The Irish Cottage
When you pull up to Irish Cottage in Methuen, you know you're in for a fun, authentic experience. I love the cottage by the street, the authentic Irish wall, the thatched roof, and when you get inside, it only gets better.
Owner Jimmy Kearney is a hard worker. He was a painter back in Ireland. This guy's so Irish, I can't even pronounce the name of the town that he's from. “Ballinasloe.” What he said. By my count, there are 1000 things on the walls here: sports, movies, signs, games, a typewriter. I don't know, it'd take you 10 years to list everything they brought in here from Ireland. “We want our guests to feel like they're walking into a pub in Ireland, even though it's on a larger scale, but it still has the same authentic atmosphere and warm comfort feeling of Ireland here in Methuen. And it’s a great place for family, friends of all ages to come together and enjoy some authentic, warm, comfort, American-Irish cuisine.”
Jimmy says this is what they call “mother's milk” in Ireland. And if you're going to have a couple of pints, you're going to need some good appetizers to go with them. A great app is the duo cottage spring rolls. It's really two kinds of spring rolls, a more traditional Philly cheesesteak-type spring roll served with a spicy ketchup. What's even better than that is the corned beef and sauerkraut spring roll served with 1000 Island dressing. “So with the duo cottage spring rolls here at the Irish Cottage, it's simple. You don't have to make up your mind. You have the best of both worlds, and have it with the dipping sauces, and it gives you an option of two appetizers in one.
On a cold day, French onion soup is one of my absolute favorite foods. This one is made with Guinness stout, and it's got onions, croutons, and cheese. That is the way to warm up. “Whether it's a warm day or a cold day, the French onion soup is something you can have at the Irish Cottage 365 days a year and still be happy walking out here.”
One of the ultimate drinking foods is Irish chips meets poutine. You have your traditional potatoes with the cheese curd and rashers, that's like an Irish bacon, and it's covered in a Montreal-style gravy. “You could definitely have it as an entree, but I would recommend sharing it for two but as myself has added in the past, I can have it all by myself. I could never pick my favorite appetizer here at the Cottage, because I love so many. So I would just say, come in, try one, try another one. Go from there and see how it goes.”
For entrees, they do have some Americanized-type items, but I recommend Ye Olde Irish Fare. A good choice is the Irish Bangers and Mash. That's that Irish pork sausage with the big pile of mashed potatoes and the Irish baked beans. Those 3 things really work well together. “When I take a bite out of the bangers and mash, it just reminds me of something my mom used to make when I was a little kid, and I still love it today.”
I think traditional corned beef and cabbage can be kind of like Thanksgiving dinner. Even if you love it, you only get it once a year. Here they serve it almost 365. It's that brisket, cured and brined, boiled potatoes, steamed cabbage, and look at those gigantic buttered carrots. “Here at the Irish Cottage, we don't cut the carrots down. We keep them big, which keeps them nice and juicy. And they taste perfect.”
This is what they call an Irish dip. It's their play on a French dip. You've got sliced prime rib and cheddar cheese on a salt and pepper bun with the au jus for dipping and a side of chips and onion rings. You gotta dip this in the au jus before you take a bite. That's a great sandwich.
As an island nation, Ireland has great seafood, but lamb is even more popular. Here they make a delicious seasoned rack of lamb. You get your choice of two sides. I went with the risotto. You don't see that a lot of Irish pubs. This one is made with spinach and mushrooms, and then I also got the grilled asparagus. “So after wracking my head for many months, I decided to put the rack of lamb on, because when it goes through the restaurant, people just go, ‘wow, what is that? I really want that I haven't seen that before,’ and it's a new item on our menu that people just go crazy for.”
I love the steak tips here. They're 14 ounces big, meaty and juicy. They're marinated in Coke Classic, so they're real sweet too, and they're served with mashed potatoes and carrots. “You have to come in and taste the difference. It's awesome.”
The Cottage Mac Smash began as a special. It got so popular they had to make it an entree. It's really a smash burger, cooked on the flat top so all the juices get sealed inside. There's no lettuce on this. It's onions, tomatoes, and pickles with a house pub sauce on a toasted, buttered sourdough roll with a side of sweet potato fries. “When I walk into the kitchen here I see that flattop filled with burger patties. The pub sauce is our secret. If I told you, I'd have to kill you. And it is an absolute must-try here.”
With all the stuff to look at on the walls and traditional Irish live music a few nights a week, you're probably going to want to hang around a little longer, so you may want to get dessert, including the Irish cheesecake. This is made with a Bailey's infusion. Don't see a lot of cheesecakes made with Irish infusion, but they do it here, and they do it well. “It doesn't just make Irish eyes smile. It makes all eyes smile.” If you're looking for a true Irish restaurant with an authentic atmosphere, live Irish music, you need to stop off here at the Irish cottage in Methuen, conveniently located off Route 93. “Come on in here and join us for a pint. Slainte.”
