Irish friendliness bubbles at Killarney

Mary Furr

The red hearts of Valentines have passed -- it’s now the green clover

of St. Patrick’s Day and time for the “Erin go bragh” greetings to

friends on their way to Killarney Pub and Grill in the second block

up from the pier.

Irish friendliness seems to bubble from the front door and beyond

to the long bar and blazing corner fireplace. Walls are covered with

photos of Irish pubs and views while more than a dozen color plasma

screens show continuous athletic contests. It’s convivial and

colorful with small Tiffany-style lamps hanging from the low ceiling.

It’s a place you want to be for breakfast on weekends. I want to

try everything on the menu but settle for the Irish Breakfast ($8.95)

since it has several Irish selections, with three eggs, any style, a

big fat Irish sausage -- thin-skinned and grainy -- Irish bacon a lot

like deli ham, traditional white -- dollar-sized slices of a mix of

bread crumbs and herbs rolled like a sausage and fried -- and an

overflowing pile of diced and fried O’Brien potatoes with onions --

and finally, slices of toast. It’s all served on a good warm plate

edged with a confetti of leafy green parsley.

The Irish omelet ($7.95) my friend chose was corned beef with

tomato pieces and bell pepper folded in the firm egg envelope and

those hearty O’Brien potatoes. The plates are as generous as the

service is friendly. When we talked with chef Cynthia Wellington

later as she came from the kitchen to enjoy a big bowl of her split

pea soup, she said many of the recipes she uses are from owners

Cieran and Eugene’s mother Peggy.

Chef Cynthia, who grew up in Malibu and has cooked for John Wayne

on his boat, brought out a sample of lemon butter crepes she

recommended -- wonderfully light, plump and tender, just sweet

enough. Her mother and father had a cooking school in Malibu so

cooking great food is a family tradition with her.

For St. Patrick’s Day Killarney’s plans to serve green beer,

corned beef hash and their wonderful potato pancakes called Boxty’s

($9.50 to $10.50), a traditional dish common in rural parts of

Ireland, pancakes rolled and stuffed with a variety of fillings like

garlic chicken, steak, lamb and vegetables.

Killarney Pub and Grill, which opened a couple of months ago,

brings a fresh taste of Ireland to Huntington Beach -- it’s Surf City

with a brogue.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, call (562) 493-5062 or e-mail

[email protected]