While the Belfast ran errands to Ikea, prepped Christmas food, and the kids played video games, Sweet Harold and I decided to take a walk to the nearby Kennedy Center which houses grocery stores, a movie theater, kiosks of all sorts, clothing stores, a food court, and 26. West Bar and Grill.
We did some shopping, wandering through the stores, and enjoyed the fact that we were not some of the hurried and harried shoppers we witnessed!
We had coffee and hot tea for breakfast and decided to have an early lunch.
The menu offerings included a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and more substantial items such as fish and chips, steak, fried chicken and pastas.
I inquired as to the soup of the day and was prepared to order whatever it was, just so I could warm up a bit after the brisk walk to the Center from our home base.
The soup was Vegetable and Barley served with Farmhouse Wheaten Bread and Irish butter. I'll begin by saying we both should have ordered a bowl because after the first bite, I was reluctant to share with SH. But I did.
This soup was served HOT (yea!!) and the broth was rich and there was plenty of vegetables (carrots, greens, leeks, herbs) and the barley was tender and a nice addition. Perfectly seasoned and just what you would wish for and expect a bowl of vegetable barley soup in Northern Ireland to be.
There were two slices of bread and two pats of Irish butter. Thank goodness we could each have a slice! :)
The texture of the bread was soft and it was served warm and the butter wasn't ice cold from the fridge. It was nice and spreadable on the bread slices. It's probably a good thing there were only two slices because I would have eaten as many as they brought me!
I debated several items on the menu but finally decided on the Classic Cheeseburger: an 8 oz. prime beef burger kept simple with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and cheese served on a toasted brioche bun with house chips and dip of your choice (I selected garlic may0 for my dip).
Wow. This was a great burger. I didn't request any condiments. This burger didn't NEED any condiments. The arugula added a nice peppery flavor, the beef was well seasoned, the bun was soft and warm...everything worked.
The chips needed a touch of salt at the table, but the garlic mayo was delicious and the perfect dipping sauce.
Kudos on the burger!
Sweet Harold had gone without a Guinness or a fish and chip meal for over 24 hours! The Horror!!
When he ordered a pint of Guinness, imagination his shock when the server informed him that the delivery hadn't yet been made and there was none to be had! While he attempted to get over his shock and regain his composure, the server suggested he try a Peroni instead. While not his beloved Guinness, he enjoyed it with his meal.
Y'all know what he ordered, so I won't go into any further commentary. This time, instead of cod, the fish was haddock.
Freshly battered haddock fillets served with thick cut chips and mushy peas with choice of curry or tartar sauce. He chose tartar. But wait! There's a plot twist today. Instead of the mushy peas on the side, they were served underneath the fish.
The presentation was lovely and I honestly think each time he orders, the fish portion increases in size.
As you can see, these mushy peas were "not so mushy." This serving won't be in the number one slot when he compiles his Top 10 (or 20) List, due the batter not being as crunchy as some of the other offerings he's enjoyed. The peas were certainly different in texture, but I'll save his commentary on those when he gets around to making his list after we return home.
All in all, a relaxed and chill meal. The food was delicious, the location, while located in a busy shopping district, was pleasant, and service was great.
We would return.
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