Chowdown Showdown Irish Food, Drink Challenge
Where is the best place in McHenry County to get a great Irish dish or drink this St. Patrick's Day?
UPDATE Wednesday, March 21, 2012: There were not were enough votes for this Chowdown to have a finalists' poll. The Chowdown Showdown will resume on March 28 with a new Chowdown.
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Corned beef washed down with a shot of Irish whiskey — this week, in the spirit of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday — we are looking for the best place for Irish food and/or drink in McHenry County.
It could be an excellent Irish pub or a restaurant that serves a delicious Irish dish: Let us know where you like to go for Irish food and drink by commenting below.
We will take comments in this article through Tuesday, March 20. Voting will stop at 5 p.m.
We will select the top finalists — the businesses that receive the most comments — and place them in our finalists' poll. That poll will post on all McHenry County Patch sites the morning of Wednesday, March 21.
As has been the case in the past, we will take votes through the poll. This poll is not scientific, and moving forward, it will not be the sole consideration in choosing a winner.
The winner will be determined based on poll results, comments on this page and on ratings and reviews on Patch Places. This Patch.com column has more information on how we will determine our Chowdown Showdown winners.
With that said, let us get the voting started. Tell us, Patch readers, where is your favorite place to go for Irish food and/or drink?
Tim Kane
2:34 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I'm Irish. Irish restaurants are hard to find. Carlos Murphy's was a place not too far from here. Most of the food served there was Mexican. The Irish side of the menu had listings of only a few kinds of boiled meat and potatoes.
We'll be eating in.
My wife will make corned beef and cabbage, which entails extensive boiling.
I'm making potato soup. I'm going to dice onions and throw them into a pot with melted butter and cook them until they are tender. That takes about 15 minutes. Then I'll add chicken stock and diced potatoes. Then I'll boil the concoction about two hours until the chucks of potatoes are completely pulverized, turned into an off-white gruel.
Thank God it's only once a year.
Michael Bivona
3:03 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My Irish side takes over this time of year. I like your soup recipe. Here's one of my favorite recipes:
Walk to the fridge, take out a Guinness. Poor about two thirds into a pint glass and let it settle. Poor the rest in slowly. Let it settle again. Drink and repeat.
Veronica A. Perez
3:09 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
This year is the first year I am going to attempt to cook this dinner, You gave good tips, I think I may try this. Thanks =) Now I just have to find the best way to cook the Corned Beef for my family.
Tim Kane
3:00 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Mike, now you're talking beer!
Michael Bivona
3:05 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Two Duke's Ale House from the CL FB page. And where's dan? This is my dan call out!
Dan Arenov
3:55 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
(sigh). daygo dogs? dante's? bubs subs? i'm at a loss, michael. your gain.
you do know that Casimir Pulaski Day was last week, though...no "best pierogi"? or "best place in mchenry county to get wasted on vodka"? or stories about people locking themselves in their cars? how prejudiced you patchers are.
Tim Kane
3:07 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I watched a program on Channel 11 last year in which neighbors in Ireland got together to slaughter a goat for a communal stew. It didn't whet my appetite. Generally speaking, Irish cuisine is not good. Go find an Irish restaurant. I'd rather have a pizza.
Tim Kane
3:29 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Veronica, the soup is good. I just like making fun of Irish cooking because everything is boiled.
Tim Kane
3:30 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
We have this meal every year.
Bob Sullivan
9:00 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Gotta agree with Tim, at dinner, the Irish kitchen is a scary place. but the breakfast is another matter. black and white puddings, rashers (thick as you can), beans, marmalade, fresh clotted cream, scones, and some powerful tea! Quite sebunctious!!!
doneitright2
11:14 am on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
i wonder why there were not enough votes.. not really enough places and the new voting doesn't work well.. so how many more weeks for the next challenge.. LOL
Michael Bivona
11:29 am on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
@doneitright2: We tried to incorporate St. Patrick's Day and, you're right, there probably weren't enough places. As far as the comment, "so how many more weeks for the next challenge.. LOL" I honestly have no idea what that means. I'm sensing sarcasm because of the LOL (and I highly doubt you actually laughed out loud), but I really don't know what it means.