Date Posted: April 15, 2011
Print Edition: April 8, 2011
By Amy Van Veen (Staff Writer) – EmailÂ
101 – 18789 Fraser Highway, Surrey BC
Though parking at Dublin Crossing makes finding a spot on campus during high traffic class times seem like a breeze, it is worth the trek from here to there. Located in Clayton at Fraser Highway and 188th Street, this little bit of Ireland offers customers a taste of that verdant nation without costing the price of a semester.
As the domineering doors open, or rather when they are opened since it’s not a magical place with automatic sensors, the plethora of seating options and locations overwhelm even the most decisive person. To the right is a small raised area where tables offer more seating on most nights and where musicians share their talent with the rest of the pub on those special evenings. Upstairs offers lounge chairs, a fireplace and a comfortable view of the tables and stage area downstairs. Further into the restaurant are tables and chairs, benches and booths and nooks echoing quaint Irish dwellings. When the weather is less temperamental, the patio is open to enjoy a Guinness and some sun.
The décor beckons images of Ireland, especially for those who have not visited, with antiqued paint jobs on the walls and ceilings, shelves with old goods hailing from the UK. From Borax soap to chandeliers, stained glass windows to fresh flowers, the detail in this pub is keen. The servers, even, wear plaid skirts though that does seem more Scottish than Irish.
The most important part of the experience, though, has to be the food since that’s why restaurants exist. The menu is plentiful with all kinds of comfort foods to choose from. I opted for the special of a sausage and roasted chicken panini with smoked cheddar and spinach sided with yam fries for $1.25 more. The sandwich was filled with flavour from one slice of bread to the other and the quality of ingredients is clearly evident. Though my hands got greasy enough to need a napkin, it was a good kind of grease: the kind of grease that means they’ve cooked with butter instead of cheap oils or lard.
For dessert I could not resist tasting the alcohol flavoured ice creams they make themselves. Instead of getting a full dessert, I got the mini version of White Chocolate Guinness Brownie for $2.75. The Guinness Brownie ice cream was heaven on a chocolate covered saucer and the brownie was tasty, though I do prefer dark chocolate brownies to white chocolate. They also have freshly made, warm and delicious mini Dublin Donuts drizzled in chocolate sauce and served with delectable coffee ice cream.
Even though the praise is plentiful for this Langley pub, its reputation has it bursting at the seams every weekend with any smooth surface becoming a makeshift table. The drinks average around eight dollars each, making it a little pricey. Most of the dinners and sandwiches are under fifteen dollars and go up to around twenty, and the starters are under fifteen, making them as expensive as the entrées. The music, too, is inescapably loud in even the farthest corner.
If you don’t feel like waiting for their countdown to the next St. Patty’s Day to turn you into a Irish pub poser, head out to the other side of Langley for a taste of Irish cuisine, though interestingly without the presence of Irish music.
