Auld Fella

I have tasted Guinness in other places (including the UK), but this draft at Auld Fella was the first time that I actually liked it! It was deeply satisfying, with a smooth robust, smoky almost chocolatey flavor. If you like American beer, this is very different, so you will either love it or perhaps hate it, but I highly recommend that give it a taste here!

They offer a combination of savory pies with a beer or glass of wine (for $6 more), so I chose the Irish Lamb Stew pie with the Guinness. It came with mushy peas to offer a bit of greenery on the plate (I generally don't like this dish and still don't), and a wonderful gravy that enhances the seasoning of the pie and mashed potatoes. I found the pie undercooked on the bottom and lacking seasoning without the gravy, but the rich lamb stew filling inside the pie was wonderful, and I would order the Shepherd's pie next time to avoid the soggy bottom crust. It was such a generous portion that I took half of it home, but it reheated well.

I tried one of their craft cocktails, the $15 Freckled Mexican, made with Uno Blanco tequila,ginger, jalapeno, lime, it was a nice balance of flavors and if I wasn't drinking beer or wine, I would order this again.

Their $16 Casear salad with Skellig cheese was unusual with the very salty Skellig helping out the very plain romaine. 

Their fish and chips uses Atlantic Cod for $23, set atop hand cut fries and served with tartar sauce and the mushy peas once again. I loved the fish, which was perfectly cooked, but I found the fries very oily underneath the fish, and the batter was not as crisp and seasoned as I would have liked. The tartar sauce was good, but a squeeze of the melon and perhaps some vinegar  are my preferred fish and chips condiments.

I ordered a glass of the Juggernaught Pinot Noir for $16 that paired well with the corned beef I ate for dinner.

I love corned beef, even more so when it is house cured and served with a lovely gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables for $23, this serving was big enough to share if you are ordering a side vegetable or salad.

The charred broccolini with garlic and almonds for $12 is a good fresh supplement to the meat centric menu.

It may seem strange that my favorite dish at an Irish Pub is a vegetable, but the $14 'Shrooms will convince meat eaters that vegetables can become your good friend :) The bed of caramelized onions add even more depth to this plate of umami goodness.