Home cooking to match a homey setting
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Martin Bligh is doing something right. The Corrib recently added 48 seats to its dining area; but unlike many establishments that expand, neither the food nor the service has suffered.
The new room was a wise move, given the crowds that flock here for the inexpensive, consistently good meals. You won't find any nouveau cooking here, but rather dishes that would challenge anything mom used to make.
It's entertaining to watch the regulars huddled in intense conversation over frosty pints, brogues bouncing off each other. The Corrib's bar gets crowded at times, especially on weekends when fans cheer on the Pats and singles chat it up over cocktails. But it doesn't get rowdy; in fact, I've seen more men offer their seats to women here than at any other bar I've been to.
The dining room is warm and inviting with soft lighting, lots of big booths, and equestrian prints on the walls. Carpeting and attractive window treatments of swags and jabots - not your typical pub decor - keep noise to a minimum.
The nightly specials keep the menu varied, and most dinners come with homemade soup or crispy fresh garden salad, choice of potato, and vegetable.
When five of us sat down recently for a meal there wasn't a single complaint. For starters, we ordered the crab-stuffed mushrooms ($3.95). I'm not a mushroom fan, but these scrumptious delights won me over: They were light and very sweet, perfect when sprinkled with a wedge of lemon. The crabmeat was the imitation kind, but it fooled me.
The boneless Buffalo wings ($6.95) were juicy and large, the chicken moist. The tangy sauce was hot and spicy with quite a kick, but the chunky bleu cheese dressing douses some of the heat. The combination platter ($6.95) was great for sharing: three chewy mozzarella sticks, five potato skins loaded with bacon and cheese, and seven chicken wings, and sides of sour cream and marinara sauce. You can get the wings boneless for an additional $1. We ran around the block twice, then started on dinner.
One of the standout entrees was the chicken kebab ($8.95), a huge portion of tender pieces of poultry, peppers, onions, and tomatoes over rice; the vegetables made sweet by the charred edges. The teriyaki steak tips ($9.95) were lean and marinated in the Corrib's special sauce; you won't need A-1 for these.
Fish and chips ($8.95) covered the plate with lightly battered pieces of fresh scrod, fries, and coleslaw. Fried in a blend of corn and canola oil, the dish wasn't at all heavy. All the fish is delivered daily.
The seafood lover in our party had only good things to say about the baked salmon ($9.95). The fillet was flaky and light, and the tasty bread crumb topping kept the delicate fish extremely moist. The center cut pork chop dinner ($10.95) was another winner, the three 5-ounce boneless chops lean, juicy, and slightly smoky from the grill - with chilled apple sauce on the side.
The menu includes a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Our favorite sandwich was the Smitty Special ($5.95), a golden fried chicken breast that was moist inside and crunchy outside, topped with bacon, cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a fresh bulkie roll. Not for the calorie conscious, but absolutely delicious.
Although Thanksgiving is a week away, keep in mind the Corrib serves a complete turkey dinner every Sunday. The meal features fresh roasted turkey, homemade stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, pan gravy, butternut squash, jellied cranberry sauce, and soup and a salad - all for $8.95; you couldn't make it cheaper at home.
The 10-year-old Corrib is family run. Typically, Martin oversees the details; his wife, Angela, serves as hostess; and one of their children tends bar or waits tables. Their welcoming manner is another big reason why this neighborhood place is a success.
The Corrib also has locations with similar fare in Brookline and Brighton.
