Pogue Mahone

SC's Harp-battered fish and chips? Not nearly as perfect. Nice big piece I received, but the cod's flesh had that slight twinge of the icebox. Loads of malt vinegar vanquishes this, but still . . . As for the Guinness beef stew, a little too Dinty Moore-ish, and it was lukewarm when delivered. The corned beef and cabbage wasn't horrible, but I doubt your rabbi will be dancing any jigs over it. SC tries fancying it up with some mustard-onion gravy. Just give it to us straight, with a big hunk o' cabbage. Otherwise, you ruin it.

But, hey, SC has Colcannon potato cakes, and they're damn delish, though terribly simple. The salmon and herb potato croquettes with tarragon aioli are even better, and the cockles and mussels are appetizing in their garlicky butter. The "cockles" are actually baby clams, but I'll let 'em slide on that one, 'specially since the bivalves come atop two slices of wheaten toast, with which you can soak up the butter.

I had one of my best filet mignons ever at SC, peppercorn crusted with a thick Jameson sauce topped with caramelized mushrooms and onions. At $21.95, it more than made up for the desserts, a strangely blah Irish coffee tart, and a sticky toffee pudding that needed more toffee-ness to distinguish it from a big muffin. In any case, the Skeptical Chymist is on its way, so save some elbow room at the bar for me, will ya?