Pacific Northwest Travelogue Part 14
Before boarding the Victoria Clipper for the cruise to Victoria, British Columbia, Michael Taylor has time for one last meal in Seattle. He’s hoping for Mexican food, but when he can’t find a cantina he settles on an Irish pub.
My ticket had been booked, my bags had been checked, and my nephew and I had taken the Argosy Cruise of Seattle Harbor.
There was just enough time for lunch, and I had a hankering for Mexican food. Unable to spot a cantina or a taqueria within walking distance of the pier, we decided on an Irish pub, which looked promising.
Walking inside Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub, we were asked if we’d like to watch the World Cup. When we said no, we were offered a table in the dimly lit interior away from both TV screens and windows.
I knew what I wanted before I even looked at the menu: corn beef and cabbage. I haven’t had it in decades. My nephew settled on Irish stew.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
A generous serving of corned beef braised with cinnamon and cloves and sautéed garlic is accompanied by red potatoes, green cabbage, a massive portion of kale, and a dish of house-made sweet mustard sauce.
The serving was generous. I LOVED the meaty corn beef. I wasn’t sure why there was so much parsely on the plate until I realized that that was the kale – I’d never seen it before.
But the sweet yet savoury mustard was the star of the show. I could have sucked it up with a straw! Will definitely go back on my next trip to Seattle!
Guiness Braised Irish Beef Stew
Tender chunks of beef cooked slowly in a Guinness enhanced gravy, simmered with potatoes and garden fresh vegetables, topped with a dollop of house-made mashed potatoes. Served with Irish soda bread and butter.
Thumb’s Up!
The Irish Stew got an enthusiastic thumb’s up from my nephew, Erik Taylor. He didn’t have much to say about it, but he practically scraped his bowl. And then he started working on the few potatoes that I hadn’t finished!
Other Irish dishes include fisherman pie, bangers and mash, pub style meatloaf, dill encrusted salmon, vegetarian stew, fish and chips, and shepherd’s pie.
The restaurant also serves breakfast, small plates, burgers, sandwiches, sweets, soups, salads, and sweets.
Service was not very attentive and painfully slow – our server said it was his first day on the job, and it showed.
But the food was faultless and the surroundings were dark and mysterious … you could almost see James Joyce lurking in the shadows.
Where
Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub, 2801 Alaskan Way #103, Seattle, Washington. Telephone: (206) 405-1548.
This Irish pub – one of countless Irish pubs in Seattle – is located at Pier 70, a short walk from Pier 69, which is the terminus for the Victoria Clipper, which sails between Seattle and Victoria.
It is within walking distance of Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium, the Seattle Great Wheel, Argosy Cruises, and the World Trade Center.
The pub is a short taxi ride from the Space Needle, Westlake Center, Pioneer Square, Chinatown, and the International District.