When I found out that we would be headed to this end of the state, I immediately started looking for a great restaurant to visit and blog about...and wow did we find it.
9 Irish Brothers is a wonderful little spot at the base of the hill leading up to the Purdue campus. It's a busy place, yet the pub itself feels very intimate and removed from the hustle and bustle of the nearby street. It was a beautiful August evening, so we chose to sit outside on the patio...a wise choice!
Being a true lover of Irish food and seeking out ideas and recipes for our fall/winter dinner guests, we looked at the menu and were more than pleased with the selections offered. Tom finally settled upon fish and chips and I decided upon a 1/2 order of corned beef and cabbage and 1/2 order of Irish-Guinness stew. When the food arrived, we immediately realized that we could invite Caroline, our waitress, and all those dining around us to join us in this feast.
The food was an absolute delight. The rich flavors of the stew, the soda bread, the corned beef and cabbage, the fish and chips (the "chips" being oval potato slices that were quick fried into potato puffs that we hadn't enjoyed since experiencing them in New Orleans at Antoinne's--fantastic). Every bite brought a smile.
The star of the show at 9 Irish Brothers is the Guinness from the tap. There is a special process used there that has earned the pub the title of Best Guinness from the Tap in the US...quite an honor. Now we know why it won that accolade; smoother and silkier Guinness we've never experienced. Smiles abounded once again.
After a wonderful and relaxing meal with Caroline taking good care of us, we then asked if we might have a flight of single malt whiskeys. This brought our bartender Josh into the picture where, after a bit of thought and planning, we pronounced us the official guinea pigs for the inaugural whiskey flight. Josh did some excellent choosing and we ended up with an aromatic and rich selection of Bushmill 10 year, Knappouge, Michael Collins, and Tyrconnell Port Finish. We found a new favorite in Michael Collins which, with time, blossomed into a beautiful glass of whiskey. Here's to Josh and many many more successful whiskey flights for years to come--that young man knows his craft!
We also raise a glass to our kind waitress, Caroline, a hard working young lady who is currently studying nursing in addition to working two different jobs. Always smiling, always attentive--a waitress that made our evening a delight.
A third round of "cheers" to the instigator of our finding this fine pub--Mike Hosford, Tom's boss. Thanks, Mike!
Whenever you are in the West Lafayette area, don't hesitate to drop in to the 9 Irish Brothers; you'll come out smiling, satisfied, and perhaps even with a lift in your step keeping in tune with the spirit of all that is good and Irish.
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| the inaugural whiskey flight |
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| the star of the show |
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| Caroline & Josh |
Yummmm
ReplyDeleteWe are charter members of the whiskey club of our favorite Irish pub. They have all the Irish whiskeys that are available in the US. We haven't even made it through half of them!