RESTAURANT REVIEW:

One of my favorite vacations I took was when I went to Ireland several years ago. The trip was memorable for many reasons, but unfortunately the food was not one of them.

Cuisine associated with Ireland is in direct contrast with the people and the countryside.

While both of those are brilliant and interesting, the food tastes bland and is totally uninspiring.

Fortunately, Muldoon’s Dublin Pub and Celtic Bar recognizes this and has melded food from Ireland and the United Kingdom, plus thrown in a few American dishes.

What the pub does that is far more important is it captures the essence of an Emerald Isle pub so perfectly that the food is not an emphasis, but an accouterment.

It was eerie in a way. Fashion Island is right across the street and an Edwards Movie Theater is next door, but as I walked down the steps I totally forgot for a moment I was in Newport Beach.

The establishment’s genesis almost sounds like the opening of a joke — two Irish twins and a lawyer built the facility in 1974 with the goal of recreating a true Emerald Isle pub and restaurant.

They obviously succeeded. The steps down to the opening come upon an outdoor patio for those who want a little less of a crowded dining atmosphere. If you want the full experience, though, you have to go inside and eat at the bar or small dining room.

There you are among friends. At the bar, you are shoulder to shoulder on busy nights listening to live music three nights a week. The bar is very reminiscent of a countryside Irish pub with the brick walls and rich wood.

The dining room has a similar look. There are booths along the walls and tables and chairs in the middle.

Irish food may be culinary-challenged but that doesn’t mean there is nothing good to eat. Muldoon’s menu blends Irish influences with pub-style food to make interesting appetizers and entrees.

The best thing they serve may be the traditional Irish soda bread. The mini-loaf is just like the larger one found in Irish bakeries. My friend Andre and I could have eaten five more of the two loaves we got.

Something I would definitely recommend is the banger bites. Eight bite-size Irish sausages are grilled and served with sticks for dipping into a mustard sauce. Irish sausage is more flavorful than most other countries’ pork offerings, and the mustard sauce complements it nicely.

Two other appetizers that shouldn’t be missed are the Irish whiskey wings and Rosie’s potato cakes.

The whiskey wings are chicken wings marinated in Old Bushmills and then deep fried. Rosie’s potato cakes are potato pancakes with sour cream and a really tasty apple sauce.

Ironically, two of the restaurant’s most notable dishes are not Irish, but English. Shepard’s Pie, and fish and chips sell the most, especially at lunch.

The Shepard’s pie has roasted, shredded beef with sauce encased by whipped mashed potatoes. Sliced carrots and peas are served on the side instead of mixed in to give diners more control of how much of the two vegetables they want.

The fish and chips I liked because the fries served were shoestrings rather than the thick steak fries. The fish is beer battered, and six pieces are served. I would rather see the large, thin shingle-like pieces of cod rather than the cylinder style the restaurant serves, but it is good.

Another non-Irish dish that could be the best entree the restaurant serves is the burgers. It is a half-pound of handcrafted Angus beef grilled, and it comes in eight styles. My favorite is the bleu’s burger that has sautéed onions and crumbled bleu cheese.

Corned-beef sandwiches are available as well. More of an Irish-American dish than one from the old country, the lean slices of meat on rye bread will make you long for St. Patrick’s Day.

This is an enjoyable place I have no problem recommending. Go on a night when they have live music, hoist a Guinness and sing along. It’s almost as good as being in Galway pub.

JOHN REGER is the Pilot’s restaurant critic. His reviews run Thursdays.