5 to try: Irish restaurants in the East Valley

March 12th, 2009, 3:21 pm · 1 Comment · posted by Jess Harter

With St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, this weekend is the perfect time to indulge in corned beef, shepherd’s pie or a boxty. Here are five places in the East Valley to go green any day of the year:

Fibber Magees: My Irish friends tell me this Chandler favorite’s corned beef and cabbage ($12.95) is the closest you can get here to what they eat in Ireland. The shepherd’s pie ($12.99) is made with minced lamb, and the boxty, a rolled-up potato pancake, comes with choice of three fillings (all $12.99). Don’t miss the traditional bread and butter pudding ($6.99) for dessert. 1989 W. Elliot Road, Chandler, (480) 722-9434.

Murphy’s Law: This relative newcomer to downtown Chandler serves one of the best shepherd’s pies ($9.95, pictured at left) I’ve come across. Baked in a metal pot, the beef chunks and veggies are covered with a thick layer of mashed potatoes and topped with a puff pastry. Seven sandwiches, ranging from corned beef to bangers (sausages), also can be ordered in a boxty ($7.95-$8.95). 58 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, (480) 812-1588.

Rula Bula: Featuring both traditional and “New Irish” cuisine, this Mill Avenue hotspot starts meals with two delicious house-made soda breads, followed by Irish staples like grilled salmon glazed with a molasses-whiskey sauce ($14.95), Guinness-braised sirloin in a puff pastry ($14.95), One and One (a.k.a. fish and chips, $11.95) and Irish lamb stew with root vegetables ($10.95). 401 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, (480) 929-9500.

R.T. O’Sullivan’s: These two Irish-themed sports bars in Mesa aren’t true Irish pubs, but they offer a number of traditional Irish dishes, including shepherd’s pie made with ground beef in a bread bowl ($10.95), corned beef and cabbage ($10.95), fish and chips ($12.95) and a Reuben sandwich ($8.95, with side dish). 1010 W. Southern Ave., Mesa, (480) 844-1290; 6646 Superstition Springs Boulevard, Mesa, (480) 396-9933.

D’Arcy McGee’s: This Tempe Marketplace eatery, part of a Canadian chain, offers a corporate-devised menu of Irish and English dishes, including Donegal fisherman’s chowder ($5.99), shepherd’s pie ($7.99) and a Guiness-braised steak and mushroom or chicken tikka masala boxty ($9.99 each). The bar features an extensive roster of Irish beers and whiskeys, but service can be sketchy. 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, (480) 557-9087.

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