Hi everyone! Sorry I haven’t been around in quite some time. I have been bogged down with schoolwork just like the rest of you I’m sure. Well, I decided that it was time to get out and be in touch with the great world of dining. I hit the jackpot with a visit to the Blarney Stone on Dorchester Avenue.

So many of my classmates have invited me to visit the Blarney Stone for Wednesday night (UMass night), where they play free pool and eat 10-cent wings. Reluctantly, I always have to decline because I work. I did take time to visit the Pub on Sunday afternoon and boy oh boy was I pleased. When I think about beer, cheap wings and pool tables my mind imagines a dark, smoky place with beer signs and no windows. Oh contraire my fellow classmates. This place is bright and airy with two walls of windows. One side overseeing the passing pedestrians and the other overlooks what will be a fenced-in outdoor patio. I was lucky enough to get “rock star parking,” curbside right outside the front door, which is always a plus.

As I set foot into the Blarney Stone two small children frolicking in the open space of the ever so shining hard wood floor greeted me as one chased the other back to the table where their Dad was enjoying the football game on the huge projector screen. The Patriots were playing the Colts, and winning I might add. This Indian summer day was looking better at every turn.

I had visited a church in Boston for a class assignment and my friend Jessica and I decided to hang out and have lunch afterwards. We invited my friend Kate and her Mom to join us. They rode the Red Line to Fields Corner and walked down the block to meet us for a leisurely afternoon of lunch and girl talk. While we waited for them to arrive, we sat at the wrap around bar where we were greeted by the charming bartender who was juggling a number of tasks. Busy as he was, he stopped to welcome us with a cheery smile. He offered us a drink and a menu and was off to tend to another guest. There were a few draft selections, but I went with good old Sam Seasonal (Oktoberfest) fresh on tap. While waiting for my guests to arrive we had some time to absorb the atmosphere. There wasn’t a speck of dirt to be seen. The walls are painted in deep colors of green and purple and are covered with modern day original art. There are cozy plush chairs along the front of the restaurant that margin between low, wide tables. Just like home only better (they clean up after the game). Two leather wing chairs reside in a corner by the door, a snug corner spot with a view of everything. Pool tables zigzag along one side of the bar and booths and tables run along the other side of the pub away from all of the hustle and bustle. It was difficult to believe that just the night before, the place was wall-to-wall packed with a diverse crowd of people enjoying drinks and music. Hey folks, they even have a disco ball hanging from the ceiling just over the little dance floor.

We ordered the flash fried calamari with hot cherry peppers ($7.25) that arrived at the same time as the rest of our party. Our group moseyed over to a table along side the open windows where the sun shone through the American flag that hung on the side of the building. We all agreed that we would like the calamari cooked crispy next time, but there wasn’t a single ring sent back to the kitchen when the waiter cleared our plate. We continued our dining extravaganza with the most scrumptious baby green salad, topped with grilled apples, crumpled blue cheese, toasted walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette ($6.75). I was nearly stuffed when our lunch arrived. Both the marinated steak tips ($9.95) and the chicken picatta ($8.95) were served with red bliss mashed and steamed broccoli. The chicken caesar salad ($7.50) was overflowing off of the plate and the chicken caesar wrapped in a spinach tortilla ($5.95) was enough for two. Okay, so no one finished their dish, but four chicks dishing, we gotta see what’s on the dessert menu. One dessert was offered and we took it. The chocolate cheesecake with raspberries and fresh whipped cream was so heavenly we nearly licked the plate clean. The only thing left for the waiter was the sprig of fresh mint. If you like a strong Irish coffee, this is your place.

So raise your spirits and clink your glasses. Visit the Blarney Stone whether it is a Wednesday night for beer and wings or Thursday through Sunday to dance the night away. Get off campus and enjoy the daily lunch menu or try the Sunday brunch from 11am to 4:30 pm. Which ever you choose, you’re sure to leave with a smile on your face and a doggy bag in your hand.

Ciao!

The Blarney Stone

1505 Dorchester Avenue

Dorchester, MA 02122

617-436-8223