Sweet and Savory with a Side of Bland

Rí Rá’s offers up satisfying dishes with Irish ambiance, but beware the potato salad!

Story and photos by Kate Via

The moment I heard our waiter Shane’s heavy brogue, I knew Rí Rá’s Irish Pub would be a hit to bothmy taste buds and my ears. My mother, best friend and I arrived at the restaurant during lunch time, after spending a full morning of shopping on Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace. We were hungry and ready for some hearty Irish bistro fare, and Rí Rá’s delivered with a diverse, well-priced menu.

The restaurant prides itself on serving traditional Irish cuisine as well as classic American favorites with an Irish twist. With starters ranging from Irish potato cakes to crispy chicken tenders, and entrées as diverse as lemon broiled haddock and beef ’N Guinness stew, there’s something here to please everyone’s taste buds. And the best part is you won’t spend more than $12.95 — the most expensive dish being lamb stew — on any single item.

My meal of choice was The Kilcooly: sliced turkey, smoked bacon, melted cheddar cheese, sliced apples, and cranberry mayo, neatly stacked between two slices of grilled sourdough bread. The sandwich was served with a pickle wedge and a choice of one of nine different sides. I decided to go with the country potato salad, which was the only disappointment of the meal.

The sandwich played with my taste buds, giving me something savory with the turkey and bacon and something sweet with the apples and cranberry mayo. It sounded like an interesting combination. Unsure of how the flavors would meld, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really enjoyed the sweetness the apples lent and the way the cheese blended it all together.

The potato salad, however, tasted like nothing more than baked potatoes with a meager amount of mayonnaise and a few sprigs of parsley. It was bland and flavorless when served with the bold Kilcooly sandwich, and not even a dash of salt could liven up this part of the dish.

The genuine atmosphere of the pub, from décor to service, made up for the potato salad’s shortcomings. Built in Ireland from salvaged materials and shipped to the U.S., the building’s beautiful stonework and rough wood give the restaurant an inviting, relaxed ambience. Anyone would feel at home at Rí Rá’s. According to the pub’s website, the name Rí Rá comes from the phrase “Rí Rá agus Ruaile Buaile,” translated roughly as “devilment, good fun or any sociable activity that improves with fine food, a nice pint of Guinness or dram of Uisce Beatha (whiskey).”

In keeping up with the national spirit, I ordered a glass of Guinness (not a pint!) to enjoy with my sandwich. Between the beer, the Irish server and the delicious food, I was transported back to the Ireland of 100 years ago. And not only can one enjoy Rí Rá’s fare and architecture, but guests can also enjoy their entertainment. Events are planned seven days a week at Rí Rá’s, ranging from live entertainment to Tuesday Pub Quiz, where you’re encouraged to “use your loaf.” These events are usually paired with special drink and meal deals, such as half-price burgers and 20-ounce Guinness pints for $3.50.

New England sports are also broadcast throughout the week over large flat-screen televisions situated around the tables, which may detract somewhat from the pub’s visual appeal, but provide an additional entertainment to patrons.

We passed on dessert after finishing our generous meals, our waistbands already stretching and our wallets still quite full. Shane, who was very attentive to our needs throughout our dining experience, delivered the bill to us quickly, and we were soon on our way, a great taste lingering in our mouths.

I didn’t think a dining experience could get much better — that was until we were passing the bar, and the bartender, who also had a heavy brogue, invited me to stand behind the taps and snapped a photo of me pretending to bartend. Like an equivalent to the icing on the cake, this was the head on the beer I was looking for!

Have you ever visited Rí Rá’s Irish Pub?

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