Have A "Craic"-ing Good Time

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of dining at a local Irish restaurant. The Irish Lion in Bloomington has been a staple to the city's many ethnic cuisines for over 25 years. After dining there, it is quite obvious why.

Upon walking through the door we were greeted by a hostess and very Irish looking decor. The lobby had some very old pictures and a very large dead deer thing (sorry, can't quite remember) hanging on the wall. We were almost immediately led upstairs to the family dining room, as the lower floor was for the above-21 set and we had our daughter. The upstairs was roomy, yet loud. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It really brought together the pub experience for me. I immediately ordered a Guinness.

We started out with the Blarney Puffballs. They are mashed potatoes with garlic and cheese, fried and served with scallions and sour cream. They were wonderful. It is obvious why Gourmet Magazine requested the recipe.

Obviously, I went with a soup, or maybe I should say stew next. I opted for the Coddle which is a stew containing large chunks of potato, sausage, bacon, and onions and served with soda bread and butter. This is supposedly supposed to prevent a hangover.

Finally the main course arrived. I chose the Corned Beef and Cabbage. This was served with Brandon Potatoes. Everything was delicious. The Corned Beef was the most beautiful shade of pink. There was two huge chunks of cabbage. It was practically a quarter of a cabbage. The Brandon Potatoes seemed to have been boiled in their skin and served with butter.

My wife "E" had the Lamb Burger and fries. I was amazed at how delicious her burger was. I had heard of Lamb Burgers before, but thought they were only a myth. I will return here for the sole purpose of having a burger of my own.

My daughter "Q" had the grilled cheese. I was pleasantly surprised at how well prepared and tasty a kids menu item was. It was quite good. If I wasn't an adult, I would have to order one of these next time I visit.

What butter or whiskey does not cure, cannot be cured.-Irish Proverb

Oh yeah, "E" didn't like the bread.