Subscribe in a reader

Monday, March 16, 2009

Molly Brannigans

Molly Brannigans Restaurant, Harrisburg Pennsylvania © Susqueats.com 2009

Creating a traditional Irish pub takes more than slapping an apostrophe in your name and putting a keg of Guinness in your cooler. In Ireland the pub is a daily gathering spot--a place to unwind among friends--and the warmth of the Irish character is echoed in the pub's design. For that kind of atmosphere in Harrisburg, you can pop into Molly Brannigans.

As one of the early players in the development of Harrisburg's Restaurant Row, Molly Brannigans practically imported its interior, piece by piece, from Ireland. Molly Brannigans has a warm inviting decor with a number of nooks and crannies. In fact, since Molly's has entrances on two streets, it is common for barhoppers to unwittingly saddle up at Molly's bar twice in one night without realizing they've returned to the same place.

Ok... how about the food?

When starting a meal at Molly's, you may want to opt for this Spinach Salad, served with Feta cheese, green apples, craisins, bacon, red onions & tomatoes. It is one of their eight salads.

Living on an island, the Irish are pros at cooking fish. Molly's traditional Fish and Chips comes with a side of cole slaw and tartar sauce.

In addition to their traditional Irish fare, Molly Brannigans serves a selection of more Americanized pub grub, such as this 3-pack of Cheeseburger Sliders, as well as a number of wraps and traditional burgers and sandwiches.

Good ole American fare is great, but when going to an Irish Pub, why not stick to the classics? Like this Shepherd's Pie. Some other traditional favorites include Guinness Stew, Bangers and Mash and a selection of four different Boxties.

For those less adventurous souls, Molly's also has a selection of pasta, chicken and seafood entrees.

What would any trip to an Irish Pub be, though, without a pint of Guinness? Here, bartender Brooke satisfies that thirst for one of her customers.

Molly Brannigans is based in Erie and is poised to open another 7 restaurants across the country to complement the four in operation here in Pennsylvania. To date, the Molly's in Harrisburg's Restaurant Row remains the company's No. 1 producer.