HAVEN GASTROPUB

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant, Fritto Misto, Beet Salad, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Short Rib Tacos, The Haven Burger.

Their website defines gastropub as "a British term for a public house that specializes in serving high-quality food" and the sign in the front window says "gourmet comfort food". The 3 Tubby Tummys are here to tell you that this place is definitely "as advertised"! Located in old-town Orange, the Haven Gastropub is a fun place to eat and spend a leisurely afternoon window-shopping.

I started with the Fritto Misto-halibut, calamari and assorted vegetables, all battered and deep-fried and served with a delicious chili-garlic aioli sauce. This dish is listed in the "snacks" portion of the menu, but is entree-sized and would have been enough for all three of us as an appetizer. Believe it or not, Burger Boy was already stuffed! My sweetie pie started with the Buttermilk Fried Chicken drumettes, served with orange-habanero BBQ sauce, and she was in gastropub heaven. These people really know to make excellent sauces. Her mother had the petite, but quite yummy, Beet Salad. She always loves a good beet salad.

On to the main event. At our server's suggestion, I tried the Short Rib Tacos, which were very good and loaded with moist, tender short rib meat. But the big hit of the day was the Haven Burger. Both ladies raved about their Haven Burgers, served with pickled red onions and St. Agur cheese. The burgers were accompanied by the house-cut seasoned french fries and housemade ketchup (yes-they make their own ketchup-and it's good).

The 3 Tubby Tummys give today's Haven Gastropub lunch three thumbs up!