Antidote to winter cold? Make mine Irish.
“My cap is frozen to my head / My heart is like a lump of lead / My shoes are frozen to my feet / With standing at your window.”
It’s been that kind of winter, all right. The traditional Irish ballad “Cold Blow and the Rainy Night” captures well the feeling of snow and ice and bone-chilling temperatures that freeze our caps to our heads and our shoes to our feet.
We’re finally enjoying a little break this week. But no one believes winter is over, or that we’ll even be out of the chill by St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. So when I’m looking for a warm, cozy place to grab a meal or a comforting drink, there’s a good chance I’ll find my way to one of Louisville’s favorite authentic Irish restaurants: Molly Malone’s in the Highlands or The Irish Rover in Clifton.
Whether you’re in the mood for a filling Irish repast, a warming glass of Irish whiskey, or a restorative pint of dark, bittersweet, well-drawn Guinness, you can’t go wrong at either of these establishments. Each, however, brings a distinctly different mood to the table.
Molly Malone’s reminds me of a relatively upscale watering hole in downtown Dublin. It’s dark and cozy, with a large, round bar flanked by large rooms in dark wood, with heavy booths and sturdy tables, photos of historic Irish figures and period Irish and Irish-American newspapers for decor.
Its menu features a mix of traditional Irish dishes (fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, and a traditional Irish breakfast) and not-so-Irish fare (like blackened chicken alfredo or a hefty burger). Molly’s is also a destination for vegans, known for a serious selection of plant-based fare.
Where Molly’s feels urban, Irish Rover takes me straight to the friendly comfort of rural Ireland. Its historic Clifton quarters would be right at home around Ireland’s Ring of Kerry or maybe Killarney.
The dark front room houses a convivial bar well stocked with Irish whiskey and beer and good conversation. The back rooms are colorful, bright by daylight, and communicate the feeling of a welcoming dining room in an Irish home. complete with old family photo and portraits of Irish luminaries like James Joyce. When you’re freezing on an icy winter day, do your best to claim a seat close to the old-fashioned, screen-protected fireplace, with its gas logs glowing happily.
The menu is mostly traditional Irish, with a burger and a couple of other more international dishes. A limited number of vegetarian options are included.
We visited both pubs during icy spells this winter and left each feeling happy, full, and warm.
The Irish Rover
The Rover’s fish and chips (market price, $18.95, pictured at the top of the page) is always a go-to for us. A large slab of fish – it’s billed as Icelandic cod – was batter-dipped and deep-fried dark, shiny golden-brown. The thick coating was firmly affixed to the fish, almost shattered when you broke through it. It sat atop a pile of thick-cut, golden fries with a lemon wedge and a tub of excellent, tangy and dill-scented tartar sauce alongside.
A veggie sandwich ($14.95), one of the Rover’s meatless options, is billed as “a giant toasted sandwich,” and that’s not hype. Far too much to eat at a sitting, it was a multiple-decker construction on thick-sliced house-made bread stuffed with wilted spinach and mixed diced and sauteed veggies bathed in melted cheddar. It was served with a pile of those thick-cut “Irish chips” and a sizable pickle wedge.
With a half-pint of nourishing Guinness ($4.25), a warming lunch for two came to $40.44, plus a $10 tip.
The Irish Rover
2319 Frankfort Ave.
899-3544
theirishroverky.com
Facebook: bit.ly/Irish-Rover
Noise Level: As befits a happy pub, there’s always a soft buzz around the Rover, but decibel levels around 73dB, even with occasional higher peaks, didn’t hamper conversation..
Accessibility: Accessibility can be an issue at historic structures, but this 170-year-old building appears to be a model of access for wheelchair users.
Molly Malone’s
Fried mild white fish may be as classic a Louisville dish as the Hot Brown, but it’s Irish too. I can testify, I’ve had it in Dublin, wrapped in the previous day’s newspaper. Molly’s version is good as any: Two pieces of beer-battered, deep-fried cod ($18) were flaky and perfectly cooked. Fries were decent but not really crisp, and tartar sauce was standard-issue. A small bowl of slaw was so creamy that I thought it was an extra tartar sauce at first. But it was good, so all is forgiven.
Two dishes from the vegan menu were excellent. Blackened, spicy, crispy brussels sprouts ($12) were amazing, proving that this much despised veggie can be a winner. Quartered, blackened, crisp and filling, they were remarkable; and chipotle aioli added another dimension.
Shepherd’s pie is available with beef ($16) or as a vegan option ($15) with the chef’s apparently famous lentil-based beef alternative standing in for the meat. Naturally I had to try it, and I was impressed. The cooked lentils in rich, thick Guinness-based gravy resembled the texture and flavor of soupy ground beef in a stew filled with simmered vegetables and topped with a baked mashed potato topping. A side of broccoli florets looked healthy, but they were undercooked and crunchy, so I boxed them and took them home to cook and eat another day.
With coffee ($2.50) and a half-pint of Guinness ($3.50), a filling winter dinner came to $54.06 plus a $16 tip.
Molly Malone’s
933 Baxter Ave.
473-1222
mollymalonesirishpub.com
facebook.com/MollyMalonesIrishPub
instagram.com/mollyshighlands
Noise Level: Music on the sound system boosted the average sound level to a moderate 71.0dB, but conversation was no problem on a quiet week night. Saturday night will likely be louder.
Accessibility: The dining room, the entrance from the rear parking lot, and restrooms appear accessible to wheelchair users, except for high-top tables and booths.
Ryan Ledbetter still hanging around Molly Malones?