Dubliner in the Desert

I'm not Irish at all. Many people find this hard to believe considering a lot of my family is from East Coast, I cheer for the Red Sox, and I really like Guinness. But my family is mostly Slovak and Russian, so I never grew up eating Irish food. St. Patrick's Day was just another day for me and corned beef wasn't my idea of a good sandwich meat.

But, as you probably know from reading this blog, is that I love new restaurants. When I saw a brand new restaurant being built only a block away from my apartment, I had to try it out. Over the summer, the construction on this place was fairly quick and I began to see it was an Irish pub with a dark black exterior that looks nothing like the rest of the restaurants on University. Windows advertising Guinness and Harp were being put in and richly stained furniture was being moved inside. It seemed interesting and different for Tucson.

Like I said earlier, Irish fare is just unfamiliar territory for me. But, I'm not scared to try new things and decided to go in. Finally, the fall semester and this restaurant, The Auld Dubliner (800 E. University Blvd., 520-206-0323), opened their doors. Immediately, Breanne, who is my girlfriend, and I tried to find a time when we were free to try out the newest place to get a good meal and a cold beer near the University of Arizona.

Finally, we decided to go to dinner there on a Thursday night and invited our friend, Ashley, along. Ashley and Breanne were extremely excited to try the Dubliner because, unlike me, they are Irish and very proud of it. They've had amazing corned beef and know what a “banger” is. I felt like I was good hands, if I had any questions about what to order, with them around.

Upon walking in, we all felt like we were in a different world. The owners didn't just hang up a couple Guinness posters, but actually took time and consideration to make this restaurant seem genuine. Tables made from old Harp beer barrels, dimly lit lamps, and traditional Irish music all made up the interior of the Dubliner. Ashley, who had been to Ireland previously, remarked at how traditional the decorating choices of this restaurant were. There was definitely a crowd in the restaurant as well who all seemed to be enjoying the food and surroundings.

As we looked over the menu, the general consensus between the three of us was that this was not typical University Blvd. fare. The food was very well described and had very attentive, but not annoying, service who was cordial and willing to answer any questions we had. The beer selection was also very impressive with 10 traditional ales and lagers on tap alone, let alone the many they have bottled and the wide and vast options of Irish whiskeys. Finally, I decided on the Fish and Chips ($12.95) and a pint of Guinness Stout ($5.00). Breanne decided on the Corned Beef Sandwich ($8.95) and Ashley chose the Corned Beef and Cabbage ($12.95). Since Ashley had spent the night previously drinking hard at a chain restaurant in town, she decided to stay away from the alcohol choices.

The service was fast! Our food came promptly and hot...but what was impressive was the presentation. The food came on beautiful white plates with curry powder around the edges to give the dishes a good color. This was unlike anything near the college at all. And the food was, hands down, the best food on University Blvd. Everything was delicious.

My fish was battered in a Black and Tan beer batter and came on a bed of fries that were dusted with a light curry powder. It was piping hot and went very well with my Guinness, which was poured perfectly. Breanne's corned beef sandwich came with swiss cheese, apple-onion relish, and horseradish mayonnaise and honestly, I liked mine, but I liked her meal so much more. With all those amazing ingredients combined with a crusty rye bread, it was to die for. Ashley's corned beef and cabbage was HUGE. There was a plentiful amount of meat on her plate and the amount of cabbage she received was extraordinary. Everybody kept commenting on how flavorful our meals were.

The one piece of this meal that made this not only one of the best restaurants in the University district, but Tucson altogether, was their little touches with their condiments. The malt vinegar, ketchup, and mustard were even from Ireland. This truly made the meal authentic and not like anything else you could get in Tucson. Strong mustards and ketchups infused with curry were what made the meals light up so well.

I can't get over how wonderful of a time we had at The Auld Dubliner. The location to campus, the amazing service, and the extremely tasty Irish food converted me into a true fan of Irish fare. Breanne was just commenting to me recently how she is craving the corned beef and can't wait to go back. I think we may have to, sooner than later.