We heard of an Irish Pub in the GasLamp District that had been disassembled piece by piece in Ireland and shipped to San Diego. While the structural building is modern, the insides are 150 year old Irish Pub. No orderly rows of nice little tables with tablecloths, no modern lighting fixtures - no, look for gnarly old wooden tables in dimly lit niches. Look for old posts on the wall for permits and warrants. Most of all, look for outstanding food! We hit a night when they offered one-two-one - a shared appetizer, an main course for each, and a shared desert. We shared potato skins with sour cream, washed down with a pint o' Harp (for Theresa and Smithwick's for me). Theresa had lean corned beef, piled high on cabbage and champ - mashed potatoes spiced with scallions. I enjoyed te best beef stew I've ever had! The beef is stewed in Guinness (what else) and the rich smooth gravy tops off perfectly cooked and spiced carrots and potatoes. A couple of slices of Irish soda bread added the touch that took this meal to perfection! After a great meal, what better to top it off with than Apple Crisp topped with a rich cream sauce accompanied by an Irish coffee - just the right combination of strong coffee and strong Irish whiskey. I'm glad we took the Trolley and didn't have to drive.
The bar of course is the centerpiece of the pub. At the far end, a set of stairs is converted on the weekend to a stand for bands and dancers.
Opposite the bar is a fireplace that may never see use in San Diego!
For sure, it sets the mood for the pub and many a pint was surely drunk around the warmth of the fire in the old country.
The upstairs was not open the day we visited but we were invited to look it over.
The Irish coffee was dusted with a chocolate powder shamrock!
No comments:
Post a Comment