Food Review: At home with the Irish

When @formulaoneut asked me what my favorite watering hole in the city of salt was, I didn't quite know what to say. Then I realized the one place Ava, Erin and I go to most often is the Irish pub proudly proclaiming itself, "a step down in social clubs." Yep, Murphy's Bar and Grill at 160 South Main Street.

It's not exactly the kind of place you would expect to find three 21-year old women on a Friday night, right? I mean, it's a pub in a basement lined with leprechauns. They serve PBR on tap, Irish stew and cheese fries. The food is good, but not yummy enough for me to go out of my way to get there. And it's not especially cheap, with $7 Newcastle and $9 burgers it's pretty average for a Salt Lake City pub.

Last time I was there, I had the fish and chips for just under $9. The menu declares the meal "world famous." I have no idea how it would have that designation given that the food was pretty average-exactly what you would expect from a pub.

So why is it when I'm starving and thirsty in Downtown, I inevitably end up at Murphy's? Well, because it is a pub. Murphy's is the kind of place where the city's blue collar guys go after a long day of work. They are at the bar to drink a few beers and talk with their buddies (intense man-bonding) before they head home to their wives and girlfriends.

And strangely enough, that suits me just fine. Every once in a while it's nice to go to a place where the guys are not ogligng every woman who walks in the door. Sure, no one pays for my drinks, but I can pay for myself. The waitresses aren't intent on picking up their clientele and manage to wear clothes that constitute cute, comfortable and covered. And if any guy gets out of hand, the waitresses are right there taking care of business.

So I guess on a quiet Friday night, I find myself with my two favorite girls at an Irish pub for middle-aged, blue collar guys because everyone is there just to hang out with their friends. And seriously, where else can you hear two Irish guys talk for hours about Ireland?

Where do you like to hang out after a long day?

Murphy's

They say they're a step down in social clubs. It's a clever play on the fact that their bar is indeed a few steps down from the sidewalk.

On the day, I learned I'm editor for next year's student paper at Westminster, Ava was sweet enough to take me out celebrating. She really likes Murphy's and had been there before with some work friends.

Murphys has some cool stuff. For one thing, it never got too crowded so I always felt like I had plenty of space. They also have a dart board. I totally suck at the aiming and throwing thing. Luckily when I'm the right amount of buzzed, I throw it and hit something.

The Long Islands I had were incredibly strong. The bartender used tequila instead of vodka. They were yummy, but at $8.50 each I probably should've stuck to drinking just one.

Ava ordered a Cape Cod and a Newcastle. I'm not a big fan of Cape Cod's, but as far as I know these are her favorite. The Newcastle is an English beer. It's heavier than most the beer I drink, but it's so smooth you wouldn't know the difference. I wonder if there's a different place to buy it.

For dinner, I had a hamburger and french fries. The food was okay. Pretty much what you would expect from a bar. The hamburger was well-done and I don't think you get to choose. Although it was served open-face there was no mayonnaise, so the bread was a little dry.

The fries were NOT fresh cut. Why do people even bother with these? Seriously, fries are so much better when you cut them. I'm pretty sure they're just as cheap and they make my tummy happier. I was very disappointed by the fries and the lack of fry sauce.

So next time I want to throw back a few drinks and play some darts I probably will go to Murphy's. I'll just have dinner someplace else.