December 31, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

The luck of the Irish

by Aimee M. Male

Short for public house, the "pub" is an Irish institution.

The local pub has always been the place for friends and neighbors to unwind and enjoy a pint and a bit of conversation after a long day. Think of it as a big, comfy living room, with the added bonus of a full bar.

Named after a famous public park in the heart of Dublin, St. Stephen's Green on Castro Street is a friendly, comfortable spot, where patrons can socialize while they grab a few after-work beers and partner them with hearty fare or simple snacks.

The staff, too, lends the Green an authentic flair, as many hail from Ireland. Manager Des Whalen is from Wexford, Ireland, while some of his employees are from England and the Irish counties of Cork, Waterford and Dublin.

St. Stephen's Green wants to be "the focal point of the community," Whelan said, welcoming all sorts of folk, from after-work revelers to sports teams to college students.

"We gather a very diverse crowd," he said.

The Green has got all the trappings of a traditional pub: stews, pies and other dishes with rich, thick sauces are de rigueur here, as are fried and mashed potatoes (the two nationally sanctioned forms).

But the Green is no greasy spoon. The kitchen offers solid and filling fare, prepared well and quickly. And if a belly-full of bangers and mash sounds painful, the Green also offers American-style grill specials, along with bountiful salads.

But for a proper pub experience, I recommend you grab a Guinness and try one of the Green's Irish specialties.

Meat pies -- savory bits of meat and a suggestion of vegetables wrapped in a flaky, buttery crust -- are a favorite in the British Isles. The chicken and mushroom pie ($9.95) is fantastic and comes popped out of its tin, flowing around a formidable mound of creamy mashed potatoes. The pie's top crust, crisp and golden, is perched on the potatoes like a top hat. A border of julienne carrots and zucchini creates an impromptu tribute to the Irish flag -- a detail I'm sure is not accidental.

A necessary dish on a rainy evening is the Irish stew ($10.50), a hearty bowl of rich, brown gravy and tender cubes of lamb, carrots and potatoes that surround a serious dollop of mashed potatoes. A complimentary side of soda bread, nutty and chewy, is great to use as a spoon to savor the last licks of the stew.

Other traditional treats include Shepherd's Pie ($9.50) -- a pie in name only. A baked layer of mashed potato covers a savory filling of minced meat and savory vegetables. The stalwart fish and chips ($10.95) suffered from a heavy batter that resulted in a mildly gooey fish fritter.

Chicken curry and chips ($9.95) may seem an odd pairing, but it's a must-have at most pubs. Manager Des Whelan said a typical Friday night out for most revelers in London or Dublin includes a few pints at the local watering hole, then a late-night dinner stop at an Indian curry restaurant. Pubs caught on to this trend and started offering the savory and filling (but not too spicy) dish as well.

It's impossible not to order a plate of fries ($2.50) to pair with a hand-pulled Guinness ($4.75), or if you're feeling seriously peckish, try the appetizer combo ($9.95) that includes a wide assortment of fried foods.

I nabbed most of the combo's baked potato halves, which were stuffed with cheese and bacon, opting to dip one in ketchup and the other in ranch dressing. Chicken tenders fought for plate space with buffalo wings, the latter not as spicy as they ought to be.

But a third cup of dip contained liquid fire, a mad concoction of curry and Tabasco sauce. I left that fiery option to the whim of my dining companion and snagged the last savory potato.

And if you're just craving meat and bread, the Green is happy to accommodate. A St. Stephen's hamburger ($8.95) is a hefty half-pound. The only frills were a piece of lettuce and lots of red onions. The burger was a bit tough but filling, and I could only eat half, distracted by the pile of crispy fries and ample ketchup. Oh, and my beer.

Dessert offerings are short and very sweet. I scooped up tasty bites of piping-hot apple pie ($4.95) with cooling vanilla ice cream and whipped cream drizzled with caramel sauce even though I thought I didn't have any room left.

If it's not obvious by now, a pub is no place for a diet or for any low-carb fanatic desperate to fit into that slinky New Year's Eve dress. The Green, however, has a fantastic solution for those who can't say "no" to a plate of potatoes. Each night the pub offers music (live and deejay) and dancing, ranging from hip-hop to Brazilian to traditional Irish music. It's a musical mix that emphasizes the "public" in pub.

St. Stephen's Green will celebrate its fifth anniversary this January. With an upgrade to its dance floor and other celebrations in store, Whelan said the pub also wants to showcase more Irish culture, from music to televised sporting events specific to the Emerald Isle, such as hurling (It's a bit like hockey, without the ice, and players with no pads smacking around a very hard, small ball.)

St. Stephen's Green, 223 Castro St., Mountain View; (650) 964-9151, www.st-stephens-green.com/mv/centerStage.html

Hours: Lunch: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Dinner: 4:30 to 10 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. Monday and Sunday Lunch, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pub is open from 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Children are permitted until 10 p.m.
Reservations - yes (not really necessary unless party is bigger than 10) Credit cards -- yes Parking -- street Beer & wine -- yes Takeout -- yes Catering -- yes Wheelchair access -- yes Highchairs -- yes Outdoor seating -- no Banquet - yes Noise level -- moderate Bathroom -- good

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