By Kay West
Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, his wrenching autobiographical account of his wretched childhood in Ireland during World War II, is not the feel-good book of the year. I’m halfway through it, but friends who’ve completed it assure me that it is ultimately inspiring. Still, page after page of death and deprivation is enough to send anyone off in search of a pint of ale, a shot of whiskey, and a sympathetic bartender. You’ll find all those comforts, and more, at Séanachie, the Irish pub and restaurant that opened in mid-August at the corner of Fourth and Broadway.
“Pub” is the key word here, according to Séanachie’s Irish-born general manager, Declan McGettigan, who says his aim was to create a “social atmosphere where people can come to relax, to drink, to eat, and to hear music.” His goal was a blend of “Irish culture and atmosphere.”
McGettigan and his team have succeeded, and they’ve managed it without sliding down the slippery slope of theme-park tackiness that’s swallowing downtown Nashville in one big tasteless gulp. That speaks well for the integrity of the Séanachie team members, several of whom are from Ireland. Amid the convivial hubbub of the place, you will pick up lilting Irish accents among the bartenders and the waitstaff.
In Gaelic, séanachie (pronounced “shawn-a-key”) means “storyteller,” and you’re likely to hear a few tales being told at either of the two bars, one of which is oriented toward quiet drinks and conversation, the other of which is lively with Irish music, Wednesday through Saturday nights. The rest of the place is split up into little nooks and crannies. There’s the tailor’s room, the writer’s room, the cottage, the distillery, and the stables. Overlooking the music room, the loft is already popular as a cigar lounge and “singles” bar—a term that refers to the single-malt Scotch served there, not to the marital status of its habitués. (I like the cozy living room; it’s close to the action in one bar but not so close that it prevents easy conversation.) Single women seeking a beer—and nothing more—will be reassured to know that Séanachie, which boasts a decidedly manly presence, is more a safe haven than a meat market.
Although it’s brand-new, Séanachie has the feel of a place that’s been around for a long time. Irish beers—Guinness Stout, Murphy’s Stout, Murphy’s Irish Amber Ale, and Harp Lager—are available on draft. More timid beer drinkers will like the micro-brewed Séanachie Ale. It’s available by the pint—at 20 ounces, it’s properly called an imperial pint—or the half-pint—which weighs in at 12 ounces. And of course no Irish pub worth its salt would be without a selection of fine Irish whiskies, including the Midleton Very Rare ($15 a shot).
If it’s a bite to eat you’re after, you can be certain you won’t be leaving hungry. In fact, if you clean your plate, you probably won’t be hungry again for days. Irish food—probably because of its emphasis on the potato—has a reputation for being heavy. Indeed, I have a hard time imagining sitting down to a meal at Séanachie in July or August, but the onset of fall’s cooler temperatures makes this the pefect time to sample the pub’s hearty fare.
Since Séanachie opened two months ago, the menu has already undergone two revisions, with a third going into effect this week. Happily for me, the sort of woman who would choose a potato over chocolate every time, the lowly spud remains the central attraction. With the exception of “seasonal vegetables,” all the side dishes are potatoes: fries, potato farls, champ (potatoes mashed with cream and scallions and topped with oodles of butter), and the fabulous homemade potato chips. The good news is that the boxty—an Irish potato pancake that’s filled, folded over like an omelette, and sauced—will be returning. The bad news for me was that it hadn’t returned in time for my visit.
Some of the appetizers are Irish-oriented, but there are also several concessions to American tastebuds, and those concessions are not necessarily a good thing. Skip the fried mushrooms, the chicken wings, and the potato skins. Instead, go for a basket of chips, a bucket of mussels (steamed and delivered, on their shells, in a savory broth of garlic, butter, white wine, and bacon slivers), or an order of oysters on the half-shell, imported from Louisiana. I liked the flavor of the codfish cakes with their plum remoulade, but both times I sampled them the cakes had stayed too long in the deep fryer. Ask for them golden, not brown. The soup of the day, black bean with mushooms and huge chunks of ham, was unconventional but very good. The thick and creamy potato-leek soup needed more leek and more thyme.
There are 12 entrées (priced from $8.55 to $13.95), and the new dinner menu adds four sandwiches. We sampled eight entrées and were particularly taken with the scallop and mushroom pie (loaded with scallops and mushrooms in a creamy sauce and topped with plump rosettes of broiler-browned mashed potato); the two traditional stews (with the lamb being of a thinner consistency than the very hearty beef); the stout beef and Guinness pie (big chunks of tender beef topped with a flaky, golden pastry crust); and that most comforting of comfort foods, corned beef and cabbage. Allegedly, the pub’s beef recipe comes from McGettigan’s family in Donegal Town. (Would an Irishman lie?). It’s a thick slice of pink beef, topped with a creamy parsley sauce and served alongside a mound of perfectly cooked cabbage and rosemary potatoes. There is just one selection for vegetarians, but it’s a good one—the spinach, cheese, and mushroom Chieftan’s Pie.
I was astounded that anyone still had room for dessert, but everybody in our party dug enthusiastically into the apple pie, the Irish cheesecake, the berry trifle, and the bread pudding. A children’s menu has been added, featuring the usual suspects, all of them served with fries and a drink and priced from $2.50-$3.25.
Lunch is a great deal at Séanachie. At the carving station set up at the bar, you’ll find two roasts, a choice of potatoes, vegetables, and some good Irish soda bread, all for $6.95.
I am not a big fan of the trendy “fun food” concept. I think food should be good, while the diners themselves should provide the mood. No matter what your state of mind when you arrive at Séanachie, however, you can’t help but find a good time. Locals who have avoided downtown Nashville during the heavy tourist months can find no better reason to revisit the area than a trip to Séanachie, which summons up that old Irish blessing: May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and the road downhill all the way to your door.
Séanachie is located at 327 Broadway (615-726-2006). Open daily 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. Lunch is served Mon-Fri. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner Sun.-Thurs. until 10 p.m., light menu until 11 p.m.; dinner Fri. & Sat. until 11 p.m., late-night menu until 2 a.m. No reservations on Friday or Saturday nights.
Séanachie is located at 327 Broadway (615-726-2006). Open daily 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. Lunch is served Mon-Fri. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner Sun.-Thurs. until 10 p.m., light menu until 11 p.m.; dinner Fri. & Sat. until 11 p.m., late-night menu until 2 a.m. No reservations on Friday or Saturday nights.
