The Irish know how to eat and drink.
It’s just that simple. De Vere’s Irish Pub invited us all back to taste their second menu reveal for their Lighter Side of Ireland menu. I knew without a doubt, we’d be attending this new tasting. If it was anything like the first round, I was going to be a happily fed and boozed lady for the evening.
de Vere’s Irish Pub
1521 L Street Sacramento, CA 95814
http://deverespub.com
I cannot say ‘Thanks’ enough to Rodney for the invite, Henry for opening his business to us, Chef Wes for the fantastic cuisine, and David for crafting the hell out of some cocktails! It isn’t often that a company tries to deviate from their norm twice in one season, but lucky for us Sacramentans De Vere’s did and they did it with gusto! Not only did they kill it with flavor and creativity, but they also added a philanthropic aspect to the menu. They donate part of the sales of the new Lighter Side of Ireland menu to the Food Literacy Center.
The new menu is also in conjunction with Farm-to-Fork Restaurant Weeks, which means they featured farms on the menu for these particular dishes. They pretty much touched on every awesome thing you can, philanthropy, locally sourced food, and great taste. I can attest to that because I sampled everything.
Heirloom Tomato Salad — You know those tomatoes that are so good, they don’t even taste like tomatoes? Yeah, that is this salad! The tomatoes are gorgeously vibrant and melt in your mouth. Add the texture of the crunchy croutons and the added burst of flavor with the Feta and you have a perfect summer salad!
Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs – I mean, they are deviled eggs, that says enough. The smokiness of the trout comes through in the creamy egg mixture, but it has no hint of seafood flavor. This plate will be gone in seconds, guaranteed!
Lamb BLT – They love them some lamb, and again they killed it. Lamb bacon is something I didn’t even know I needed to try. The lamb bacon was a somewhat crumbled texture, smothered between pesto mayonnaise and more of those deliciously fresh tomatoes. I can’t even begin to praise the carb pillow of perfection that is their house made focaccia! A different me could have been a little hesitant to order this, but after trying it, I would laugh at that person.
Fromage Blanc Cheesecake – Not your average cheesecake, which makes it perfect for summer nights. The consistency is light, almost creamy jello like (awful descriptors, but I’m drawing a blank). The drizzle of blackberry coulis below the cheesecake is delicious and tart; I was scraping at the bits to eat it with every bite. Also, their fresh peaches on top were an added bonus. I’m a crust girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed theirs, the hint of sweetness from the added chocolate was divine!
Needless for me to ramble on, because the flavors and freshness speak for themselves. Chef Wes is killing it in the back and doing so in an incredibly humble way. Thanks for the good eats and chatting with us about each dish. It’s always fun to be educated about the produce, ingredients, and conception of dishes.
The menu was great, but I think the booze might have taken the show this time. De Vere’s now offers 12 handcrafted cocktails for $6 from 3 PM to 6 PM. These aren’t 20 minute-to-make handcrafted drinks, yet they taste just as fancy. David has taken great time and delicacy in his creations, and I got to taste each one. The best part, besides being hand crafted, is that they don’t use cheap alcohol. The integrity of the alcohol and ingredients are not compromised to meet this delicious price of $6. Do yourself a favor, make this your next Happy Hour spot!
Dickel Manhattan // Pineapple Express // Sazerac // Dark & Stormy // Blueberry Mule (My fave) // De Vere’s Old Fashioned // Almost Famous Irish Coffee (How have I not had one of these before?) // Ancho Blackberry Cooler (Spicy, aaahh!) // Basil Gimlet (Another fave) // Mary’s G&T // Hemingway Daiquiri // Paloma
Tuesday turn up had a new meaning this week, thanks to the crew at de Vere’s! This menu only lasts until September 31st, so I suggest you get over there and give it a try.
Again, they aren’t going for your typical ‘pub fare’ with this menu, they are showing you a different, Lighter Side of Ireland.
