Lynnwood’s McCarthy’s a family pleaser

Published 8:48 am Thursday, February 28, 2008

My Dad, Larry Smith and his sweetie Tiffany Rose were visiting us from southern California and we wanted to go out to a nice dinner, somewhere close to home for New Year’s Eve. So we tried McCarthy’s Bar and Grille at Embassy Suites Hotel in Lynnwood and had an enjoyable evening.

Reservations were easily acquired earlier the same day. But because it was New’s Years Eve the wait for service after we were seated was quite long.

But our waiter, Brad, and the hostess, Crystal, made our wait as comfortable as possible — extra crackers for the baby and large, dark pink roses to every lady, including my 4-year-old, making her feel extra special.

McCarthy’s offers a wide variety of entrees including several seafood entrees, including lobster also poultry, pasta and vegetable dishes, along with a good old fashioned steak.

We all started off with a hot artichoke and crab dip with sliced French bread. It was hard to choose just one appetizer, as there were several that sounded delicious. The dip was extra good, and while the bread was very fresh it would have even been better a little toasted.

Along with my baked halibut Parmesan entree ($17.95), I also ordered the Caesar salad, which was great — not too wet, not too dry. The meal also came with grilled vegetables that I couldn’t get enough of, and choice of potato or rice. Even after eating my veggies I also ate my husband Keith’s and my Dad’s portions. The variety of grilled veggies were large, fresh, flavorful and cooked perfectly.

McCarthy’s does offer a children’s menu, but my children enjoyed something off of all of our plates.

Tiffany, the vegetarian amongst us, ordered the Puget Sound Cobb salad entree ($12.95) — “not just any cobb salad,” she said.

This one, without ham, had large portions of Dungeness crab, bay shrimp, olives, bleu cheese, tomatoes, boiled egg and cheddar.

“I found it lovely — the quantity and quality was excellent. It was fresh and beautifully presented,” she said.

There were also other options for a meat-free meal including several pasta dishes and a vegetable skewers entree that sounded delicious.

Dad and Keith both had steak.

Keith had the Porterhouse steak ($22.95) and added a side of crumbled bleu cheese and bleu cheese dressing. If you haven’t tried this ensemble, you should — it makes for a savory steak condiment.

My Dad chose the rib-eye steak ($18.95) with McCarthy’s own Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey barbecue sauce. Dad did especially like the barbecue sauce and he raved about the French fries, of all things.

“The sauce had a bite, and a little heat … it was a very distinct barbecue sauce I’ve never tasted,” he said. Adding, “the French fries were extra good, they were excellent, wonderful — if you can say that about French fries.”

For dessert we decided to share an amaretto mousse cake. It was good — but after I read the many desert options more closely, I wish I would’ve tried the Emerald Isle, made with Bailey’s Irish cream and mint ice cream on a chocolate cookie crust with almonds and caramel — uhhh—yummy!

Crystal, the hostess, said her favorite dessert is the Ultimate Old Fashioned Sundae.

“It’s killer — it’s big and lots of everything on it,” Crystal said.

The restaurant, along with the dining room and bar, also serves the large hotel and caters to private parties in the hotel.

Chip Peterson, new manager of McCarthy’s, said they had just finished a wedding in the atrium area of the hotel that night. The atrium and patio are unique features of dining at McCarthy’s.

“You get that dining outside atmosphere while sitting in a 70 degree room,” Peterson said. Both areas are popular places in the hotel for parties and other events.

We sat in the regular dining room which was also pleasant.

Peterson said that there are some changes planned for the restaurant soon. He said there will be some moderate changes to the decor and the menu is going to be revised, including adding house made pizzas. He added, they also have plans to do some new things with their happy hour soon, including extending the times.