With latest, Garces does whiskey neat

This week, Jose Garces’ latest establishment, Village Whiskey (118 S. 20th St., 215-665-1088, www.villagewhiskey.com), opens to the public, marking the Iron Chef-slaying restaurateur’s first foray away from Latin-influenced food.

The 30-seat white subway tiled bar specializes, of course, in whiskey — including the “Village Idiot” cocktail of 100-proof bourbon, lemon, ginger syrup and Imperial stout beer — and the menu can be best described as gastropub fare where the burger is king. In fact, it is the Whiskey King. The 10-ounce flagship burger of sustainable farm-raised Angus beef from Maine is topped with foie gras, maple bourbon glazed cipollini, blue cheese and applewood bacon. It costs a small king’s ransom at $24, making it the costliest among Philadelphia’s burgers (not to say the ingredients don’t justify the price tag).

The rest of the menu tops out with the $26 lobster roll, but also contains intriguing options such as the $14 Kentucky fried quail served with sweet potatoes, chanterelle and corn succotash and roast chicken gravy.

And while we’re also interested in tasting Garces’ take on cheese puffs, deviled eggs and even the soft pretzel, what we’re really eyeing up are the duck fat French fries served with Sly Fox cheddar sauce for $5. And of course, we’ll make it a $12 order of fries by adding the shortrib.