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Tir Na Nog: Expensive drinks and disappointing food
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Tir Na Nog ~ 1600 Arch Street
Tir Na Nog (1600 Arch Street) has been around for quite some time and for some reason I had never managed to get there. I am a huge fan of Irish Pubs as the beer is usually exceptional and the pub style food absolutely hits the spot. I wandered in there last Thursday Night and while the beer was great, the food and staff left something to be desired.
We took a table right by the door so we could watch all the action. The place was absolutely packed with customers, but very few seemed to be eating. Unfortunately, the reason why they were only drinking was painfully obvious.
As many of you know, when Smithwicks is on tap, it is my choice. As always, it was absolutely incredible. My companion had one of those to start with and then played around with a few of the other beverages that they featured on tap and in the bottle. Every beer was poured perfectly, fresh and very tasty. He had switched over to bottles of Sammy Adams Light at one point and for a light beer, you cannot go wrong. Quite honestly, it was the best light beer I have ever had. Full bodied and loaded with flavor. There is finally a light beer on the market that rivals the flavors of its namesake.
Our server did not seem very happy to be there and when she took a header over another server that bent over to tie her shoe, it provided a little comical relief, but everyone was then subject to a mini-tirade. She broke the cardinal rule of serving by coming over to our table and informing us of the whole situation. Hint to servers: We are there to have a good time, not listen to your problems.
We initially wanted to order some BBQ ribs as an appetizer, but were told that you could only get them if you sat outside. I questioned why the outside menu was sitting on my table and got a bewildered look, but no ribs. We asked for her suggestion and were told the crap dip was excellent and I added a Caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad) to go with it. For our entrees, we ordered a Kobe Cottage Pie and Seared Tuna.
The Caprese was great. Everything on the plate was fresh and flavorful and we could not have been happier. The Crab Gratin on the other hand was one of the most disgusting things that I have ever eaten. I am not exactly sure what flavor the chef was going for here, but what he achieved was something that tasted like a gallon of crab juice had been poured into the mix. I have had hundreds of dips and this is easily the worst that I have ever tasted.
Our server brought our dinner out and the presentation of the food was impressive. The tuna was cooked to perfection and the balsamic reduction added great flavor. The grilled vegetables that accompanied it were incredible. As good as that entrée was, the Kobe Cottage Pie (think Shepherd’s Pie) was just as disappointing. There was little to no flavor to the dish and other than the natural flavors of Potato and Beef, there seemed to be nothing added.
All in all, it was a pretty disappointing experience for about $120. While it seems to be a great place to go for drinking and conversation, the rest seems out of the question. The food is hit or miss and the televisions around the area are entirely too small. They may be the only bar in the city that has not upgraded their screens to large plasma’s for easy viewing. If you choose to go here, bring a credit card and makes sure you get a seat at the bar if you want to watch the game. Drafts of Smithwicks are $6.50 a pop and a bottle of Sammy Light was $4.50. There are just better places to go for that price.
Email me at:
phillybeerandwineexaminer@yahoo.com
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