What’s Up

STEVE SMITH

The last thing we need around the twin cities is more signs. We’ve

got signs telling us where to go and what to do and what to buy.

Lately, the sign of the times is “now hiring.” Alan Greenspan may

believe that the economy is cooling off, but one of my barometers has

always been “now hiring” signs -- and from the looks of it, our area is

still sizzling.

A few of these signs can be found at Harbor Center, at Wilson Street

and Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa. There, a Starbucks, a Togo’s and a

Panda Express are set to open soon. Competing for Harbor Center job

seekers is something called Copy Club, which I assume is a reproduction

business. That’s going to be a tough sell in a hot job market, and I can

picture the thought process of the job applicants at Harbor Center.

“Let’s see,” they’ll be thinking, “I can work at Togo’s and eat or I

can work at Copy Club and . . . .”

Still, I wish Copy Club luck and hope it succeeds at whatever it is it

does.

Also in Harbor Center is the operating-hours sign for the Albertson’s

supermarket. Each day is listed individually, followed by the store

hours, which are all the same, 6 a.m. to midnight. Why they didn’t

shorten this sign to read “Open daily from 6 to midnight” is a mystery to

me but, hey, maybe that’s why I’m not a sign maker.

Approaching the fair from the west on Fair Drive, motorists were

seeing a temporarily lighted sign reading, “Fair parking: Left on

Vanguard.”

If you’re at all familiar with the intersection, you’ll recall that

there is no left on Vanguard as the street ends at Fair. Yesterday

morning, I noticed that the sign was changed to “Fair parking,” followed

by several arrows pointing left. Thank you.

So as much as I don’t like signs, there is one you should heed. It’s

hanging from hooks at 2000 Newport Blvd.

The address is that of the former Newport Rib Co., which has relocated

to Harbor Boulevard. After a brief appearance as the Newport Noodle Co.,

the sign now identifies Skosh Monahan’s, the Irish pub and restaurant

operated by Costa Mesa Mayor Gary Monahan.

Skosh Monahan’s is new -- really new -- and although our family was

prepared to cut the place a little slack until they got the bugs out (not

literally, you understand), they didn’t need it.

The restaurant is firing on all cylinders. A few days before our meal,

I stopped by with the kids to say hello to Mayor Monahan and check out

his new place.

Actually, I wanted only to review the kids’ menu to make sure ours

wouldn’t get stuck eating something like blarney pie or shillelagh stew.

But I should have known better. The five items on the kids’ menu were

just right. I think it helped that Monahan is a parent.

The kids, however, were greatly disappointed. When I asked them if

they wanted to meet the mayor of Costa Mesa, I didn’t realize how

confused they’d be. Instead of a portly older man wearing a top hat,

tails and red sash across his chest, the mayor greeted them in jeans and

a Skosh polo shirt. It was a thrill nonetheless.

When we finally made it to the restaurant, we were greeted after a

wait of about three seconds. And three seconds after that, Rebecca, our

server, came over -- not to take our drink order, but to attend to the

kids.

That’s good. But as long as Rebecca was there -- what the heck -- we

ordered an ale and something called a Lindeman’s Framboise. That drink is

a winner. Monahan told us that in between the double fermentation,

raspberries are added. All my wife Cay knew was that it was good -- very

good.

Rebecca placed the kids’ order ahead of ours -- another brilliant move

-- while Cay and I shared something called Irish Coddle. The menu reads

“Grilled sausage, bacon and onions,” but that doesn’t do it justice. All

of the ingredients were cooked to perfection and would make a great

entree in a larger portion.

“It’s our low-cholesterol plate,” Monahan said.

From there, we went to the house salad, the stars of which are the

homemade pickles. The restaurant buys the cucumbers from the ranch market

next door and pickle them on site.

The lettuce was fresh and the tomato wedges were as big as a

leprechaun. Our corned beef and cabbage and lamb stew were also

outstanding.

For this political junkie, however, the highlight of the evening was

the chance to schmooze uninterrupted with the mayor. Even if he wasn’t

wearing a sash.