Culinary Quest

The Harp & Fiddle Irish Pub and Restaurant bring to York, PA, a bit of Old World charm and an ethnic mystique that are truly welcome to any community in America.  General Manager Tony O'Connor, hailing from Limerick, Ireland, brought the idea for an Irish pub to York after having recognized  York's downtown's growing potential with the incoming baseball team and revitalization efforts.  Here, he decided, was a place where an authentic Irish pub would be a welcome addition, and he could feel success in America just around the corner. 

O'Connor's background is in the service industry, theology to be exact.  He was drawn to restaurants and the hospitality business  by many elements, he says.  "I enjoy working with both the public and with the employees.  The marketing, promotions, the multiple stimuli to the brain all fulfill my passion for working with people.  I also like to travel," he points out in his charming Irish Brogue.  "If you ask anybody, they will tell you that I am very critical of my food, wine, Guinness...everything."  A critical general manager can either make or break a restaurant.  I will find out which effect O'Connor has on The Harp & Fiddle.  I ask Tony where he got his start as a restaurateur.  "I began in County Cork.  On of my first positions was to set up a restaurant and hotel in County Galway and a restaurant and hotel in County Limerick."  I now expect great things knowing that this is not the first, nor even the most difficult undertaking that Tony has had.  O'Connor points out that the whole of his management team and a few members of his bartending and server teams are from Ireland.  He explains that he would hire more Irish, but the process of obtaining a visa is very long and difficult right now. 

I am very interested in the Irish drafts, especially Guinness, having survived on it during my academic studies at the University of Virginia.  There, at another Irish pub, I learned that the stoudt is to be consumed at room temperature, not chilled.  "We have a special machinery in the basement that keeps it at 68 degrees.  We also serve it extra cold for the uninitiated.  But that tends to be a winter drink around here.  Right now people are enjoying the Smithwick's (ale,) Magner's (cider,) and Harp (a light beer) since the weather is getting warmer.  In Ireland, Guinness is used as a medicine for both people and animals.  I once used it to treat a calf I was raising."  You learn something new every day.  The pub's selection does not stop there.  They offer a wide variety of beers, spirits, wines, and sodas from their full service bar, which, like all of the furnishings, has been brought over from Ireland, adding real charm to the pub

Opened on December 4, 2004, The Harp & Fiddle is a very large establishment capable of seating 150 people or handling 300 people standing downstairs.  In the Abbey, the second floor function room decorated with part of an actual Irish abbey dating to the 1650's, The Harp & Fiddle can seat 110 people or handle 200 people standing.  The facility is available for larger events, and has accommodated private events in the Abbey.  In spite of all of the seating, I notice that there is plenty of walking space, allowing for free movement of both customers and staff.  This would serve well for celebrations, special events, or evening entertainment, and adds to the ambience.  Despite its seating capacity, dinner reservations are suggested, especially on weekends and on evenings when the Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center, located less than a block away, has events planned.   

Tony and I talk about the kitchen staff and the menu for a bit.  "The Executive Chef is Bill Phillips.  You rarely find Irish chefs in the U.S.  (Bill is American.)  Irish chefs can be very moody.  There is a much different training regimen in Ireland than in the U.S.  Bill has built his own team in the kitchen," he explains.  "The menu is a  mixture of traditional Irish and the chef's interpretation of American cuisine.  We all have input into the menu's creation.  We run specials to gauge different items' popularity for the new menu.  The next new menu is due out June 1st.  In any ethnic restaurant, there must be an element of the local nationality to appease the local population who isn't quite so adventurous."  This makes sense, given the levels of ethnocentrism that we encounter everyday in America.

I have to ask O'Connor if there are any house specialties since I will be dining here soon.  He proceeds to list most of the menu for me, pointing out that the fish and chips (beer battered cod and french fries) is the most popular dish on the menu.  As for house specialties, the first dish to be mentioned is Beef & Guinness, which turns out to be a Beef and Guinness stew served over mashed potatoes.  Next, Tony mentions a Shepherd's Pie, which sounds equally tempting.  Tony is quick to point out that a true Irish stew is made with lamb, and that the restaurant does not prepare this dish.  The lamb shanks, he says, are "very popular and exceedingly tasty."  He goes on to list a number of sandwiches, appetizers, and the potato soup.  I am overwhelmed by the possibilities.   

Tony makes a point of letting me know, "We are proud to be a member of the Downtown Restaurant Coalition.  We are actually trying to promote the downtown as a destination and a safe place to be.  We have the Philadelphia St. car park  with 3rd level access right to the Abbey facility (the second floor).  I have a fun loving staff, most of which has been with me since day one.  We also have a very loyal customer base.  We work closely with the St. Patrick's Parade committee and are its chief sponsors.  We love York."  It is nice to see such community involvement from a new business.

Deciding to avoid the busier evening hours, I chose to enjoy an early dinner at 4:30.  This way I would probably not need reservations.  I guessed correctly today.  I was seated and given a menu.  From my table, I was able to observe the bar.  There is smoking permitted in the bar, which covers a very large  area of floor downstairs.  This does not bode well since a large crowd of smokers would create a sizeable cloud of smoke.  This would create a bad environment for those who do not wish to be around smokers (a large portion of the population,) and leaves lingering residue and smells on clothing.  I realize that this is an Irish pub; however, a forward thinking restaurant would be making the move now to go totally non-smoking.  The television in the bar is showing a game of football (the real football, not American football) between Rome and Manchester United.  This truly IS an Irish Pub.  The only thing missing are the hooligans!

My server arrives to take my drink order.  I had been hoping to get an Irish lass today, just to complete the charm, but such is not to be.  Instead, I am lucky to be waited on by a lovely American woman.  She returns with my drink and asks for my order.  I let her know that I have not had an authentic Irish meal in ages, and ask for her help designing just that.  She is quick to suggest corned beef and cabbage.  I had considered this possibility, but thought it cliché.  I ask her for what she thinks is the house's specialty.  After a moment of considering the options, my server responds, "The Beef and Guinness."  I recall Tony having mentioned this dish, and go with it.  My server lets me know that I get a small salad or soup with my meal, and suggests that I get the Potato (and leek) Soup.  This sounds like an excellent choice.  I query if the entree is so large that I would not be able to eat an appetizer, to which she answers that I can always take home whatever I cannot finish.  Smashing idea!  She suggests the Dublin Wraps, which she explains are cabbage wrapped around corned beef, potatoes, and onions served in a parsley mustard cream sauce.  I will ask about dessert only if I have not passed out from all the food on my dinner order.

My soup arrives shortly.  I am not a potato soup aficionado, but I have never seen a potato soup like this before.  There was no broth in my cup at all.  Instead, I was faced with what appeared to be a steaming serving of soupy white mashed potatoes.  I was more than intrigued by the soup, the savory aroma telling me that I  must eat it at once.  I tasted the first spoonful not sure what to expect.  Sheer joy!  The potato was the most prominent flavor, as was to be expected, but there was the nuance of another flavor underneath.  Leek is subtle; perhaps that is what I was picking up.  Nevertheless, this was a delicious start to my meal. 

I finished, and my server cleared my dish, asking if I would like any more to drink.  I accepted a refill.  A short while after bringing my drink, she arrived with the Dublin Wraps.  The thick cream sauce coated this dish in ecru, the cabbage peeking out as two large lumps from underneath.  Of course, I tasted the mustard parsley cream sauce first.  This was a tantalizing flavor.  The mustard resembled Dijon, but without the overpowering spice of Dijon.  Perhaps the cream tempered that.  The parsley was not readily evident, no color being apparent, other than the mostly hidden green of the cabbage; however, the parsley's flavor lay in the background,  playing off of that of the mustard, augmenting it in its subtlety.  I cut the cabbage wrap to be greeted with a large portion of the corned beef and  potatoes.  This was an interesting interplay of flavors.  The cabbage, corned beef, onions, and sauce were magnificent together.  The subtle potato is a very neutral flavor in this dish, serving more as a filler than anything else.   But the sauce is what makes this dish work so well.  Had the mustard been anymore poignant it would have overpowered the cabbage completely; had it been any more subtle, it would have been lost in the corned beef.  Chef Phillips is using the mustard to its best advantage as a complement to the rest of the dish in order to enhance the overall experience.  This dish is a winner. 

My server had checked on me while I was enjoying the appetizer and had refilled my drink.  When she comes to clear my plate, she asks if I need anything else at this time.  I let her know that I am fine and wait for my entree.  The kitchen has things timed well; my entree arrives shortly.  The Beef and Guinness is, as mentioned above, a stew, served in a large white bowl.  It is brown.  There are no decorations, no colors.  Just brown.  It does, however, tease my nose with its almost beckoning aroma.  I take my first bite anxiously.  This, my friends, is what a stew is should taste like.  The large chunks of beef, pieces of carrot, thick broth that has just a hint of the Guinness that was used to make it, all served over mashed potatoes is the food that can keep you warm in the dead of winter, or fill you up after a long day of labor in the hot days of summer.  The beef is tender enough to cut with a fork.  The mashed potatoes still hold a peak despite being under a stew.  And the thick broth is almost sweet, with a maltiness to it.  It makes me curious what a true Irish stew tastes like.  That may be heaven on earth!  I am a bit disappointed that I was not served any hard Irish bread, though.  That would have been ideal to accompany the stew. 

My server clears my plate, refills my drink, and asks me if I would like any dessert.  I choose a berry tart, thinking that it sounds light.  When it arrives, I am pleased to see that it is not much larger than a piece of pie.  It may, indeed, be a piece of berry pie, crisscrossed with a berry syrup to decorate the plate.  It is sweet, moist, and refreshing.  The restaurant has daily dessert specials, so I may not see this again in the  near future. 

Here I grade my dining experience.  I grade on 5 factors:  Atmosphere, Service, Presentation, Taste, and Value.  These areas are scored on a 0 to 10 scale with 0 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.

Atmosphere:  9  The Harp & Fiddle has a great feel to it.  Everything from the furniture, to the bar, to the pictures on the walls, to the Irish Brogue, to the Irish music screams Irish pub.  Even the football on the television!  The point was lost because they allow smoking in the rather large bar area.  If this were closed off from the rest of the restaurant, it may not be such a problem, but it is not.  Thus, a larger portion of the diners than one might expect will probably be bothered by the smoke. 

Service:  10     My server was first rate!  She anticipated my needs, noticed that I was drinking a lot of water (my choice of drink) and kept my glass full, and was very  helpful when I asked for suggestions ordering.  I realize that Tony would like to be able to hire more Irish servers, but you know what?  He's found a top notch American in my server.  Don't trade her in! 

Presentation:  8     I realize that The Harp & Fiddle is an Irish Pub, and that I don't know Irish culture any better than I know Swahili culture, but something must be done to make the dishes appear more pleasing to the eye.  There was a total lack of color to my meal.  I was greeted by whites and browns, except for the purple of my dessert.  Which brings me to the dessert--why dress up dessert with the berry syrup if no effort was made in the presentation of the rest of the meal?  I would have thought that there would have been a consistent nothingness to presentation.  I went as high as an 8 here because, again, an authentic Irish pub may be very simple in its fare.  But even O'Connor pointed out that an appeal must be made to the local  population.  Americans want their food to appeal to the eye as well as to the palate.

Taste:  10     The flavors that I encountered at The Harp & Fiddle were, for the most part, new experiences for me.  I am pleased to say that these are experiences that I would gladly have again.  I want to explore the rest of the menu to find out what Chef Phillips does with the other traditional Irish favorites, as well as get his take on the American dishes.  Without a doubt, the Beef and Guinness was the highlight of my meal; I would suggest it to everyone.  And there is no reason that  you should not try the traditional Potato Soup while at The Harp & Fiddle.  This is nothing like the potato soup your mother used to make.  That is assuming your mother used to make potato soup.

Value:  9 .5     I had a fabulous meal at a very reasonable price.  I was a little surprised by the price of the appetizer, but that aside, felt that I received a marvelous deal for my dollar.  You will find that the prices at The Harp & Fiddle fall within what you would expect to find at a moderately priced restaurant; whereas I expected higher than normal prices due to the location and the Irish pub mystique.  The sandwich menu offers choices at lunch prices even during dinner hours.  This is a nice option, as well.  I think you will be very satisfied with your dining experience at The Harp & Fiddle.

The Harp &  Fiddle is Open  Mon - Wed 11 am to Midnight

                                             Tues - Sat  11 am to 2 am

                                             Sunday       For special occasions (Mother's Day, Easter, etc.)

Friday  Martini Happy Hour when Martinis are available for $5

Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm    Complimentary Prime Rib Buffet

Live Music Friday and  Saturday--$5 cover (Contemporary American and Traditional Irish) from 9:00 pm to 1:30 am

Gift Certificates are available.

The Harp & Fiddle   |   110 N. George St.  York, PA   |   717.854.HARP  |  www.theharpandfiddle.com

05 April 2007