Featured Restaurant

The Irish Mist
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March is fast approaching. The snow begins to melt and spring officially beings. It is definitely a month to celebrate. In fact one of the most celebrated holidays falls in the middle of March, that being St. Patrick’s Day. What better way to celebrate this holiday than feasting at the Irish Mist located at 285 2nd Street Troy, NY 12180. When approaching The Irish Mist, one thing that caught my eye was the rustic look of the building. I later found out it was actually built in the early 1800’s for Empire Stove Works, the second
largest cast iron stove manufacturer in the Northeast. After being abandoned it was purchased to become Lindy’s Hardware until it was bought in December 2000 to become the popular Irish Mist.

As soon as I entered the restaurant I was greeted and seated by a waiter who kindly explained to us the specials of the day. I quickly noticed that the menu was definitely not short on options. There was a good numbers of appetizers and plenty of meal choices; from fresh seafood, loins and lamb chops to the classic burger and pasta dishes. After the waiter took my order for an appetizer I made sure to explore the historic building.

The overall area of the restaurant was moderately sized. I saw a small room near the front door that can be used for private gatherings. There was a dart board and pool table which is always a plus in my book for a good pub. Near the exit I noticed a mini stage where they have live music and perform karaoke during the certain nights of the week.

Just beyond the full bar was a hallway that lead to an outside patio with a few tables. The patio is located next to the river; I could visualize parties and such during the warm summer months. Near the back of the restaurant was a hallway leading to a larger room meant for receptions and other festivities. If you are interested in booking for a gathering you can visit their website (http://www.theirishmist.com) or simply call
at (518) 266-8915.

It wasn't long before I received my appetizer; Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Lumps of crab meat tossed with spinach, artichokes and cheese). The creamy dip was definitely the best appetizer I've had in a while. The elegant taste of crab meat went perfectly with the combination of cheese and artichoke. Halfway through our meal the waiter brought out complimentary Irish Potato Chips (Fresh shaved potatoes friend to a crisp golden brown). These went wonderfully with the artichoke dip, though they were a bit salty. This was an amazing starter to what I could tell would be a very tasteful meal.

For the meal I couldn’t resist the Woodville Farm Rock of Lamb (grilled lamb
chops finished with ruby port sauce). The Lamb chops were very tender and
juicy, they had the perfect sear from the grill. The ruby port sauce drizzled on the chops was sweet and very enjoyable. I could see bits of cranberries and taste a touch of wine within it. Served with the lamb chops were crunchy whole green beans and a baked potato
wrapped in the aluminum foil, a smart choice for a side.

To end my meal at the Irish Mist I decided on the Galway Bay Salmon (Atlantic salmon sautéed with their own crab meat stuffing. Finished with a lemon cream sauce). Salmon has always been a favorite of mine and I was excited to try out this dish. I was not disappointed at all. The salmon was extremely moist and flaky with a mild fish flavor. I could most certainly tell it was fresh. The crab meat stuffing added an interesting taste to the salmon along with the popular lemon cream sauce. Fish lovers will without a doubt enjoy this meal.

The Irish Mist is a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy a drink and some good food. Whatever you pick from the extensive menu, it will definitely get your taste buds going! although service seemed slow at times, I definitely left the restaurant satisfied. You can check out everything they have to offer including live music and specials by checking out their website. If you want to make this St. Patrick’s Day a memorable and tasteful one, be sure to spend it at The Irish Mist in Troy, New York. You will not be disappointed.

Review by Michael Weissman (Chief Culinary Consultant)

Photography by Christopher Case