Having lived for a spell in South Boston (a.k.a., “Southie”), I thought I had had my fill of Boston Irish culture.
Little did I know that I would find what is perhaps a more authentic example (sorry, Mr. Bulger!) in Newton!
From the outside, Dunn Gaherin’s (www.dunngaherins.com) looks a bit out of place, with its chalet-style architecture amidst a mixed residential and industrial area. Inside, the surprises continue….
While most of the interior décor – from the exposed brick and beams, and decorative (and informative) maps, road signs and even musical instruments and sporting equipment hanging on the walls – suggest Ireland, the photos of local sports legends ranging from Marvin Hagler and Bobby Orr to the Needham, Newton and Wellesley hockey teams make sure everyone feels right at home. Whether you gather around the rectangular bar in the lower section with its glistening suspended glass and wood cabinets housing every kind of cocktail imaginable, as well as an impressive selection of beers and wines from the US and abroad, or in the high-ceilinged upper area where conversations have even more room to mix and mingle, there is always a place for you even when the game is on or the local teams are dropping by for a bite and/or a pint.
Speaking of teams, DG’s sponsors many in its neighboring towns and also rosters its own Monday night softball team and a Project Hope team in the Boston Marathon. Challengers to the former and donators to the latter are often offered special meal deals and extra-friendly service (which is saying something, considering how friendly and accommodating the staff is to everyone).
As neighborly and comfortable as the place is, the menu at DG’s is where the cozy confines expand much further afield without ever getting lost. While they are known for their meatloaf to the point that it is the focus of a clever self-promotional campaign, and while they also offer a wide selection of Emerald Isle staples such as Shepard’s pie, a “New Irishman” burger with caramelized onions and Irish Porter cheddar, a “Paddy” melt, and a Tralee turkey BLT, DG’s offers everything from French onion soup and both a Caprese and “Big Fat Greek” salad to southwestern wraps, Teriyaki pork shanks, Cajun salmon, Satay tips, a Brazilian “X-tudo” burger with ham, bacon, corn, crispy potato straws and fried egg, and also another grilled burger called “The North Ender” that features sauteed peppers, onions and Provelone. Weekly specials include Monday’s American chop suey, Wednesday’s chicken lasagna and Friday’s hand-cut sirloin, and daily specials are always popping up, adding to the choices and the means of satisfaction. The wide array of offerings is further expanded upon by a and gluten-free menu that includes such healthy and hunger-sating options as chicken breast prepared multiple ways and lamb top tips, and a kids menu that offers whole wheat pasta, apple sauce, a coloring page and a lesson in the Irish language. Even the sides menu is extensive, with regular, sweet, spicy, and eggplant fries, fresh veggies and garlic mashed potatoes! While each kid’s meal comes with an ice cream sandwich for dessert, the more adult sweets include a whiskey sauce-topped cinnamon bread pudding (worth the trip on its own!), as well as a well-named chocolate decadence cake, a brownie sundae with espresso powder and a mousse-y pumpkin cheesecake.
Getting back to the bar (which may be as far as some get, though there is noting wrong with that, especially as the full menu is available there as well), DG’s offers entire menus of spirits, including gins, vodkas, bourbons, ryes, tequilas and, as might be expected, whiskeys. These can be combined with a wide array of other ingredients to make your favorite “everyday” cocktail, or the bar staff may be able to provide you with a new favorite from among its long list of signature creations that includes the Royal Washington apple (Crown Royal, Sour Apple Schnapps & a splash of cranberry juice) and Gail’s porch swing (Absolut Citron, St. Germaine Elderberry Liquor, sweet and sour, shaken, splashed with soda), among many other creative concoctions. The beer list also runs from “the usual” (Bud, Sam, Miller, etc.) to drafts, crafts, and a separate menu of Guinness-based treats.
So whether you need a place to replenish after your game, to catch the big game or to just enjoy and smile without playing, Dunn Gaherin’s is a great place where neighborhoods and people come together to enjoy an international array of flavors in a familiar yet unique setting.
Dunn Gaherin’s
300 Elliot Street
Newton, MA 02464
617 527 6271