Category: Travel

Sully’s Irish Pub in Medina, Ohio is truly one of those restaurants I revisit every time I am in the area.  No joke.  I once even drove up from Columbus, Ohio when I was there visiting a friend just to take her there for dinner.  Then we drove back afterwards.  Yes…worth the gas, worth the time, and worth the drive.  Because as far as Irish pubs go in the United States, this is, by far, the absolute best I have been to.

On a recent visit, which was just before the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 5K I was running in, my roommate, friend and I stopped in for dinner.  Prior to this, however, I contacted the restaurant to inquire about some of the ingredients in the food.  It was important, especially before a race, not to eat something that might ignite a reaction to my gluten allergy.

The owner of Sully’s e-mailed me back.  I had asked if I could bring in my own wrap to have with my usual, the Leprechaun Wrap, as normally this mix of grilled sliced Portobello mushrooms, red and green peppers, red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce and a balsamic vinaigrette glaze, comes in a flour tortilla.  He said that I could bring my own wrap and they would be happy to use it for my vegetarian dish.  As I also inquired about the appetizer my friends I always get, the Guinness Cheese Dip, which is served with boxty potato cakes, he looked into that as well.  After telling me the boxty was, in fact, made with flour, he said I could bring in an extra tortilla and they could make me up some wedges to fry up for the dip.  And then, almost immediately, he replied back again saying that since the dip actually had Guinness draught in it…it wasn’t gluten-free.  Absolutely correct.  And a good catch there.  Still, here we have an owner willing to bend over backwards for a patron.  Kudos to John Sullivan and his pub, Sully’s, for that.

I did end up bringing my own wrap to dinner.  While my friends enjoyed the Guinness Cheese Dip, I got a cup of the Tomato Basil Soup.  It was warm, rich, and delicious.  Definitely not the Guinness Cheese Dip I had previously enjoyed on prior visits, but definitely made up for not being able to have that appetizer.  It was just enough to wet my palate for the entrée.

As this is a pub, and I am a vegetarian, the Leprechaun Wrap is one of the best choices on the menu for me.  I ordered it, sans the wrap, with the french fries.  I love the fries at this place, so I wasn’t going to pass that up.  I didn’t send the wrap back this time, but next time I will so that it is warm and pliable, but the kitchen whipped up the insides of the wrap and placed them in a dish, serving them alongside my order of fries.  I wrapped up my vegetables and dug in.  And, yes…it was just as good as before.  And, as is usual with my two friends…they split the gigantic fish & chips dinner…and savored every bite of the haddock filets and “chips.”

Since none of the desserts there are gluten-free, we passed on dessert this time and left, quite satisfied once again.  The food has always been amazing.  But what really makes Sully’s Irish Pub stand out in this small-town outside of Cleveland is this – the people who work there.  I give big kudos to John Sullivan for working with me and my food allergies.  Not every owner will take the time to not only offer suggestions, but double-check ingredients and quickly reply.  I also have to give major props to Barb, our waitress who we’ve had three out of the four times we’ve been there.  She’s awesome.  She always keeps up on our orders, makes sure our drinks are refilled, and just makes us feel at home there.  She has since our first time we at there.

If you happen to be venturing up to Cleveland, Ohio or find yourself near Medina, Ohio…do me a huge favor.  Stop into Sully’s Irish Pub.  This little place offers up a whole lot of Ireland not only in atmosphere, but in their menu, their drinks, and their staff.  When I say this place is somewhere I return to often, I’m not kidding.  I’m already looking forward to my next visit there.  Sully’s really does stand heads and tails above the rest when it comes to Irish food and Irish pubs in the United States.  And it’s in small-town Medina, Ohio.  Go.  Feast.  Drink.  Enjoy.

Sláinte!

It doesn’t look like much on the outside.  In fact, it’s your basic hole-in-the-wall restaurant on a street packed with a variety of eateries and shops.  The entryway is inviting, nonetheless, but it’s one of those ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ places along the strip of Main Street in Franklin, Tennessee.

I am talking about McCreary’s Irish Pub and Eatery.  Located in the historic downtown area of Franklin, Tennessee, this place is literally a hole-in-the-wall.  But size isn’t everything, so don’t let appearances deceive you.  Step inside this pub and you find a cozy, friendly environment.  My roommate and I stopped into McCreary’s on the way home from Alabama for some lunch.  We were seated near the bar at the back and enjoyed hearing snatches of conversation wafting from the locals and customers around us.

With a long drive ahead of us, however, alcohol wasn’t what we sought.  After getting our Diet Cokes for us, the barmaid – a woman who looked like a roller-girl with tattoos, dark hair, and an attitude to match – took our order.  We decided to split an order if their famous Irish Cheese Chips, a basket of Irish chips piled high with cheddar cheese and chives (the original comes with bacon  and sour cream but the vegetarian in me axed the bacon and neither my roommate nor I like sour cream).  They arrived piping hot and fresh and after one bite, we realized why they were so popular.  They are the perfect drunk food.  And every last bite of them was delicious.  We polished off the basket just as our entrees came out.

By now it should be no surprise that my roommate ordered their fish and chips…and enjoyed every bit of them.  Thankfully, McCreary’s offers a Vegetarian Special, consisting of a sauteed Portobello mushroom cap topped with white rice and served with sauteed veggies.  It looks a bit of a mess upon arrival.  Nothing special.  Nothing notable.   The vegetables were full of flavor, however.  The rice…cooked just right.  And the mushroom…it was the first time any Portobello meal I ordered had sauteed it properly, so the juices weren’t spilling out all over the place.  It was fantastic.  I ended up moving the mushroom aside so I could enjoy it last.  Yes…that delicious.  That good.  And this little pub was the first place to do it right.  I never would have expected it.  But I love unexpected surprises.

We went without dessert this time, as we were stuffed full from the appetizer and the entrees, but we left more than satisfied with not only our meal but the experience there.  Very friendly staff.  Very warm environment.  Lots of talk.  Lots of happy customers.  Many of them regulars, you could tell.

I love trying new places when passing through an area…but McCreary’s may become a usual stop.  I can’t wait to see if the next time I get their Vegetarian Special if it lives up to the standard it set.  I hope so…because this pub is among the best I have been to in the United States.  Don’t pass by the Franklin, Tennessee exit without stopping in for a bite.  Trust me…you will not regret it.

Italian food.  It is one of my favorite things to eat.  And, with the recent gluten-free diet, something I don’t get to enjoy out that often.  On a recent visit to Birmingham, Alabama to visit my family…I asked my dad to pick a place to eat out, since we always eat at The Depot (which, we had for lunch that day, mind you!) and Joe’s Italian (reviewed earlier in this blog!).  My dad, being a connoisseur of Italian food as well, chose Lucia’s Italian in Helena, Alabama.  As I was on vacation, I let the gluten-free thing slide a little because sometimes good food is worth it.  And my dad really, really, really wanted to try this place out.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were seated at a table and awaited the arrival of our waiter.  He arrived a short time later to take drink orders and allow us to flip through our menus.  The first thing I noticed while perusing the menu was that many of the items had been blacked out.  Sad, as the restaurant hadn’t been open that long.  And one item I really wanted to have…the Manicotti (stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach and topped with sauce), was one of the ones that was now blacked out.  I was surprised, being so new, seeing so many items already taken from the menu.  After much debate, I settled on the Cheese Tortellini alla Panna, cheese tortellini in a garlic cream sauce.  With it I got a cup of the tomato basil soup.

Our drinks arrived,  and so did the baskets of bread.  They were set out and then our waiter disappeared, without pouring the oil for dipping.  Taking matters into my own hands, I began to do it…and that was when the manager came over to assist.  She explained that they were short-handed that day and apologized.  We also pointed out that my four-year-old nephew, who was to get apple juice, didn’t receive his drink yet.  We were told they were out of juice.  So, my sister asked about getting him milk instead, but was informed they were out of that as well.  So…he ended up with water, and voiced his dissatisfaction about not having juice like promised.  I mean, he’s four.  He lives for his juice.  And after we began receiving soups and salads, my sister pointed out he still didn’t have his water.  The waiter finally went to get it.

I hadn’t been able to share in the bread, but everyone who did eat it (that would have been everyone else at the table) loved it.  Raved about it.  Ate more than they probably should have before receiving their food, but didn’t seem to care.  I have to admit, the bread did look good.  So, I was extremely excited when my tomato basil soup arrived.  One bite and I was in heaven.  Definitely worth the wait.  It tasted fresh.  It was warm without being too hot to eat.  And the flavor was an explosion of tomato and herbs, perfectly blended, perfectly made.  Perfect.  It tasted like a marinara sauce.  Soup love.  If this was a taste of what was to come with the entree, well…the slow service and the very limited menu might be worth it.

With the soup polished off, I was already anticipating the main dish.  When it arrived, I could already tell that it was going to be good.  The portion size was just right, although knowing I was having dessert, I didn’t polish it off.  But the tortellini was cooked to absolute perfection.  It didn’t fall apart when I cut into it.  The creamy sauce that it was in was was seasoned just right.  It wasn’t heavy, like most cream sauces are.  It was very light and complimented the pasta, rather than overwhelm it.  It was, in a word, perfect.  Deliciously perfect.

As is my biggest downfall when it comes to these restaurants, the dessert case called our names.  And we all got something different to share and eat.  My roommate got her usual, a cannoli, which she enjoyed (but she said it still hasn’t topped Adrienne’s in Jeffersonville, Indiana).  My sister and her husband split the Neapolitan cake, a layered cake of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, iced in chocolate.  They liked it well enough, but said the chocolate part was a bit dry.  I sampled a bit of it…and agreed.  But the strawberry cake was heaven.  Which is what my little four-year-old nephew got.  Strawberry cake.  A gigantic slice, which he nibbled off of and we packed the rest away for another time.  The strawberry cake was heads and tales above everything else.  My dad got a giant slice (seriously, these are meant to share…they are practically an entire cake all their own) of the  chocolate cake.  My mom and I split a bigger-than-my-head tiramisu.

The tiramisu was delicious.  Tasting of the right amount of cocoa, coffee, liquor and mascarpone…it was light, despite it’s intimidating size.  Between the two of us, my mom and I polished it off without reducing ourselves to licking the plate.  It was good.  As was the other desserts I snitched tastes of here and there.

We walked out of Lucia’s satisfied with the food, at least.  The service left a little to be desired.  And the menu…well, I hope the expand on it because the food is amazing.  And the menu should reflect that.  And if an item is removed, don’t just mark it out with a marker.  It’s a bit of a put-off for a first-time diner, especially when the restaurant is so new to begin with.

But, if you do like delicious Italian food and happen to be in the Helena, Alabama area…Lucia’s food is worth it.  Perhaps the staff will be in better order and their stock in full supply.  Go for the food and you won’t be disappointed.

Whenever I go to Denver, Colorado…ever since a friend of mine took me here three years ago, each trip must include a dinner at the Elephant Bar Restaurant.  Why?  Because the food is damn good and I can’t get this in my own backyard.  While there are quite a few locations for the Elephant Bar Restaurant…the closest one to me is not close, located in Toledo, Ohio.  So, this is a treat for me whenever heading out west.  And what makes this place so great is not only the ambiance and flair of the restaurant…but also the food.

The Elephant Bar Restaurant serves up a menu that intermingles flavors from around the world.  There is your traditional American cuisine, for the less venturesome, but also European and Asian dishes as well.  Everything…I say again…EVERYTHING I have ever eaten here has been beyond amazing.  And that’s why I insist on going back time and time again.

On this particular visit, I was eating out with two friends of mine and my roommate.  We all got something different, which is always a good thing.  My roommate even branched out a little with her meal, which is always an exciting moment.  We ordered the Sweet Potato Fries as an appetizer and shared them amongst each other as we talked and waited on our entrees.

For me…I was all about the Bangkok Pad Thai with Vegetables.  Do you know what I loved most about this dish?  The tofu that was in it.  It is, quite honestly, some of the best tofu I have ever had.  And trust me…I eat a lot of tofu as a vegetarian.  This was cooked to perfection and it really mixed well with the stir-fried vegetables and rice noodles.  The sauce was to die for.  The portion…huge.  But every bite offered such an explosion of Asian flavor that I devoured it in no time.

Stuffed to the point of exploding, the waitress mentioned dessert.  I was going to pass…but, this was vacation…live it up.  Thankfully, the Elephant Bar Restaurant just added a new dessert to the menu.  It was a flourless chocolate cake and ice cream dish…gluten-free, the waitress assured us.  After the Katie Mullen’s incident the night before, I was definitely going to do my best to make it out of dinner without feeling sick.  This dessert was perfect for me.  We ordered one that my roommate and I split, while the other two enjoyed a red velvet cupcake dessert.

The Chocolate Indulgence arrived…a flourless chocolate lava cake with ice cream and whipped cream, topped off with a sprinkling of nuts.  It melted in your mouth.  I love that hot meets cold taste on my palate and this delivered in each gooey bite.  We polished off the dessert and were happy to sit in a food coma for the rest of the night.If you happen to be around an area with an Elephant Bar Restaurant nearby…go.  Trust me.  Go.  Wacky decor aside, the place is warm, inviting, friendly, and the food is to die for.  Go ahead…splurge and have dessert.  Even if you’re full.  I’ll never regret my decision to do that here.

A year ago, while walking the 16th Street Mall in Denver, Colorado, my roommate and I spotted an Irish pub that intrigued us…because we love pub grub.  At the time, we had plans already to introduce a friend of ours to the ways of the Hard Rock Café (Anthony Bourdain…don’t kill me.  I know it’s a chain, but you at least know the food will be edible, LOL!).  We vowed the next year that would be where we at lunch when we venture downtown.

Fast forward to a year later and we find ourselves in downtown Denver, walking through the 16th Street Mall.  After a good deal of walking that morning, we were hungry and decided to follow through on the plan and go to that pub we spotted a year earlier.

The pub in question: Katie Mullen’s Irish Pub and Restaurant.

Our first taste of what was likely to befall us on this visit should have been quite evident in the attitude of the staff.  We were greeted quickly enough, but the manager that day was far more interested in the soccer match (Manchester United was playing) than the actual restaurant.  Our waitress was very nice and gave me some added time to look over the menu because, let’s face it, most pubs are not the easiest thing for a vegetarian to find food at…let alone a vegetarian with food allergies.

My initial instinct was to go with the Portobello Mushroom Sandwich…which is my usual go-to at a pub.  But…my roommate pointed out the Portobello Mushroom and Vegetable Boxty and I decided to go with that…as a change from my pub standard.  The boxty was to include grilled Portobello mushrooms with mixed vegetables, swiss cheese, and a roasted red pepper aioli.  Sounded delicious enough.  With it I got an order of sweet potato fries.  My roommate…her usual pub fare…Mullen’s Fish & Chips…with the hand-cut chips as opposed to the skinny fries, upon the recommendation of our waitress.

It took a L-O-N-G time for the food to arrive.  Thankfully my roommate had ordered a Magners with her meal so that kept her occupied.  As did the wrap-up of the soccer match.  We both had time to venture all the way to the back of the restaurant and use the bathroom and still sit and converse before food even began to get to us.

With food finally on the table, we settled in to eat.  And this is where it all went horribly wrong.  This is also why I adopted a new rule about eating at restaurants…if the food isn’t good or if it might set off an allergy…SEND IT BACK!  Which is what we both should have done with the food we ate here.

The boxty wasn’t what I expected.  Usually boxty is potato cakes…but this seemed more like the mushrooms and vegetables were encased in a tortilla.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen.  But, I cut into it and took a bite.  It was…okay.  Not at all what I expected.  But edible at least…and I was starving.  But…I should have stopped after that first bite.  Honestly.  There must have been flour used to make the “tortilla of gastro-doom!” because my gluten allergy kicked in big time soon after.

As for the sweet potato fries…they looked like they had come out of a bag of Alexia frozen produce.  Sweet potato waffle fries (I have these in my freezer, seriously!)…and worst of all…they were cold!  I don’t know how many of you like sweet potato fries, but they are best while warm and horrible when they get cold.  These came out cold.  And I realize now I should have flagged down the waitress (who we saw very little of while we ate) and sent it back.  But I didn’t.  And I just ate them…cold.

Lesson learned.

As for my roommate’s food…a pub standard…fish and chips.  Well, she said the saving grace was the fish.  It was delicious.  The hand-cut fries that came recommended by the waitress, however, she hated.  Normally one to polish off the meal, she left more fries than I had ever seen…because they were horrible.

You know, the Irish catch a lot of crap for bland food.  But this food wasn’t bland.  It was just bad.  And for the rest of the day, I was miserable…suffering from pains brought on from my meal.  I have never felt as horrible and sick as I did after eating at Katie Mullen’s.  And that is why I will never go back.  As for the locals I know there…they’ve been warned and won’t be going there either.

For an Irish pub…they certainly struck out on the food and the service.  At least I learned a lesson from eating here…and that is to send the food back if it isn’t right or if it’s cold.  In the end, it’s a far better option.

If hungry while out in downtown Denver and if you happen to be around the 16th Street Mall…go elsewhere.  Even the chain restaurants like Hard Rock Café offer better food than Katie Mullen’s did.  And if you really must have Irish pub grub…find a different one.  One that gives a damn about the food and the customers.  This may mean a drive…but trust me, in the end, anything is better than eating at Katie Mullen’s.  Anything!