Final Restaurant Review

Better than a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

Dining at an Irish public house isn’t exactly glamorous, to say the least. The food is fried, the people are loud, the men reek of beer, and the displays of TVs and neon lights are, let’s be honest, downright nauseating.  But, no one really goes to an Irish pub to put on a nice dress and sip expensive wines with their pinkies up and napkins folded like swans. People dine at Irish pubs to lick the salt off of their fingers and hope to smell fish on their clothes for the next three days.

The residents of Plymouth, or people who regularly shop and dine in the downtown area have most likely walked past Sean O’Callaghan’s on their culinary endeavors or shopping expeditions. They have probably noticed the beautiful stained glass windows that decorate the harsh black, Victorian style doors and can easily set it apart from the abundance of restaurants that encompass the downtown area. The dark and rustic restaurant with creaky floors and brightly colored stained glass is both unique and intriguing.

The inside of the building looks and feels like a traditional Irish pub with its overall dim lighting, bright neon colored lights, loud guests and enormous bar. If you’re not instantly blinded by the TVs and flashing Guinness signs, you’re probably in the wrong place. The atmosphere of the bar is almost always loud and exciting, consisting of happy, old men, even at three p.m. The dining portion of the restaurant was calm and quiet as the middle of the afternoon isn’t exactly a popular time for feasting.

While it gives off the appearance of an old gem in the downtown area, Sam, the owner, only established Sean O’Callaghan’s 15 years ago. After leaving the U.S. to study in Ireland, Sam came to Michigan to create this culinary beauty. His essential goal for creating this restaurant was to enhance Plymouth’s tourism and draw people in through his tasty Irish dining expertise.

In addition to the unique and eye catching aesthetic of the restaurant, the traditional Irish dishes are also exceptional. Everything else, not so much.

The menu consisted of both traditional Irish dishes and more American, “every day” dishes. The “Traditional Irish Fare” section of the menu highlights the Irish breakfast, corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, Irish stew, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie, which all range from nine to fifteen dollars. The American dishes consist of various burgers, deluxe grilled cheese, salmon, tenderloin tips, and multiple wraps and sandwiches which range from eight to twelve dollars. A word of advice: when dining at an Irish public house, make sure to only order the traditional Irish dishes. Otherwise, there really isn’t even a reason to go there. O’Duffy’s Pub, widely known as the only Irish public house in Kalamazoo (really, it says so on their website), lies within a similar price range, but is lacking in the actual traditional Irish food department. For those who are looking to overdose on burgers, go right ahead.

The Irish chips and curry, the first dish that is ordered, is listed as a “signature dish” on the Sean O’Callaghan’s menu. The consistency of the curry itself is thin and smooth, decorated with speckles of spices, the color of reddish brown. It is light and mild, similar to the taste of an Indian curry, but with less intensity, intertwining the flavors of turmeric, cumin, and curry powder in just the right way. The curry complements the Irish chips, which have a perfectly crispy outside, yet, still hold a perfectly mushy inside. Surprisingly, the baked potato flavor is still very much apparent, even while smothered in curry. Genius. The kind but slightly unhelpful waitress explained that the curry mix is actually imported from Ireland itself, but could not give any further information on the exact location or how it is prepared.

The presentation of the food at Sean O’Callaghan’s is not nearly as exceptional as it tastes. In fact, the presentation itself would rank a 3 on a scale of 1-10. But, fried food never seems to look that appetizing anyways.

Even though the Irish chips and curry came first, the cauliflower cheddar soup is most definitely ahead in the races. The texture is creamy, but not too thick. It is thin and silky, embellished with little chunks of cauliflower to add depth to the texture. The strong cheddar flavor fills the soup and devoured the cauliflower whole, yet, it isn’t too powerful, which can leave the taster a little too thirsty. It is salty to perfection and the taste of beer is prominent within the cheesiness of the soup. On a cold, rainy day, I would make the drive out to Plymouth again, just for that soup.

Closely following the appetizers, the fish and chips do not disappoint. Because of the buttery, creaminess of the cod, the fish cuts beautifully and slides delicately off of the fork. Although it lacks that fishy, fresh-out-of-the-ocean taste, which is seemingly due to location, the cod is soft and not the least bit chewy. The batter is a little too thick and deeply fried, however, some may prefer it that way.

Unfortunately, the more “ordinary” American dishes are only mediocre. The buffalo chicken wrap is average, a little too spicy and bold with thick chunks of chicken. The water isn’t refilled nearly fast enough to stand the powers of the buffalo chicken sandwich. The coleslaw is nothing special, somewhat watery and flavorless and it ended up pretty much untouched, as the fried fish is much more palatable. The make-your-own-salad is filled with freshly ripe veggies on a bed of truly dark, green spinach. The house-made vinaigrette is blended well, not too oily and shows hardly any separation. It is a light vinaigrette with pepper, but will not leave any lips puckering.

After asking the waitress if I would be disappointed by not trying their dessert selection, she advised me that I didn’t “need” to try anything. That pretty much speaks for itself. Or, maybe she was just confused on how to promote the restaurant she worked for. By previous conversations with her, it could’ve been either.

Well, Kalamazoo, paying Sam a visit might not be a bad idea.