Scruffy Murphy’s

Its been an extremely long time since i've had any wine or beer introduced into my system and honestly, i'm missing the feeling of being slightly woozy and laughing like an idiot. So it was with this intention that i brought my gf to visit Scruffy Murphy's one quiet Friday evening after work. Part of a group of pubs under the Gaelic Inns company which includes mainstays like "The Penny Black" and "Dirty Nellys". This company is definitely no stranger to the pub scene but i was a hungry for dinner as well, so lets see if they have decent grub as well.

KilKenny ($11.80 per pint) - Beer on tap and beer in a bottle. What would you choose? I'm not an expert on beer and basically, i've not had enough beer to be a judge but conversation has lead to the belief that beer on tap has a magically transformed effect of making it smoother and better. $11.80 for one pint of beer is rather expensive by any standards but i have to say, Kilkenny on tap is rather smoother and lighter then the bottled iterations.

Simplicity is the best policy in the case of this pub. Single seatings near the bar and small uncomfortable rattan chairs abound. There's a small private room at the back with air con but the rest of the pub is non air conditioned. Its still a nice, cosy setting with no one bothering you regardless of where you sit. Service is attentive as well.

Scruffy's Irish Roast Beef ($16.80) - Bearing the namesake of the pub, i expected this to be of reasonably good quality. And i was not disappointed. Judging by its namesake, i was expecting small cubic portions akin to pot roast but what came looked very promising indeed. Huge slices of beef cooked medium rare with a pinkish tint on the sides. Drenched in mushroom sauce, the meat was undeniably tender and appetizing. You could taste the marinate in eat slice and it never overwhelms. Of special mention, the yorkshire pudding on the side was excellent as well. Soft and served warm, its fragrance elevated the dish even more. Well done.

French Fries ($4.80) - Alright, this was a stupid order because we didn't know the beef came with fries. For what its worth, the fries were rather dry and bland due to the lack of salt.

Crispy Pork with Mustard and Mayonnaise ($10) - We ordered this after ordering our second pint and thought it would go well with the beer. Anyhow, the description on the menu belies its actual appearance. These few pieces of roasted crispy pork is hardly worth $10. Not that it tastes bad though. It actually tastes pretty good if not for the 2 of us being health conscious lately. Chewy thick meat and fats dominate the crispy pork belly while the mustard definitely complemented it well. Still, it was too far a departure from our expectations to make it worth our while.

Total bill came up to $55.20 for a meal and drink for 2 people. Given the excellent main we had, i'm inclined to say it was worth it.

In all fairness, the place is still worth a visit and the ambiance is pretty relaxing in the later parts of the day. Food served is decent (for the main) while service is relaxed and slow. The music is soft and conversation can be easily carried out if you require it. Otherwise, its nice to chill out and watch some matches, listen to the waves or simply drink a few beers. Now if they could lower their prices per pint, i would frequent it that much more.