Photography by Laura Wiegmann
On a festive Friday night as St. Patrick’s Day approached, my family entered Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub, originally opened by Michael Galway and Anthony Clarke in 1998. The Maryland Avenue eatery welcomed us with a green and white façade adorned with the flags of Ireland and the United States and was pulsing with the jovial sounds of live Irish music. We were immediately greeted by their enchanting maître d’ Armen Madirossian and seated in one of two spacious bars (which offers discounts during both Happy Hour, 3:30–6:30 p.m., and Late Night, 10–11 p.m.).
Photography by Laura Wiegmann
As our fabulous waitress Taylor arrived, Jameson distributors presented free samples! (This happens periodically). The first sample emanated a symphony of notes—toffee, cacao, vanilla, orange, apple, and pear—that crescendo to an oaky, silky smooth finish. The second was paired with ginger beer and a lime wedge, creating a bubbly, crisp, and refreshing libation.
The first of our four starters was a deep vessel of savory Pub Meatballs—big, egg-sized orbs of tasty lamb bobbing in a thick, mouthwatering marinade made from Jameson Orange Whiskey, orange zest, and onions; we used a soup spoon to scoop them out to make sure that every bite was engulfed in this wonderful glaze. Next came the extremely overstuffed Cabbage Wraps featuring layers of Angus corned beef, champ mashed potatoes, and thin, buttery cabbage leaves rolled up in a footlong dumpling topped by julienne carrots and lathered with a tangy, golden, Irish whole grain mustard sauce.
A rectangular tray of golf ball-sized Mini Crab Cakes followed, one for each of us—delightfully crackly on the outside yet deliciously moist and accentuated by a notably creamy tartar sauce. “We pride ourselves in the fact that even though we’re an Irish restaurant, our back-fin-only crab cakes are as good as any you’ll ever find,” Assistant Manager Kyle Smith told me. The inventive Shepherd’s Pie Mac & Cheese was a culinary sensation—a perfect blend of ground beef, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, and chewy shell pasta sealed by a circular blanket of melted white cheddar cheese and a parmesan sprinkling.
For our entrées, my oldest child chose the Tavern Lamb Cheese Steak. A toasted, flaky roll brushed with a sharp, garlic herb spread was loaded with thinly sliced, succulent leg of lamb smothered in grilled, diced onions, and saturated in gooey mass of mild provolone cheese. My younger son picked the Beef Stew, accompanied by Irish soda bread, on the Kids Menu. An ample helping of meaty cubes was slow-cooked with minced onions and chopped carrots into a dense, hearty broth ladled into a cavernous bowl and crowned with a softball-sized mound of airy mashed potatoes. We added an order of Cheese Fries—Irish “chips” under a molten, shredded Colby and Jack coating. Taylor brought a ramekin of traditional Irish curry dip that enhanced the fries.
Before our main courses, my wife and I shared the incredibly fresh Roasted Beet Salad. Reddish-purple beetroot bulbs are baked at a high temperature, cut into immense pyramid-shaped chunks, and tossed with a delectable swirl of assorted greens, ripe mandarin oranges, and crunchy walnuts—all covered by a heaping pile of robust goat cheese and a fruity, golden balsamic vinaigrette.
Photography by Laura Wiegmann
My dinner selection was a reliable Irish staple and a city of Galway classic—the incomparable Bangers and Mash, an allotment of expansive, curvy, plump, and burly sausages perched upon a mountain of signature mashed potatoes and immersed in a dark brown, scrumptious, ale-based onion gravy. She went with the Jameson Steak Tips. On one side of the dish were numerous slabs of juicy, Angus tenderloin, expertly seared medium with a slightly pink interior—cloaked in an astounding, bronze-colored whiskey peppercorn cream sauce over a fluffy mashed potato tower; on the other side sat a collection of steamed broccoli, yellow squash, green zucchini, and ring-shaped carrots.
For dessert, the massive scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream listed on the inexpensive Kids Menu electrified the boys while their parents jointly consumed the Irish Crème Chocolate Mousse, an impressively rich delicacy attempting to hide under a gigantic dollop of whipped topping. I then noticed a sign encouraging patrons to ask for a free sample of the legendary alcoholic Egg Nog, imported from Ireland, which our host Armen enthusiastically brought to the table.
Photography by Laura Wiegmann
This heavenly, satiny concoction—emanating hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves—nicely set up one final Irish indulgence: Guinness Chocolate Cake With Egg Nog Ice Cream, a creative treat boasting a generous slice of crumbly chocolate confection and its magnificent partner—a non-alcoholic, Maryland-churned, gelato-style version of their Egg Nog that we all thoroughly enjoyed. There was simply no better way to conclude this captivating rediscovery of Ireland’s magical appeal, right here in Annapolis at Galway Bay Irish Restaurant & Pub.
Galway Bay Irish Restaurant & Pub | 63 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis • 410-263-8333 • galwaybaymd.com
Mark Croatti has worked all over the country from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. as a caterer, prep cook, and food server at both specialty restaurants and large chains, including preparing meals for major figures in the entertainment industry and professional sports.
