Eat With Jack O'Neill, West Roxbury

How's it going PEOPLE?

Yeah, it's been quite a long time since my last entry so fingers crossed I still know how to express my food thoughts!  No sah!!
 It's all good in my hood and I hope in yours, too.

Last Sunday, the hubs and I headed out on a date night to the old West Roxbury Pub which is now totally reconstructed and called Eat With Jack O'Neill.  eatwithjack.com

The Pub side was jamming with young (like babies) to old (like old) and all ages in between.  A group of volunteers musicians sat in the corner by the entrance. The traditional Irish seisiún was in full swing.  Fiddles, guitars, accordions, tin whistles, and banjos played good old Irish tunes.  Players came and went and the music went on for hours.  The crowd tapped, clapped, sang, and danced along.  It was the best way to get geared up for the best holiday EVER...Saint Patrick's Day!!

We were psyched when we spied a huge booth when we first walked in but we quickly learned it was being held.  No worries.  We ended up sitting at the very end of the long, shared dining table in the middle of the joint.  Usually this seating arrangement would really annoy me but since there was adequate space between parties, I agreed.  Also, the session was legit right in front of us which made me one happy camper.

There are huge booths lining the wall and a corner one towards the end, couple of smaller tables, the large dining table, and a pretty good sized bar.  The light fixtures are really funky.  They reminded me of an old time pub like in Pirate times.  :)

Our waitress was from Germany and super friendly, informative, efficient, and funny.  As you know, I am a beer drinking kinda girl but this evening I decided to go with the Jack’s Rose-- Georgi Apple Cider Vodka, lemon juice, pomegranate.  YUMMY!!  The hubs went with a nice, cold Allagash White.  After cheersing it up, we put our order in for wings.  Buffalo, glazed, perfectly cooked, and crispy, amazing wings with blue cheese dressing and carrots.  I devoured four of them in minutes.  Best wings I've had in a long time fo sho.  Other items the Pub menu offers--small plates-devilled eggs and Scotch egg, salads-kale, greens, and, pies-chicken, meat, , burgers, sandwiches, etc.  Lots of choices.  I noted they serve brunch on the weekends.  Irish breakfast, pancakes, fried chicken and more.  I will be returning swiftly.

For supper, the hubs went with his usual, fish and chips.  Very lightly battered, big pieces of fish and tartar sauce with handmade fries drizzled with vinegar!  YESSSS!  He thoroughly enjoyed his choice.  Yours truly went with the Steak and Guinness Pie with a beyond flaky pie crust.  The meat was tender, the thick, brown gravy tasted fantastic, and the veggies were just right.  It came with a simple green salad with goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar.  Perfect accompaniment but you could choose the fries if you preferred.

Before ordering dessert, I ventured over to the restaurant side.  Whoah!!  Whole other world up in that piece.  Smaller bar area,several white clothed tables and the atmosphere was chill, quiet, and a bit more fancy.  The menu is more extensive.  It features Irish and American Cuisine with delish choices including cheese boards, healthy salads, favorites from the grill, and mouthwatering sides like ham hock greens.  They also have a Rotisserie with fish and meats like chicken, pork, and more.  Good stuff.    I swear there was a bakery counter type area but was not very clear on that sitch.  I will have to investigate more in depth.  Which leads me to our choices for dessert.  They did not have the Bailey's cheesecake or much of anything else it seemed.  We went with our server's recommendation of the berry like ambrosia.  Didn't love or hate it.  Hubs seemed to enjoy it.  Chocolate is what I desire after a fabulous supper and Jack let me down big time.  But don't fret, I have high hopes that the bakery area I nosed around will grow into something I can really dig.  They do make their own selection of Irish breads so I am confident there is decadent dessert in my near future.

After finishing up, we ordered another round and headed over to sit at the bar to continue our wonderful evening of tasty food and music.  Can't wait to return for more delicious food, fun, and fiddles.