"Ag ithe sona" at Irish Village, Garhoud, Dubai

It's not a fancy name off the Irish Village menu. Nor is it the name of an A-list celebrity chef whom I had the pleasure of bumping into at the restaurant (I wish!) "Ag ithe sona" simply means "happy eating" in Irish and is according to me just one of those less dreary titles to kickstart my food blogging adventures.

Welcome to my food blog guys! I'm beyond thrilled that you're here :)

Irish village was one place for which I didn't have to put my restaurant stalking skills to use on Instagram or Zomato because this place is something I literally grew up with. It has been around for more than two decades already. I remember visiting the Irish grub the first time when I was 11 (this was somewhere around the early 2000s; ah now you know my age :P)  and being absolutely bowled over by not just their food but the ambiance.

The ambiance truly lives up to the pub's name and instantly transports you to one of those quaint, pretty villages in Ireland. The outdoor seating has a lush green lawn overlooking a lake with a huge pine tree. As we chill out on their wooden picnic benches, the traditional Irish music enlightens your spirit. Oh and did you know that the wood they use for the paneling and the paving stones are flown in straight from Ireland? Well, that's the kind of effort they put in to bring in the true blue authenticity of Ireland in the midst of Dubai. The best months to visit would be between November and April before the scorching summer kicks in and outdoor meals stop seeming like a good idea.

My all-time favorite dish here is the Fish and Chips, but before pouncing on that let me tell you what we ordered for starters.  We went with the Chicken and Mozzarella Strips served with garlic sauce. The chicken was a lovely golden brown and was extremely flavorful. For the mains we went with my regular fish and chips (no points for guessing that!) and a Village Fry platter.

The Fish and Chips were just heavenly with the mushy peas and tartar sauce playing their perfect side roles. The fish was nicely done with the hop batter splitting apart at the touch of a fork. The fries were cooked to the right amount of perfection and was legendary.

A generous portion of the village fry included a fried egg, bacon, black and white pudding, pork sausage, hash brown, grilled tomato, baked beans, grilled mushroom accompanied with toast. Each item on the platter was fresh, delicious and traditionally warm. Especially the hashbrowns, they were super crispy on the outside and firm on the inside. Just the way I love 'em.

To sum it up it was a hearty, Al-fresco experience under the winter sun. The staff here are helpful and always ready to offer their incredible expertise in dish recommendations in case you are indecisive or are struggling with the menu.

So here comes the gastronomer's report card:

Taste - 5/5
Pricing - 4/5
Ambiance - 5/5
Service - 4.5/5

Toodles for now!