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Piper's Pub Piper's Pub serves up plentiful portions of authentic Irish comfort food. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; bar open until 2 a.m.
Oh Danny Boy, Piper's Is Calling It is no surprise, then, to find an Irishman's daughter retelling her father's adventures around a crowded table in Piper's Pub, a copasetic little saloon cloaked in neon camouflage wedged into the 1800 block of Carson Street. It's an immensely appealing place.
I discovered it one St. Paddy's Day as I slipped away from the parade for a swift guzzle of green beer. Inside, nothing garish, just a green tin ceiling, the proper shade of shamrock, and tasty photographs of historic abbeys shrouded in mist. When I asked owner Drew Topping - who, by the way, has quenched his thirst in pubs all over the world - to explain the differences among pubs in Ireland, Scotland and England, he replied, "Absolutely nothing but the ground you're standing on." A pub is a pub is a pub. It's a gathering spot, the nerve of the neighborhood, where the unifying element is the folk who populate it, more often than not a merry band of unlikely comrades who come together once they step inside. They tend to avoid agendas and scorn analysis. They'll take you in if you're lonely, offer an umbrella if it's raining, suggest a plumber or give directions. I've worked in true pubs and can testify to their uncommon camaraderie. Once, when I became ill, regulars sent over home-cooked meals (utensils included), made me silly crosswords and generally kept me in the loop. Piper's is a pub that gives off the same vibe - customers feel welcome, taken care of and part of the family. In the ever-changing landscape of Pittsburgh's South Side, that kind of service is timeless. That's not to say that there isn't an evolutionary process, but rather that the process is gradual and takes place behind the scenes. When Topping and chef Alex Peightal tweak the dishes - offerings known for their reliable simplicity - they're judicious in their creative variations. They're big on comfort and even bigger on serving size. Go on Sunday, the busiest day of the week, and order boxty, a version of a potato pancake that looks like an omelet and is folded over and augmented with a filling of your choice: creamed corn beef, vegetables or smoked salmon. Or, try the popular Irish boxty with crispy bangers (that's sausage to you!), ham, eggs and provolone. Some locals eat at the bar - today, a gang of ex-pats are watching "football" on the telly. These regulars claim that Piper's shepherd's pie is nearly metaphysical, the cat's meow. It is a huge draw, says Topping, who jokes that he "reinvented the wheel by making meat and potatoes fashionable." Piper's annotates the dish, using a bit of poetic license that annoys purists but tastes terrific: chunks of marinated beef (versus traditional ground meat) and fresh aromatic veggies in a woodsy, full-flavored Guinness-stout gravy with heaping mounds of rough mashed redskins baked until tinged a lovely golden brown. And no mushy peas! The kitchen prepares most everything from scratch, employing local vendors whenever possible.
Our assiduous waitress steered us toward the Ploughman's Platter to start; discernment would come later when we saw portions large enough to feed a small family. Meanwhile, the platter of cheese - including Guinness cheddar and sage derby - pleases the palate with its lovely apples, gherkins and sweet apple chutney. Another evening, we practically inhaled a salmon platter with slivers of smoked salmon, smoky pâté, salty tartare, fresh cucumber salad and crusty rolls. Gaelic four-onion soup deglazed with Bass Ale and stilton cheese over soaking croutons permeates the bones and banishes the blues. After the apps, count on overly generous plates and careful cooking as you toss back the beamish Irish stout. Piper's bangers are from a British company in New England. An order of bangers and mash comprises four juicy sausages served with half-mashed potatoes in Jameson Irish whiskey and onion gravy. English breakfast makes a spirited dinner - fried egg, tomato and sautéed mushrooms with a prodigious helping of baked beans over toast. Salmon was a precious commodity to Ireland's earliest Mesolithic inhabitants (7000 B.C.), long before lucky leprechauns became a cultural icon. Grilled apricot salmon is just as precious - firm yet succulent, brushed with a crunchy apricot-pecan glaze, served with colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage, leeks and milk). Finally, because Piper's has had a prolific nine years in business, I don't consider it hokey to mention that there's really nothing like a Piper's Pub burger with stilton cheese, a good apple and smoked bacon. "Yia Yia, I have something really cool to tell you," began my 6-year-old granddaughter. "Really cool" turned out to be her first library card, precociously solidifying a memorable niche in the bloodline. She had tickled a tear or two from me as I thought of Dad, all the bridges he'd been part of, all the back roads and crusty ironworkers, all the stories. I imagine my granddaughter someday sitting around a table like this retelling the family stories. May the saints preserve the quintessential Irish soda bread.
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Each month, Deborah McDonald jump-starts appetites with lively restaurant reviews that scrutinize who's cooking what and where. She works anonymously, visiting each restaurant at least twice before writing her column. Do you know of a restaurant you'd like to have reviewed? | ||
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