Story Published:
Oct 15, 2009 at 5:35 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 15, 2009 at 7:59 PM CDT
This cool weather has some of us on the hunt for comfort food.
Eric Shangraw finds it fairly easy to fill his girth at Donnelly's in this week's You Gotta Eat.
Donnelly's Shamrock Pub promotes itself as Peoria's oldest Irish eatery.
Established in 1970, the dark atmosphere teams with green island memorabilia.
The owners, Terry and Molly Donnelly, keep it a family atmosphere.
They do that by concentrating in the kitchen, where almost everything is made from scratch.
At the bar, beer from Ireland.
"We have Guinness. Harp and Smithwick's," said Molly.
"They have the best chef's salad. It is so good. I would like to come here everyday, but I can't afford to eat here everyday," said customer Stella Carson.
Pat Cusack is from Peoria. He now lives in Phoenix. -Comes here every time he visits the river city.
"I landed at 11:30 and came here for lunch. I have a hell of a time with my decision on what to have. Today I had the fried fish," said Cusack.
Photographer Larry Foulk and I started with some homemade potato chips. They call them Fried Chippers when they come out of the fryer.
We also sampled the Spinach Artichoke Dip. It was like a culinary preview of a good holiday dip.
Larry had the White Bean–Smoked Ham and Bacon soup. Savory.
I ordered the Irish Sausage, which is made special for Donnelly's with their own spices. This beast is about a foot long. It hangs over the plate on arrival smothered in pepper jack cheese and onions on a fresh roll. It is not for the faint of heart or anyone concerned about heartburn.
Larry had their Reuben. It comes with a cargo–load of corned–beef and sour kraut.
They even have eye–popping dessert. But our capacity for more grub was gone.
Our bill with drinks $31.97, plus tip.
Larry and I agreed, there is no need to wait for Saint Patrick's Day to enjoy a real Irish fair.
Donnelly's Shamrock Pub is near the corner of War Memorial and Glen.
They're open seven days a week.
The kitchen starts serving at 10:30 in the morning Monday through Saturday. –A little later on Sundays, after church.
4908 N. Renwood at Glen
Peoria
(309)693-3735
Saturday, Oct 17 at 3:30 PM Mike Foster wrote ...
In a good week, I'll be there twice. That way whatever I missed the first time, I'll get the second. The sausage rules. Stacked beef au jus;