Murphy's Law in revitalized downtown Chandler is setting new standards for Irish pubs.
The food rises far above the usual bar fare, and the place has a good vibe, a "Cheers" spirit.
Ask "Murphy," a cave bear skeleton and mascot that has greeted diners since the place opened in December 2008.
The scene: The owners, Roger and Tresha Baldwin, keep adding to the décor with collectibles from their travels. Walls are decorated with hundreds of signed dollar bills from patrons. The decorations, and Murphy, fit comfortably in the elongated Dougherty Building, built in 1914.
The food: The back-of-the-house star here is chef Chad Carnahan, a lifelong Chandler resident with 22 years in the business and a degree from the Culinary Institute of California in San Francisco. He was formerly with the House of Tricks in Tempe, Big Four Restaurants and Teakwoods in Chandler.
For an appetizer, we tried the Fresh Crab and Grilled Asparagus Salad ($12.95).
Built around a generous dollop of real lump crab meat, the salad includes field greens, pickled jalapeños, slow-roasted tomato, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Chef adds a crostini for taste, texture and aesthetics. A very good starter, even if you don't normally order salads.
The Irish Cheese Dip ($7.75) is an example of good "beer food," according to Carnahan. He prepares it with Tillamook cheddar and thickens it with mashed potatoes. Excellent.
Two entrées exemplify the innovative menu.
The Sizzling Curry Platter ($10.95), is a chicken breast on a Blue Moon beer-butter mash. The highlight was the Irish Carbonara ($12.95) , a smiling Irish-eyes ogle at an Italian classic. Carnahan throws in fresh pork belly, grilled garlic bangers, bacon, fettuccine and peas in a light cream sauce. Also excellent.
On previous visits, we've also enjoyed the Harp Ale Battered Fish & Chips ($12.95) - hand-cut Alaskan cod with pub fries or sweet-potato fries (I chose the former); Murphy's Own Shepherd's Pie ($9.95), served with Colcannon mashed potatoes and cheese; and the magnificent Dublin Coddle Pasta ($12.95), another Italian/Irish marriage in a pasta bed including grilled Irish sausage, a red wine cream sauce and lots of herbs.
And, of course, you can enjoy traditional Irish items such as boxtys ($7.50 to $8.95), Bangers & Mash ($12.95) and Banger & Eggs ($6.95). Look for fun items, too, including Ultimate Irish Nachos ($8.95) and Spuds O'Brien ($8.50) nachos.
Dessert: For dessert, we opted for the signature bread pudding, with vanilla ice cream ($6.95). It was delightful.
Drinks: More than 26 draft beers are served, including many hard-to-find craft beers. Murphy, by the way, is bearish on wine and bullish on Guinness.
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