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Come Back for the Craic
Fair warning: Irish hospitality often comes in the form of Jameson shots.
“As a public house we feel we’re more than just a neighborhood bar,” says Executive Chef and General Manager of Gus O’Connor’s in Rochester, Michael Keys. “A public house is a spot where everyone is comfortable and feels welcome. We’re a meeting place for the whole community.”
Talk about true Irish hospitality — as soon as I walked in the door, I was invited to join a group already sitting. Within minutes I had a pint of Magners Irish Cider in front of me, a true Irish cider that until recently wasn’t even available in Michigan. This stuff is Veuve Clicquot compared to Strongbow’s Tosti Asti Spumante — real cider, not that sugary kids' stuff. I followed this with a shot of Jameson (this is how the Irish say hello and goodbye), which was followed by a perfect pint of Guinness. Well, hell, when in Dublin …
Speaking of which, I haven’t had a pint of Guinness this good since I was actually in Dublin. The trick is all in the two-part pour, which O’Connor’s practices religiously, even on St. Patrick’s Day. “No true Guinness drinker will ever complain about having to wait a minute for their beer to pour.” And you can taste the difference: this Guinness is creamier, richer and more full-bodied than the rushed versions you get at non-Irish bars.
From the proper pouring of Guinness to the faithful recreation of the interior of an actual Irish pub (this pub was custom-built in Ireland and shipped over; even the stained glass and wrought iron used inside were salvaged from old churches in England and Ireland), there is a painstaking effort made to maintain authenticity. Especially in the food.
“We like to consider ourselves an upscale Irish pub,” says Keys. This means, along with typical “bar food,” you’ll also see a number of traditional pub dishes. “The concept here is fine Irish fare.” The house specialties are their classic Irish and Irish-American delicacies, and, of course, “everything goes really good with beer!”
We passed plate after plate of fine Irish cuisine around our table, tasting Irish bangers (Irish sausage served with champ mashed potatoes), Scotch eggs (hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage), house-smoked salmon, corned beef and cabbage, cured pork loin and both their Lamb and Guinness stews. The flavors are hearty and intense — the meat is tender, juicy and flavorful, with accents like sweet mustard and horseradish. It's simple and hearty cuisine, but truly high-quality — especially the smoked and braised meats.
For less-than-Celtic palates, the slow-smoked ribs with a dry rub are outstanding, and they also serve up some killer desserts. Gus O’Connor’s also has live music four nights a week, as well as a Sunday live jazz brunch. For St. Patty’s Day they will add on a 4,500-square-foot tent and will open at 6 a.m. with a full buffet and live bands all day; get there before 10 a.m. and cover is free. | RDW
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