EVERETT — One of the latest restaurants to open downtown has re-created a piece of Ireland with shepherd pie, corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew and 10 Irish ales and beers.
The Irishmen Pub and Eatery, which used to be a Mexican restaurant, has the feel of an Irish pub, with its antique-looking tables and chairs, bare plank flooring and Old World-style bar. At the bar, my friend scouted the choices and returned to our table after ordering a Tetley — the ale, not the tea. I, in turn, ordered a Tetley because I couldn’t decide between a Smithwick’s, Harp Shandy or Black and Tan ($4 each). The Tetleys were served in glasses promoting Guinness, which is also on tap, and Guinness promotional posters do double duty as turn-of-the-century art.
Our table was one of those spaced along the wooden booth that extends along one wall. We had a partial view of the bar and a clear view of the television. I expected to see a rugby game, but college football was dominating the screen.
Back to the Guinness … It’s used to flavor the Irish stew ($10.95), which is traditional. My friend said his stew was the best he’s had “in a long, long time.” It’s made with the anticipated carrots, onions and chunks of beef and topped with onion rings along with a couple slices of soda bread. My friend didn’t complain about the skimpy serving of bread, but I thought there should be a heap of soda bread to go along with the stew.
Non-Irish choices include Cobb or Caesar salad, fish and chips and burgers.
Other Irish favorites on the menu include potato dumpling with sausage, stuffed Irish chops, pasties and potato farls. Potato farls ($2.50) are a flatbread that’s more like a pancake. They’re made with mashed potatoes and shredded, uncooked potatoes mixed with flour, egg and a little diced onion. They have a texture similar to regular breakfast pancakes and are served with butter. They could be paired with a salad for a tasty vegetarian meal.
For my dinner, I ordered the Irish pasties ($11.95), which are stuffed puff pastries. Traditionally, this dish comes from Cornwall, England, and the filling combines beef, potatoes, turnips and onions. At The Irishmen, I ordered the vegetable pasties, which were served with steamed carrots, parsnips and a mound of skin-on mashed potatoes.
On my first bite of the pastie, I knew the chef hadn’t tasted his vegetable mix, because it had been salted twice. Too bad, because the pasties are handmade and baked to a beautiful light brown.
My mashed potatoes were mashed in the true sense — with lumps and skins. No clotted cream. No whipping. No garlic. Just potatoes and a pat of butter, which is used abundantly in Irish cooking. I asked for a little more. I eat mashed potatoes like most people eat ice cream. But, as much as I like mashed potatoes, the slightly sweet carrots and parsnips were the taste treat of my meal.
We ended with a yummy order of ginger cake with rum sauce and caramel swirls. This is a light-colored cake flavored with ginger, not the dark-brown gingerbread that’s popular during the holidays. By the way, don’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day to visit The Irishmen.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Contact Anna Poole at features@heraldnet.com.
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