in the "Teak House" strip mall provides the affordable luxury of craft beers and right-priced food.

It was in the public houses that bar counters were introduced to expedite the service of cask ale and keg beer. At the bar of CPH, you will find friendly service and a knowledgeable staff that can guide your tastebuds from an easy-drinking Gaffel Kolsch to a hoppy Bell's Two Hearted Ale. (The latter taking second place in the Zymurgy Readers Pole; first place went to Pliny the Elder, a double IPA from Russian River Brewing Co. in California).

The beer menu changes weekly. Beer samplers ($8 for four pours) are a great way to taste the taps at CPH whether you prefer the top fermented ales or the bottom fermented lagers.

The bottled beer menu will not disappoint beer geeks, but if your suds of choice are PBR or MGD, its best to take your thirst to another watering hole.

CPH had five of the seven Trappist beers at the time of our visit: This spiritual home of beer was well- represented both on tap and in bottles. In fact, much of the beer menu was an homage to Belgium. South Carolina was represented by Kind IPAs: North Carolina by Foothills Double IPA.

The bar is cozy with its newly installed high-top tables, and its color scheme of turquoise and brown is easy on your eyes. A little bit coastal, a little bit pubby. Booths and tables dog leg off the bar area, and a rear dining room, though spacious, suffers from a solar effect that makes it uncomfortable in both temperature and glare this hot and sunny summer. Aged shutters, iron grill work and mixed-media art collages soften the expanse of walls and give an air of sophistication to the dining areas.

CPH has a master menu that is offered from opening to closing. Try the fried green tomato Napoleon ($6.95) with a Chimay or a Belgian Orval with the steamed mussels ($9.95). Just want to munch? Order the rosemary popcorn ($2.95) in which freshly popped corn is tossed in rosemary-infused oil. Flatbreads ($9.95), burgers ($8.95) and soup and salads ($3.95-$9.95) make dining easy on the budget and are diverse enough to please many appetites.

There are daily lunch features served 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. This fare is not pedestrian. Grilled cheese is made with brioche and features goat, Jack and Cheddar cheeses with a tomato-basil soup chaser. Rib-eye is the cut of beef for the steak and eggs ($12.95).

The dinner menu is served 5-10 p.m. and features pastry-wrapped ahi ($17.95) glazed in soy sauce; sea scallops ($16.95) wrapped in prosciutto and served over tomato risotto with beurre blanc. This is no ordinary bar kitchen. A lamb appetizer is topped with enoki mushrooms and daikon sprouts; orzo is toasted and topped with a chicken breast napped with porcini sauce, and the fries are made in-house.

Daily specials are available at lunch and dinner, and favorites sell out. Note: The braised short ribs ($16.95) with horseradish potato gratin and grilled asparagus are popular here.

We took the pub route with our ordering. No pie and a pint here but fish and chips ($10.95) made with a thin veil of ale-battered haddock and house-made tartar sauce. It was accompanied by starchy and piping hot "chips" and a shaker of malt vinegar. This dish was one of the better "chippers" around town.

Brat and chop ($14.95) would make a biergarten owner proud. A grilled wurst was served with a tender, flavor-dense pork chop surrounded by sauerkraut slowly braised down to tender satin strands of cabbage seasoned with allspice. Grainy mustard put some pucker-power into this dish. It missed only on not having some great German rye bread and a crock of sweet butter to make a perfect pub grub entree.

The flatbreads are thin-crusted, crackerlike platforms for the flavors of Greece, Italy, the Southwest and the "woodland" that layers earthy mushrooms with sweet caramelized onions and a finish of white truffle oil. All are priced at $9.95.

If you like ground lamb ($8.95), do try the lamb sliders that flourish in the Mediterranean with oregano, chutney, crisp pickles and tzatziki sauce.

Desserts are unremarkable: a chocolate-chip layer cake or a cheesecake with caramel at the time of our visit.

The wait staff is friendly and well-versed in the nuances of the beers they serve, and when they are not, they easily seek the information for you. Tastings are poured routinely, and the brews are served in their distinguished glassware.

CPH allows you to eat simply while enjoying the complexity of a rebirth in our populist beverage: beer.

restaurant review

Cuisine: Global American

Category: Neighborhood Favorite

Phone: 416-8833

Location: 427 W. Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant

Food: xxx 1/2

Atmosphere: xxx

Service: xxx 1/2

Price: $-$$

Costs: Appetizers $2.95-$9.95, soups and salads $3.95-$9.95, burgers $8.95, flatbreads $9.95, lunch features $7.95-$12.95; dinner features $10.95-$18.95; brunch features $5.95-$12.95. Daily specials MP.

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Bar: Full-service bar. Happy hour 4-7 p.m. weekdays, $3 domestics; $4 Chardonnay and Cabernet, CPH 'featured beer of the week.' Seven rotating selections on tap.

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. daily. Check for holiday hours.

Decibel Level: Moderate

Parking: Lot on premises

Other: Sixteen taps with seven rotating selections; bottomless mimosas on Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Live jazz on Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Beer of the week feature; daily specials. Beer-related events and entertainment. www.colemanpublichouse.com; colemanpublichouse@gmail.com. Also on Facebook.