Becoming the fourth bar and eighth eating establishment in what is essentially a two-block area at the top of Bridge Road, McMulligan’s opened in South Hills last week as the area’s first restaurant and bar with a golf simulator on site.
Located in a storefront next to Café Romeo (purveyor of awesome Italian pastries and gelatos, by the way) and midway between 1010 Bridge and Lola’s (rockin’ culinary destinations in their own right) the new misleadingly not Irish-themed restaurant serves a small selection of fairly run-of-the-mill pub fare.
Seriously, you need to know ahead of time that this is in no way any type of Irish-themed pub, which is what most people presume. It’s just a small bar with a few food options. You also won’t find it anywhere online yet, but a website and Facebook page are apparently on the way.
But what you will find on the menu are a few “First Hole” apps like chips and queso, turkey and veggie pinwheels, pretzels and cheese, loaded nachos and popcorn, plus a platter of housemade “Did Not Finish” Chips topped with pimento cheese, jalapenos and bacon.
“Sand Wedge” sandwiches include hot dogs topped with chili and slaw, thick-cut bologna, a couple of burgers, grilled chicken and pork with ham, plus a chicken quesadilla. A couple of salads round out the menu, plus there are a dozen bottled beers and more than two dozen liquors at the bar. (No draft beer, though.)
Like the menu, the place itself is pretty small with just 4-5 tables around the perimeter and maybe 7-9 stools at the bar.
So how is said food? Well, my official verdict is still to come.
Although I don’t officially review a new restaurant until it’s been open at least a month or so – to give them a chance to work out the kinks – I did stop by on the second day McMulligan’s was open, just out of sheer curiosity.
Although the service was incredibly friendly and efficient, the food I sampled further proved my point about not critiquing a restaurant on its opening day or week. It was lacking in both quality and taste, but it was only day two.
It would be great to have another food-and drink option up on the hill, so I’ll definitely go back in a month or so to tee up another try.
IF YOU GO: McMulligan’s at 1022 Bridge Rd. in Charleston is currently open under limited hours. For more information, call 681-265-4653.
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J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works is hosting another farm-to-table dinner at 6:30 pm on Aug. 27, this one celebrating the most classic of summer tastes: barbecue!
Guest chef Mike Moore from The Blind Pig Supper Club and Uncle Butch BBQ will be traveling up from North Caroline to cook up a feast of smoked local pork and sides.
Live bluegrass music will be performed by Kanawha Tradition and local beer from Charleston’s new Fife Street Brewing will be on tap.
Tickets are $65 each, which includes all food, service and non-alcoholic beverages.
A cash bar will offer beer, wine and spirits throughout the evening. For more information, visit www.jqdsalt.com/events.
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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.