THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605140113
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On The Town
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
In most Eastern Seaboard cities it is almost obligatory to have an Irish pub such as the new Mo & O'Malleys that opened recently in downtown Norfolk.
When the century was young and there was still a great migration of workers from northern and southern Europe, families from Italy, Ireland, Russia or Germany tended to settle in neighborhoods with clearly defined ethnic boundaries.
There you would find German taverns with great mugs of beer and platters of sauerkraut and sausage, or perhaps a few blocks away, a darkened pub with Irish whiskey, shamrocks and the music of the pipes. Although many of these ethnic enclaves have changed, travelers still can find an Irish pub in most big cities.
Mo & O'Malleys Irish Pub (131 Granby St., 623-3466) is operated by Jim Manning and Bernie Rich, and they seem intent on replicating the atmosphere of traditional Irish watering holes - where a plate of corned beef and cabbage is as important an element as a draft of Guiness Stout . . . well, almost as important.
Situated in the base of the Virginia Building, on the corner of Plume and Granby, the location was once The Bench, later Brewster's, and most recently Island Grill & 'Tings. Manning and Rich rebuilt the interior, with wood walls and booths, and a mirrored birch back bar that enhances the old-time feel of the place. One can imagine it in a few years when a fine patina of use has darkened the wood.
``Basically we gutted it and started over,'' Manning explained. ``We're redoing the second floor as well, doing it in a very pubby fashion, with dart lanes, and we'll have Irish entertainment on Friday and Saturday, starting this weekend (May 17 and 18) with Martin Marron, who has been doing the Alexandria circuit, playing the Murphy's and The Dubliner.
``He'll be doing some Irish pub singing, rebel tunes, sing-alongs and some banter.'' Manning said. ``He's what the Irish call a `shanachie' or storyteller, sometimes he tells some comic tales to music.''
There are some Irish brews available to complement the Irish music, including Guiness Stout and Harp's on tap.
``Even though it's an Irish pub, we've sort of spread it around the British Isles, with Welsh, Scottish, English and Irish beers,'' Manning said.
As for food, the menu is undergoing a shakeout, with some items due to be trimmed and a new menu due out this week. Rest assured that the likes of corned beef and cabbage ($6.95), Irish stew (with beef instead of lamb, $6.95); bangers and mash (mashed potatoes and sausages, $5.95), and sandwiches such as the Reuben ($5.95) and roast or corned beef ($5.25), will survive.
``We're adding fish and chips (served with slaw and fresh fruit, $5.95 at lunch, $6.95 for a dinner portion), and even though they're not very Irish, but due to customer request, a pound of 15- to 20-count steamed shrimp, the big jumbo shrimp, for $14.95, served with slaw or a house salad,'' Manning said.
Mo & O'Malleys Irish Pub is presently open for lunch Monday through Friday, and for dinner, Monday through Saturday, with live entertainment on weekends with no cover, and a dart league starting up on Tuesday nights. I'll say more about the food in a later column, when the new menu is in place.
The folks at the Full Circle AIDS Hospice Support have issued a call for hosts for this year's ``Dinner Is Served'' fund-raising event, set for June 15.
Volunteers host a gathering to raise funds, from a formal dinner party to an informal get-together, at their own home, then everyone gathers at the Norfolk Botanical Garden for desserts and live entertainment. The money raised goes to fund programs to secure and deliver more than 1,000 meals a month to homebound AIDS patients, and to help provide no-charge living assistance.
For information about how to get involved, or about hosting a party, call Marty Mendelsohn or Diane Finley at Full Circle, 622-2989. I'll have more about the event as it draws near.
The local restaurant scene lost a longtime innovator last week. Hans S. Rosenstock, owner and operator of The Wooden Nickel on Military Highway, died at age 70. I started my restaurant career in 1964 working for Hans, peeling potatoes and mopping floors in one of his Burger Chef franchises. A tireless worker and proud veteran of service with the 82nd Airborne during World War II, his son Stephen Rosenstock continues his tradition, having worked locally as general manager of the Omni International Hotel (now Omni Waterside), before transferring to an Omni in Indianapolis. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE
Martin Marron will sing Irish ballads and rebel songs on Friday and
Saturday of this weekend at Mo & O'Malley's Irish Pub.
by CNB