Going for a pint at Killarney Pub & Grill

John Volo

With St. Paddy’s Day fast approaching, I decided to visit Killarney

Pub & Grill on Main Street for an Irish dinner. While Ireland will

never enjoy the culinary adoration laid upon Italy and France, my

wife and I were still able to enjoy a good meal at Killarney.

The inside is a mix of vibrant greens and masculine woods. My wife

and I grabbed a table adjacent to the back-corner fireplace, which

was roaring comfortably.

The noise level was very high, not from boisterous conversation or

lively Irish music, but piped-in rock and roll. I mean, I’m a big fan

of David Bowie and Talking Heads, but this was intrudingly loud. Our

server was kind enough to sit beside me when taking our order, lest

we be mistaken for a screaming husband and wife.

Sidestepping Irish tradition, I opted not for a Guinness (which

reminds me of a bitter, carbonated motor oil), but for a pint of

Murphy’s Red. This robust, amber ale, proved to be a hearty thirst

quencher. Harp and Bass are also on tap.

For appetizers, we got the sausage rolls and the Irish nachos. The

sausage roll is seasoned Irish sausage sans casing, inside a puff

pastry. Used sparingly, so as not to overpower, the Bushmills mustard

is a perfect spread for the sausage roll. Yellow mustard doesn’t do

it justice.

The Irish nachos, requested by my wife, are chips (fries) topped

with melted jack and cheddar cheese and flavorful chunks of bacon.

The Irish nachos came with salsa, but require sour cream, which can

be had for an additional charge. This plate is so salty, you’ll

surely need a fresh pint by your side.

Killarney’s also offers several seafood appetizers, such as clams

or mussels in a lemon butter sauce, fried shrimp, coconut shrimp or

crab cakes.

Our dinner choices were Killarney-style shepherds’ pie and a

Gaelic chicken boxty. The shepherds’ pie, which is baked in an

oversized casserole dish, has a bottom layer of ground beef mixed

with carrots, peas, onions and celery. A much, much too-thin layer of

mashed potatoes blankets the meat and veggies. The whole dish is

topped with cheddar cheese. My wife’s first bite warmed her entire

insides. Now that’s comfort food!

A boxty, according to the menu, is a traditional dish indicative

to rural Ireland, in which a potato pancake is rolled out and stuffed

with a filling (think Irish burrito). Although I chose the Gaelic

chicken filling, they also offer a steak and Guinness filling, and a

lamb casserole filling. My filling had chunks of white meat chicken

in a light cream sauce with carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and

asparagus.

As if one burrito-sized boxty isn’t enough, this entree comes with

two. I barely dented the second one.

Killarney, just like every Irish pub in the states, dishes out the

always-popular corned beef and cabbage. Although corned beef and

cabbage is closely associated with Ireland, you’ll rarely find it in

the pubs there. It was popularized stateside in the 1800s as an

inexpensive way to feed Irish immigrant laborers building the

railroads. Enough history, I know.

Traditional Irish dinners offered include: Irish sausage mash and

onions, fish and chips (it’s an extra $1.50 if you want it with mushy

peas), steak and Guinness pie, and Irish stew.

A typical lunch at a pub in Ireland consists of soup, brown bread,

and a cup of tea. At Killarney, you’ll make do with sandwiches

(Philly cheese steak, French dip) and burgers (Frisco style patty

melt, Cajun burger) far removed from Irish lore.

One burger of note is the Finn McCool burger, which not only has

cheese and bacon, but is topped with a fried egg.

Erin go bragh, and happy St. Patrick’s Day.

* JOHN VOLO is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, e-mail hbindy@latimes.com