Review from Kathie Jenkins
Cork’s Irish Pub is the new restaurant atEmbassy Suites in downtown St. Paul. You can get good Irish whiskey, Scotch and dark beer here, but the restaurant couldn’t commit to an all-Irish menu. Instead, it’s divided into three sections: Irish Fare, Pub Grub and Minnesota Favorites. Scotch eggs — hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage, then breaded and deep-fried — are becoming trendy, and the ones here are terrific. They’re served six halves to an order with two kicky mustards — just the thing to nibble on while sipping a Black & Tan. Another menu highlight is the “drunken broil,” a steak splashed with Bushmill Irish Whiskey and served with mashed potatoes and minted peas. The fish and chips were fine, but I was surprised the chips were potato chips. They were house-made potato chips, but a genuine Irish pub would serve what we call fries. For dessert, try the carrot cake and the apple and dried cranberry crisp. The mood here is laid-back. You can grab a seat in the bar, which feels more like a sports bar than pub. Or, better yet, take a table in the quieter indoor patio overlooking a pond with live ducks. Either way, be prepared to ask for a doggie bag; portions are huge.