MONTBRISON, France
Outside of a few ‘special’ beers and a penchant for whiskey, it’s hard to tell what makes ‘Irish Pub’ Irish - the twisted stag’s head on the wall? Maybe it’s just that ‘vaguely Irish décor and drink selection with French bistro fare’ doesn’t have much of a ring to it as a restaurant name.
No matter. I went with locals (I was in town to do a one-off story on jeweler Philippe Tournaire) to this Rhone establishment for a reason – it’s good and unadorned. We get flank steak, liver and stew and that’s exactly what’s on our plates.The waitress did set down a baking dish full of big potato halves, baked then grilled and accompanied by a (vaguely Irish?) sour cream and chive-style sauce.
The liver had a zingy vinegar-based sauce, simple and perfect for understanding why it’s in there in the first place.
Perhaps the luck of the Irish brought me here, but it doesn’t matter. The food’s good and if you're nearby, it's worth the trip.
Count on 15-30 euros, depending on how many pints you toss back.
Irish Bar – MAP
11 Rue Victor de Laprade
Montbrison
+33 4 77 58 13 79
Food and travel writer and photographer Joe Ray is the author of the blog Eating The Motherland and contributes to The Boston Globe's travel blog, Globe-trotting.
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