I'm someone who has always prefered the food of the British Isles to the food of France, so I was delighted to find a real Irish pub, serving good Irish food and featuring several stouts (Guiness and Murphy's) on draught. And yesterday being Bloomsday (the day on which the action of James Joyce's Ulysses takes place), I felt compelled to go to an Irish bar. Murphy's Pour House (215 E. Main St., Carnegie) is worth the trip. It features a nice Irish menu (bangers (sausage), puddings, Irish stew, beef cooked in stout, etc.) at reasonable prices (dinner was $4.25!). The food itself was good. I had a "black and white pudding," which consited of sausage, cabbage, beans, leeks, and several other things, all mixed together with some doughy pieces. It was tasty and filling. My wife had the beef cooked in stout; she also liked it. Both meals were served with hot rolls, which were also well done. The menu featured enough other good things that I'll be going back soon to try them. I also had a Murphy's and a Guiness. Both were served at a decent temperature (low to mid-50s, not chilled). Now, whether this was because they always do it that way or because the temperature outside was 97 degrees, I can't say. The atmosphere was nice. The bar is NOT air conditioned, but the cealing fans kept it pleasant. Currently, there are lots of soccer balls hanging everywhere, and they promise to televise the World Cup. Finally, there was a group performing "old time music" (Irish music played on fiddles, a guitar, and a banjo). They were accompanied by a man tap dancing. All in all, a pleasant experience. ****************************************************************** Jim Mann [email removed] Transarc Corporation The Gulf Tower, 707 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 338-4442 Football coaches talk about character, gut checks, intensity and reckless abandon. Tommy Lasorda said, "Managing is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard and you kill it; not hard enough and it flies away." -- Tom Boswell, "99 Reasons Why Baseball Is Better than Football"
Pittsburgh, PA