Ri-Ra: "A place where Exuberance and Revelry Prevail: Where Music and...
Written: May 15 '06 (Updated May 15 '06)
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Pros: A very special atmosphere conducive to good drinking and fine conversation.
Cons: It's over five hours drive from Long Island where I live.
The Bottom Line: This is a fine place for a cozy-brew, a hearty-music-filled atmosphere, or enjoying great food overlooking the bays. It's much larger than I expected offering many different moods.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Ri-Ra's Irish Pub |
...merriment compete and the conversation flows smooth as the Guinness ebbs in the glass. "Ri-Ra'agus Ruaile Buaile" a phrase translated roughly as devilment, good fun, or any social activity that improves with fine food, a nice pint of Guinness or nice dram of Uisce Beatha (whiskey).
These are the words that first greet you when checking out their web site. All this comes true as you walk in their doors.
That Walk Through the Doors
This place is on the wharf-side of the Old Port section of Portland. If you have never been there, it's a must stop on the Maine Coast. I happen to love the town and the Old Port waterfront district with its cobblestone streets, many pubs, breweries, and small specialty shops is definitely a place to spend a night or two.
When looking at Ri Ra's from the outside it doesn't look like much, but walk through those doors and be prepared to go back in time and to a place that is comfortable in spirit.
There are two doors to the place. I suggest going into the small doors on the right first. It just says Irish Pub over the door. The room is rather small but you can tell the wood is well worn and has much history. All the wood work is actually from a... let me give you the exact words from their web site.
"The first area is the traditional 'shop pub'. For centuries, people throughout rural Ireland have gathered in these small cozy pubs. These pubs served as the local grocer, post office, draper, pub and community gathering place. The barback and counter at Ri Ra were the centerpiece of a pub that opened its doors to the Irish public in the center of a small coastal town called Annagassin, Co. Louth in the early 1900's. The bar counter also incorporates a small "snug" at one end that is typical of a country pub shop. The entry doors from the street to the shop area were salvaged from the well-known 'Langtons Pub of Kilkenny'. There is a very old pot belly stove from Spike Island Prison, in Cove, Co.Cork ready to warm punters during Portland's cold winter months."
There are actually two pot belly stoves. I loved the atmosphere of this room and though I did venture into the rest of the place that has much to offer and even better in some sense, I had a couple of pints and food here.
The bar tender was a young personable guy who asked for my order and wanted to know if I wanted to see a menu. I saw two other guys at this six or seven seat bar with fish and chips and some kind of wrap. I asked the guys about their orders and both said they were excellent. One had half his order wrapped to take home. He said the portion was huge too.
Irish Pub Food
I checked out the menu and then talked to the tender about the different pub type offerings and much more, like appetizers including...
Baked Brie $8.95
Topped by warm apple & orange chutney- served w/ a warm baguette.
Duck & Banger Parcels $8.95
A savory mix of duck & bangers in pastry w/ Guinness mustard sauce.
Irish Potato Cakes $7.95
Served with savory sour cream sauce and balsamic reduction
Maine Crab Cakes $8.95
Served with tarragon aioli and field green salad
Soup and Salads
Potato Leek Soup $3.95
Served with fresh Irish soda bread and Guinness butter
Pub Salad $7.95
Field greens, dried cranberries, walnuts and cheddar with champagne vinaigrette
Ri-Ra Salad $9.95
Baby spinach, smoked salmon, rasher, bleu cheese, pickled red onion and creamy lemon vinaigrette
Today's Chowder $4.95
A hearty creamy stock w/ potato, onion & celery- created daily
Burgers and Sandwiches including
Bleu Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Burger $8.95
Bleu cheese & crispy smoked bacon.
Cheddar Rasher Burger $8.95
A half pound burger on a toasted Kaiser roll with cheddar and rasher bacon
Corned Beef Reuben $9.95
Our signature sandwich with sauerkraut, melted Swiss and Marie Rose sauce
Garden Burger $8.95
Roasted peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms & cheddar cheese.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich $9.95
Tomato, spinach, fresh mozzarella & balsamic reduction on sourdough.
Guinness BBQ Burger $8.95
Cheddar cheese, fried onion rings and Guinness BBQ sauce
Havarti Dill & Tomato Toastie $6.95
An Irish style grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough.
and entrees
Bay Scallops Tralee $15.95
Bay scallops with roasted pepper and leek risotto cake, whiskey garlic butter and julienne vegetables.
Beef n'Guinness Pie $12.95
Beef, carrots, potato, celery and onion simmered in Guinness with a puff pastry lid
Irish Boxty $10.95
A scallion & potato pancake filled w/ your choice of grilled chicken, mushrooms & leek or Guinness marinated flank steak w/ sauteed onions and peppers.
Irish Lamb Stew $10.95
Lamb, carrots, celery & potato simmered tender- the real taste of Ireland.
Pub Style Fish & Chips $10.95
Beer battered Cod filet with lemon, tarter sauce and pub fries
Shepherd's Pie $9.95
Ground beef, carrots, peas, and onions baked with a mashed potato crust
Traditional Irish Breakfast $10.95
A proper fry up of eggs, bangers, rashers, pudding, tomato & beans
This is just a partial listing and there is even more on the dinner menu. I ended up having, at the bar-tenders suggestion, the Cheddar Rasher Burger. Oh MY!!, was I in heaven. This was meat that tasted like it should and was prepared to my liking. The Kaiser roll made for the perfect home for my sandwich. Though it took a bit longer to get to me than I would have liked, I was very,, very well satisfied. The fries were good too and of course vinegar was supplied.
Drink and Entertainment
The tap handles in front of me offered Guinness and other imports as well as American beers like Sam Adams and local brews like Shipyards Export that is brewed in Portland. Geary's was also present. This pub does not compare to a few of the other pubs and brew pubs in Portland as far a selection or specialty. I suggest Three Dollar Dewey's and Gritty McDuff's for that kind of selection. A full bar had many scotch and whiskey offerings you wouldn't see in every bar in the states. This place works hard to keep it's Irish image and authenticity and that's what makes it special.
In checking out their weekly calender I saw they have continuous entertainment, much of it Irish, all week long in one of the other sections of the bar. My wife and I stayed at the Hilton Hotel just across the street from Ri Ra's and we knew it was party night, every weekend night. The tender told me they get pretty busy during the week too, especially in the summer.
Two More Sections of Ri-Ra's
Though I spent my time in the 'shop pub', I did check out the rest of the place and there is much more to like.
The Victorian area next to the 'shop bar' is representative of a Victorian Dublin pub. The paneling used in the bar counter is circa 1880. It was originally part of the cashier counter at Allied Irish Bank, Westmorland St., Dublin. The back bar fixture came from Fallon's, a chemist whose place of business was on Grafton St. in Dublin. The frieze on the back bar is decorated with the original hand painted lettering.
This is the largest and most open part of the pub where another long bar seats twenty or so and gets tripled up on Friday Saturday and Sundays. Many tables and chairs in this multi-level section makes for good conversation areas and a place to listen to entertainment. Again looking at these fixtures directly from Ireland makes the place special.
A walk up the open stairs where everyone watches to see the goings and comings of patrons brings one to another stunning area.
As you move to 'Upstairs at Ri-Ra,' customers can enjoy spectacular Waterfront views while enjoying fine cuisine created by the pub's chef. "Ireland with it's growing culinary reputation around the world provides lots of inspiration from which to draw. I am very excited to have the opportunity to introduce Portland to some of my native country's dishes, both traditional and contemporary, from pub fare downstairs to more creative cuisine 'Upstairs at Ri-Ra'"
After walking through a seating area around a fireplace with large comfy sofas and easy chairs one gets to the large room where dinner is served. The views are wonderful from the large back room. It is amazing how much there is to see in this place. Another bar is upstairs and it too is overly active on those hopping nights with entertainment. During the day it a good place to sit and have a leisurely lunch with amazing views of the harbor. Sightseeing cruises embark from the piers right next door. It's a cool place to see it all.
I am looking forward to coming back again with my wife. After I do I'll add some comments from her. It's also possible we may try a Re Ra's Irish Pub elsewhere. There are seven all together. There's one in Burlington Vermont, a Ri Ra's in Providence, RI, another in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a Ri Ra's in Bethesda Mayland, one in Arlington Virginia, and one in Charlotte North Carolina and this Ri Ra Irish Pub in Portland Maine. I'm sure she will agree, this is a five star experience of food and atmosphere. It's a fine place to be.
Portland Maine
Portland Museum of Art
Portland Head Light
Places to Stay
Howard Johnson's Hotel, Portland
Portland Travelodge
Hilton Garden in Portland's Old Port Waterfront
Shipyard Brewing Company
Portland Restaurants
DiMillo's Floating Restaurant
Street & Co. Excellent Creations in an interesting neighborhood.
Gilbert's Chowder House
MAINE,wonderful coastal towns and so much more.
Recommended:
Yes
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