An Irish Rose By Any Other Name ...

Another Wednesday night, another pub in another town! This time it's in northern Illinois. My workshop co-leader Meg and I flew into O'Hare this afternoon to put on a marketing workshop in Rockford on Thursday. Neither of us had eaten any lunch before departing Dulles, so we were looking for an early dinner along I-90 between Chicago and Rockford. Before leaving Bethesda, I had googled the Irish pubs in Rockford and had decided on trying the Irish Rose Saloon for a pint later in the evening. Thinking we'd like to get a bite sooner than later, we pulled off the Interstate shortly after departing the airport. However, all the eateries around the exit appeared to be the usual chain restaurants that the Midwest is lousy with these days. As we were looking for something a little funkier with a bit of charm all its own, we determined to push on.

The Irish Rose Saloon is a delightful pub in what appears to be the historic section of Rockford. The restaurant had a good dinnner crowd at six o'clock on a Wednesday night, and the fare was tasty and the presentation attractive. The menu offered variety, but showed more Midwest than Irish in its influence. The beer selection was fairly extensive with a good mix of domestic and import brands, but the Guinness proved a little disappointing--a little too chilled and lacking the creaminess characteristic of a perfect pint. However, the wait staff was friendly and attentive and the overall experience still quite enjoyable.

All in all, everything worked together resulting in a pleasant evening in a friendly pub. And that's all I really asked for!