Restaurant: Brocach Irish Pub & Restaurant, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
By now, my friends, you know the drill. When I go out of town, one of the main requirements when it comes to eating out is finding a good pub. Well, there are plenty to choose from in Milwaukee, trust me. And when possible, it’s best to ask a local about where to get the best pub grub in town. But, I sort of stumbled upon this place via an Internet search. And my roommate mentioned it to a local at the race and she gave it her approval.
The pub: Brocach Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Milwaukee.
There was much anticipation coming into a late lunch/early dinner here. We needed to wait for the dinner menu to be offered and not the brunch menu, as it would be a crime for my roomie to go into a pub and not be able to have the fish and chips. So, we hit there around 3:00 p.m. and were greeted in the little alcove inside the door and taken to a table upstairs. Except no one informed our waiter that the upstairs was reserved for a wedding party. So, back down the stairs we went and were given a nice raised table to settle into. Our waiter took our drink order and we settled in to peruse the menu.
There were plenty of options on there for a vegetarian. However, with me also being gluten-free, I was pretty much limited to a salad. Which is fine, because they had a list of delicious, large salads to choose from…varieties on flavor…everything a vegetarian could ask for. So, I sat there and went over which one I really wanted to try. My roomie helped me come to my final decision as her mind was already set on the Fish and Chips ($13.50).
So when our waiter returned to take our order, she did her standard, and I put in for the Very Veggie Salad ($8.00).
The pub wasn’t hopping yet. The wedding party was en route, but we were there at an odd time to order food. So, our wait wasn’t very long before we had plates of food being set in front of us. My roommate’s fish and chips actually looked like a decent, normal portion. Nothing that would be too much. And my salad was freakin’ huge.
The Very Veggie Salad was a toss of mixed greens, grape tomatoes, green beans, red onions, cucumbers, chickpeas, and artichokes. All of this was tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette, which I meant to ask for on the side, but they didn’t drown my salad in it, so I was okay with it. It was a very colorful salad, with lots going on. LOTS.
So, after taking my photos for the blog, I picked up my fork and dug in. And here is what I loved about it. The artichokes lent a perfect hint of bite to the salad. I love artichokes, so including them in the salad made a perfect compliment to the other ingredients in there. The green beans were al dente. The chickpeas gave me some much-needed protein. And the rest of the vegetables were all fresh. Every forkful brought a new blend of flavors. And the dressing was the right match for this kind of salad. Light so as not to overpower the great vegetable combination going on in the bowl. Yeah…I was one happy girl at the table.
My roommate loved her fish and chips, so we were both quite content at the end of the meal. What’s more is the pub vibe you get at Brocach. It’s laid back. It’s easy-going. It’s like a true pub in Ireland. The Euro 2012 matches were playing on the television near the bar. We could still hear ourselves talk as we settled in to eat. It was the perfect setting and I’m glad we ended up going there.
Brocach has a lot to offer and a little bit of something for everyone who walks through the doors. They served up amazing food without a long wait. And provided the perfect setting for a great dinner out in Milwaukee. And we left just as the wedding party was beginning to arrive. So, we actually had really good timing. Next time I’m in Milwaukee, would I go back. Sure. But there are other pubs to try…although it is definitely not out of the question.
Sláinte!
The Celiathlete 