They probably could have named this place “Temple of Guinness” but that would have been a little over the top and very un-Irish. Once inside, The Curragh is like most restaurants that attempt to transplant a native culture to the suburbs; but with some nice touches. As a finishing touch, there are loads of Irish nostalgia items encased in glass cabinets.

The Curragh features a bar with live Irish music, but the true event of the year is The Curragh’s massive St. Patrick’s Day celebration, stretching beyond the building itself and into heated tents erected in the parking lot. It may only be a once a year event, but it’s the tops in the suburbs for live Irish music, storytelling, and of course, green beer. You can also find out what’s going on daily by checking out a monthly event calendar at their Web site, www.curraghpub.com.

Food is moderately expensive, in the roughly $9 to $18 range. I say moderately expensive, because how much should potatoes cost? This place is a potato palace!

I started my meal with the Ceili Spuds, a decent rendition of potato skins, then moved on to the soups. The apple cider French onion and the Guinness cheese soup were a cut above. For the main course I had the corned beef and cabbage boxty, a potato pancake loaded with corned beef, cabbage and a creamy horseradish sauce. It was a huge and filling anthem to carbs served with a side of—you guessed it—mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. My friend had the shepherds pie. Wow! that is one tasty way to make you a believer in the time-honored marriage of meat and potatoes. By the time we were a third of the way through our meals we knew there was no hope of finishing.  I ploughed through half my boxty just to settle the effects of the well poured Boddingtons and the Guinness I drank. Alongside the ubiquitous Irish staple of Guinness, The Curragh prides itself on having nearly any beer you could want, from domestic brews to imports and beyond, with a varied selection of mixed drinks as well.

If you have to go near the mall in Schaumburg any time soon a stop over at the temple of Guinness, the potato emporium, the Curragh is worth it.

Comments

Write Comment
Name:	Guest
Title:
Comment:
Code:*

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!