Beer doesn’t make you fat. It makes you lean. Well, as die-hard ‘beer’ fans would agree that nothing scares them the most than the thought of getting a ‘beer belly’. But despite this perennial fear, nothing stops them from guzzling down umpteen pitchers and mugs of the cold-chilled fermented drink. And the fact remains when the spirit goes in, the truth comes out. All these so-called facts, often associated with ‘spirits’, are scrawled across every wall in the Irish House, reminding visitors that sobriety is forbidden and being tipsy isn’t a crime. But more than these pronouncements, it is the uber-chic ambience of the Noida arm of the resto-pub that stands out.
To begin with, a spacious bar welcomes a person right at the entry point. And once one turns right to navigate the sprawling L-shaped space, the bursts of green colour pop up in the form of artificial plants mounted on the walls and within the pub. They perfectly complement the chocolate-brown wooden décor of the 7000 sq ft space, however, one does wish these plants were not artificial. Nevertheless, their presence does spruce up the interiors and so does a wall covered with colourful wooden doors and windows, a reminiscent of the European architecture of the yore.
After taking note of these details minutely, we seated ourselves in a quiet corner. On the top of our must-try-out lists was the Irish beer, but to our disappointment, the most popular Irish variant, such as Murphy’s wasn’t available. The fault, however, was not theirs, as we were told that the beer “wasn’t available anywhere in Uttar Pradesh”. This information might dissuade many a people from visiting the casual-dining hub, however, we were surprised to observe that wasn’t the case. A steady stream of visitors trickling in even on a weekday, reiterating that sometimes a good ambience is all one needs to relax.
Never mind. We recovered from our initial disappointment once we sipped on the Twisted Old Fashion and Moscow Mule. The former is a concoction of bourbon, espresso, thyme and bitters and no prize for guessing that it has a slightly bitter aftertaste. But, if you want a refreshing drink then the combination of vodka, bitters, ginger ale and fresh lime in Moscow Mule should be perfect for you. Though, an overdose of crushed ice in the vodka-based drink was a spoiler.
Expansive menu
The menu is expansive and is curated to go along with the drinks. The appetizers rule the roost as it offers variety, but is dominated by the run-off-the-mill dishes. However, we did spot an anomaly and it came by the name, beetroot and goat cheese sliders. The flavour of the goat cheese might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we were all game for it. As the slightly-reddish buns arrived on our table, we were sceptical of our choice. But, all the doubts dissipated once we took a bite. The beetroot and goat cheese combo was heavenly and extremely fresh. It even bordered along the lines of “innovation”. A must try if you are game for experimentation.
Drunken prawns and spicy shrimp skewer were next on our radar. Nothing to write home about for the flavours were ordinary. But, what pleased our taste buds was a generous serving of an assortment of smoked chicken sausages, char-grilled broccoli, and roasted sweet potatoes serves in the sourdough fondue bowl. Not only were the sausages absolutely “smoky”, the lip-smacking cheese sauce was delightful.
Peri peri cottage cheese bowl
By now, we were already full but couldn’t resist the temptation of ordering something from their Off the Grill section. Peri peri cottage bowl comprising cold couscous, pepper mushrooms and cottage cheese indeed was the best choice to finish our meal. The cold couscous negotiated the hot peri peri flavours and nicely-sautéed mushrooms added the right punch to the dish.
The space is welcoming and vibrant. But don’t forget to follow the bar rules once you are inside. Here is what it reads like: Bar Rules: Rule 1: Bartender is always right. Rule 2: If bartender is wrong, see rule 1. Happy drinking!
