Slainte Irish Pub and Restaurant new chef and his move towards gastropub

Slainte Irish Pub and Restaurant located in Historic Fells Point has made some changes- new chef and new menu.  You may have heard of the talented Chef Bill Crouse, formally of Sotto Sopra, is making delightful changes to the menu and moving towards gastropub at Slainte.

I had the opportunity to sit down with the owners and chef of Slainte and sample some of the new menu items that sent me home dreaming of more!

Before your meal comes check out some of the new appetizers that will tantalize your taste buds:

Ploughman's Platter ($14) withsmoked fish, cheeses, charcuterie, homemade relish and spread served with toast points.  Not only is the plating and presentation appealing to your eyes, but also so are the flavors of each item. Two of my favorite items from the platter were the artichokes with olives and blue cheese with apple slices.

Mushroom Gnudi ($9) - mushroom gnocchi fried to a golden crisp and served with brown butter and sage.  They don’t look like your traditional gnocchi but remind me of a risotto.  The mushroom flavor isn’t overpowering and the brown butter and sage adds to the flavor sensations.

Spiced Cornflour Calamari ($9) with a smoked pepper aioli.  The calamari was perfectly cooked and not chewy.  The crispy beet chips added the eye appeal but had a wonderful flavor themselves.

Sauteed Mussels ($9) -P.E.I mussels with tomatoes, basil and garlic in a white wine butter.  The sauce is perfect for soaking up with toast points and the not one grain of grit was found in any of the mussels I sampled.  The aroma itself will leave you drooling.

Now if you haven’t filled yourself up on one of the mouth watering appetizers then you will find yourself enjoy these entrees:

Fish 'N' Chips ($16) - Two portions of Heavy Seas classic lager battered cod, potato wedges and Slainte slaw, and of course vinegar on the side. This Fish ‘N’ Chips ranks among my top 3 and won’t let you down- moist, crisp and slightly sweet.  The Slainte slaw is a crowd pleaser, made from Chef Crouse’s Granny’s secret recipe passed down in his family- freshly made, light on the mayo and included lots of pickles pieces you could actually see.

Guiness Sunday Roast ($18) - Irish pot roast braised in Guinness, served with boiled potatoes and carrots.  A traditional comfort food that will leave you warm and fuzzy from head to toe.

Gilled Duroc Porkloin ($16) - Porkloin served with herb spaetzel and pink peppercorn goat cheese sauce.  Spaetzel how I love thee!  The porkloin was mosit and full of flavor.

Don’t overindulge yourself, get a doggie bag because you will want to try some dessert:

Guinness Breadpudding ($8) – breadpudding is always a comfort item on the top of my list and this hit the spot.

Chef Crouse also made a special treat for us- Zeppole which is fried dough balls then it was served withchocolate ganache for dipping.  This item is not on the menu but I hope to find it thee soon!

Overall, the new menu items leading towards a gastro pub are satisfying and appealing.  So what will I order on my next visit?  Mussels, calamari, Fish ‘N’ Chips (with the slaw of course) and also try out the poutine, onion soup and the mac and cheese!

*Note that this tasting was a complementary media event to share new menu items, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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