Traditionally, Irish

It only took me 10 years to convince East of the City editors that high end chain restaurants have come a long way. That some are doing it right. And that they deserve to be included in the pages of this magazine.

 

Such was the case when I checked out Ajax, Ontario newbie, Fionn MacCool’s, a traditional Irish restaurant-pub with a 21st Century New Ager attitude.

 

How does Fionn MacCool’s differ from the rest of the pack? 

 

Glad you asked.

 

A quick glean of the menu reveals all. Everything is made in-house. Fresh. Daily. No easy feat when one considers that these identical dishes are being offered at Fionn MacCool’s sister Prime Pub Restaurants throughout Ontario. It’s akin to blended malt whiskey, ingredients co-mingling; the aim, to strike a perfect balance and to produce a consistent brand style each and every time.

 

And so it goes that my interview with Fionn MacCool’s Red Seal-certified chef, Roger Cowley, begins. I want to understand the dance that goes on back-of-house. How Chef manages to inspire his brigade to put out upwards of 800 from-scratch covers on any given Friday or Saturday night while maintaining harmonic consistency on the plate... and in his kitchen. And, most especially, because his creative whimsy doesn’t really come in to play. Says Cowley, “I’ve worked in chain and private restaurants the world over. The thing is — a chef in the kitchen — people think you go around seasoning this, adding something to that, when in actual fact it doesn’t matter whose menu it is, it’s all about execution. Because everything is made in-house, my challenge here is to make sure the food’s the same every time, and the same as our restaurant downtown [Toronto]. That’s my job. To be able to execute this menu consistently has enough challenges going for it that I don’t have to add, ‘I want to try it this way,’ into the mix.” 

 

Fionn MacCool’s menu is thoughtful, creative, and well-priced, featuring entrees under $20. It’s like having the proverbial cake and eating it too. They’ve managed to deliver fresh, small-batch-made-fare with flare at a price point that lets you bring the kids along for the gastronomic ride.

 

Imagine if you will, starters the likes of Fisherman’s Chowder; Flat Iron Beet Salad; and Guinness Poutine made with the restaurant’s signature Guinness gravy and cheddar cheese curds from Quebec. Its Grillbreads (Vegetarian, Potato & Bacon or Smoked Chicken) prove an entree for one or an earthy starter for two or three. Did I mention their Mini Yorkshire Puddings? Filled with either Guinness-braised beef short ribs or slow-simmered Madras chicken and onion curry?

 

Don’t stop me. I’m on a roll.

 

The entree section is where Fionn MacCool’s truly out does itself. From-scratch traditional pub pies (Shepherd; Chicken; Seafood) have been retrofitted for today’s savvy diner. The Shepherd’s pie — served in a crock — is apexed with buttermilk mash. The chicken pie is oozing with real cream gravy. The seafood pie is served in a puff pastry bowl and is brimming with succulent shrimps and morsels of salmon and haddock. To call these pies “pub grub” would be a culinary faux pas of gargantuan proportions. 

 

My eye travels slowly down the mains. I want it all. Skillet Mac & Cheese; Bison Sausage Rigatoni, Chicken Tikka Masala, Guinness Steak & Mushroom Boxty, a perfectly seasoned potato pancake filled with chucks of fork-tender beef and button mushrooms that have been braised in Guinness and drizzled with sour cream. Time-honoured hand-battered fish & chips and a Guinness burger, a full half pound of ground prime rib beef, grilled to perfection, then slathered with artisanal Cahill’s Guinness cheddar, roasted red peppers, sautéed mushroom and MacCool’s own Rebel Rock sauce. A meat loaf sandwich loaded with cheddar, bacon and tomato chutney

 

But it’s the Rosslare Lamb Shank that stops me in my tracks, the description of the offering as intriguing as the region of Ireland — a coastal harbour town — from which it’s named. A hardy 15-ounce well-trimmed and fresh rosemary hand-rubbed shank oven-braised to perfection, the bone marrow ripe for the picking, nudging a mound of creamy mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

 

Is it getting hot in here?

 

I ask Fionn MacCool’s general manager, Regin Snow — who’s no stranger to hard work, having fulfilled every position in the restaurant business from bus boy to waiter to front-of-house manager in his 20-years-plus career — to pair the Rosslare Lamb to a craicing good red and a craicing good white. This guy’s amazing. He doesn’t skip a beat. Or reach for the wine list. “Wolf Blass Red Label Shiraz Cabernet, for sure,” says Snow of the red. “It’s dry and full-bodied. It can hold its own with the lamb. For a white, Kim Crawford Unoaked chardonnay. But, you know, a pint of Guinness would go wonderfully with the lamb as well.”

 

Speaking of beers, Fionn MacCool’s taps are prime for the pumping...domestic specialities like Alexander Keith’s IPA and Red Amber ale; Okanagan Spring Pale Ale; and Creemore Springs will certainly whet your whistle. For something imported, you can’t go wrong with a pint of Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny or Erdinger.  MacCool’s also vends beer-by-the-bottle with some heady choices indeed... Red Stripe Lager from Jamaica; Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic; Germany’s much-loved Krombacher Pilsner and Austria’s Stiegl Bavarian. For something a little lighter check out Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, a wheat beer from Germany; Ireland’s own Magners Original Cider; Fruli from Belgiun and Rekorderlig Wild Berry Cider from Sweden. 

 

The thing I love most about Fionn MacCool’s beer menu — besides the fact that almost every major brewery in the world is present and accounted for — is two-fold. First, they list the alcohol content for each offering. Smart thinking, as the beers can range from a 10-ounce poured half-pint to a 355mL bottle to a full 20-ounce full pint. The second thing I like about the list is one can view the beer tasting notes and menu pairing selections by simply scanning one’s cell phone over the barcode (QR code) on the back of the bar menu or by logging onto mobile.primepubs.com.

 

A traditional Irish pub with a 21st-century New Ager attitude, indeed!

Fionn MacCool’s

36 Kingston Rd. East,

Ajax, ON, L1Z 1E9

905.619.9048

www.ajax.fionnmaccools.com

 

 

Fionn MacCool’s 

Signature Rosslare Lamb Shank (serves 4)

Compliments of Chef Roger Cowley

 
Zest of 2 lemons

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon EACH kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper

4 fresh lamb shanks, each about 15-ounces

3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

2 large carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 rib of celery, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

half of a large white onion, cut into 1-inch wedges

1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed from the stem and finely chopped

half a bunch of fresh thyme

2 litres of good quality beef stock

1 ¼ cups dry red wine

 

• Combine lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper together and rub onto lamb shanks. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow flavours to meld.

 

• Set a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil, and swirl to coat.

 

• Sear lamb shanks on all sides.  Remove from pan and keep warm.

 

• To pot, add carrots, celery, and onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vegetables have started to caramelize.

 

• Stir in red wine and, using a wooden spoon, pick up any browned bits stuck to the bottom, then reduce the wine by half before adding herbs and stock to the pot.

 

• Return lamb shanks and any accumulated resting juices to the pot, cover tightly, place in a 300F oven, and cool for 1 ½ hours.

 

• Remove shanks from pot, tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

 

• Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid into a medium saucepan, set on high heat, and cook until reduced by half volume or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon,

 

• To serve, pool some of the sauce on the bottom of each dinner place, spoon on creamy mashed potatoes and position the lamb shank on top. Serve with tender-crisp steamed seasonal vegetables.

 

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